Preparing your event production business for sale: a checklist

The owners who get the best outcome from a sale are usually the ones who prepared for it. Preparation increases value, shortens the process and reduces the chance of a deal falling apart late on. This checklist is written for owners of event production, AV, staging and lighting companies.

1. Finances

• Three years of accounts, filed on time and prepared on a consistent basis.
• Monthly management accounts for the current year, including a profit and loss account by month.
• A clear record of personal or one-off costs run through the business, so they can be adjusted for.
• Revenue analysed by client, by event type and by month, so a buyer can see patterns and seasonality.
• A record of client deposits held and the events they relate to.
• Debts, finance agreements and equipment leases listed in one place.

2. Clients

• A list of your top clients with how long they have worked with you and what they spend each year.
• Written terms, framework agreements or preferred-supplier arrangements wherever you have them.
• A view of confirmed future bookings.
• Key client relationships held by members of your team as well as by you.
• A plan to reduce reliance on any client that accounts for a large share of revenue. See customer concentration.

3. Team

• Written employment contracts for every employee.
• An organisation chart showing who does what, and who could step up.
• Key people identified, with thought given to how they will be retained through a sale.
• A clear record of how freelance crew are engaged. Discuss employment status and off-payroll rules with your accountant.
• Holiday, pay and pension records in order.

Our guide to what happens to your staff when you sell explains the employment law side.

4. Equipment and premises

• An asset register listing each significant item with its purchase date, cost, serial number and condition.
• Thorough examination records for lifting equipment such as hoists, motors, truss and rigging accessories. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, these are required at set intervals.
• Portable appliance and electrical safety testing records.
• A view of which items will need replacing in the next two to three years.
• Your property lease, its length and any break clauses, and whether it can be transferred.
• Vehicle ownership, finance and maintenance records.

5. Compliance and risk

• Current insurance policies, including public and employers' liability, and your claims history.
• Health and safety policies, risk assessments and method statements.
• Any disputes, complaints or claims, past or ongoing, documented.
• Ownership of your brand, domain names and social media accounts held by the company.
• Data protection arrangements for client and contact data.

6. Reduce your own role

This is often the single biggest lever on value. If the business cannot run without you, a buyer has to price that risk in, usually through a lower figure or more of the price paid later.

• Delegate day-to-day show management and quoting to your team.
• Introduce your managers to your key clients and let them lead.
• Write down the processes that live in your head: pricing, crewing, supplier relationships.
• Take a proper holiday and see what happens. It is a useful test.

7. Tax and personal planning

• Ask your accountant whether Business Asset Disposal Relief may apply. From 6 April 2026 it charges qualifying gains at 18%, up to a lifetime limit of £1 million. Conditions apply, including holding at least 5% of the shares and being an officer or employee for at least two years before the sale.
• Consider how a deferred or earn-out element would be taxed. See deferred consideration and earn-outs.
• Think about what you want after the sale: your role during the handover, and what comes next.

8. Prepare your documents

Buyers will ask for most of the items above during due diligence. Gathering them into an organised digital folder before you start conversations shortens the process considerably and gives buyers confidence.

Keep it confidential

Preparing for sale does not mean announcing it. Most of this work simply makes the business better run, whether or not you sell. Keep conversations with potential buyers confidential until terms are agreed.

Talking to us early

Many owners speak to us a year or two before they plan to step back. An early, confidential conversation can help you focus your preparation on what will matter most to a buyer. It carries no obligation.

Written by Sanjeev Desour, founder of Ignite Group. About Sanjeev

This guide is general information about UK practice, not legal, tax or financial advice. Take advice from your own accountant and solicitor on your circumstances.