After years of building your dealership—navigating inventory swings, motivating sales teams, and adapting to shifting consumer trends—the question becomes: How do you turn that success into lasting personal wealth?
That is the purpose of the Harvest Stage of the value acceleration process. It is not just about selling your business. It is about harvesting the value you have built in a way that secures your future, protects your legacy, and rewards your hard work.
The Harvest Stage is where the rubber meets the road. It is the final phase in a broader strategy that focuses on building transferable value, aligning personal and business goals, and ensuring a successful transition, whether that means a sale, succession, or recapitalization. For dealership owners, that transition requires more than a handshake deal; it demands planning, precision, and the right team.
Timing is critical. The auto industry is rapidly evolving. Consolidation among large dealer groups, digital retailing, the EV transition, and OEM pressures, and of course, now tariffs, all influence how and when you should exit. Waiting too long or going in unprepared can leave significant value on the table. A successful harvest starts years before the actual transaction, with a clear understanding of your options and goals.
The first step is gaining clarity on your exit strategy. Whether you are eyeing a third-party sale, transitioning to a family member, or exploring a private equity recap, each path has unique implications for taxes, control, and continuity. Alongside that, getting a professional valuation—not just based on revenue multiples but factoring in operational health, team strength, and customer loyalty—gives you a realistic view of where you stand today and what gaps need closing.
Another critical piece is personal financial readiness. Most dealership owners have the majority of their net worth tied up in the business. Transitioning that value into usable, sustainable wealth takes more than a payout. It requires tax strategy, estate planning, and a roadmap for your next chapter, whether that is retirement, reinvention, or a new venture.
Just as important is ensuring your people and customers are looked after post-transaction. One dealership owner in the Midwest, for example, made employee retention and customer care a condition of the sale. In partnership with their advisory team, they structured a deal that included multi-year retention bonuses for key employees and required the buyer to maintain the existing customer service protocols for at least 24 months. This approach gave the owner peace of mind and preserved the dealership’s strong community reputation.
In the end, the Harvest Stage is not jus about exiting. It is about exiting well, on your terms, with clarity, and with confidence that your dealership’s story will continue long after you have passed the keys. The earlier you begin planning, the more control you will have over the outcome—and the better your harvest will be.
Twelve Points Business Advisors is proud to announce that we have joined the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association. An insightful article written by our very own Dave Clayman will be featured in the official monthly publication of Massachusetts Auto Dealer every month. Jump to page 42 to view his insight in the May edition.