How Civil Firm Owners Can Plan a Smart Exit From Day One With Laurie Barkman

About this episode

Laurie Barkman discusses how civil firm owners can plan a smart exit from their business from day one.

Do you know the biggest mistake AEC firm owners make? 🤔 They get lost in the busy work and never plan how they’ll leave the business one day. That’s why this episode with Laurie Barkman is huge! Known as the “Business Transition Sherpa,” she’s a M&A advisor who helps owners scale their firms smarter…and exit them stronger. She’s a former CEO who led a $100M company through the acquisition process — and now she works specifically with AEC firms to help their owners set themselves for a transition the right way. In this episode, we dive into all things business for a civil engineering firm. Valuation metrics, how to navigate the acquisition process, why a 50/50 partnership is not the way to go, and a lot more! So, if you’re running a civil firm now — or plan to start one one day — this episode will get you thinking long-term. Because no matter whether you sell it, pass it on, or step away, you don’t want to wing it…and then be trapped into the business until your late 60s. Right? 🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN: 2 Things Engineers Need to Know Before They Get Into Business Side of Engineering Why a Business Partnership Should NEVER Be 50/50 The Biggest Mistake Any Firm Owner Can Make That…

People in this episode

Host: Isaac Oakeson

Guest: Laurie Barkman

Topics covered

• business transition
• civil engineering
• firm ownership
• acquisition process
• valuation metrics
• partnership structures

Keywords

• business transition
• AEC firms
• exit strategy
• valuation metrics
• acquisition process
• partnership
• engineering business

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: AEC, Business Transition Handbook

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