We are preparing for an exit in two years and have multiple external advisors like our M&A attorney, CPA, and wealth planner. How do we run an Advisor Level 10 Meeting pulse to keep them aligned without wasting billable hours?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Managing deal attorneys, accountants, and exit advisors through sporadic phone calls and separate email chains burns billable hours and creates conflicting strategies. To coordinate external professionals, implement an Advisor Level 10 Meeting pulse, a core discipline within the Step by Step Exit (SxSE) framework.

Hold an Advisor Level 10 Meeting™ monthly or quarterly, depending on your exit timeline. Apply the same ninety-minute rhythm you use internally.

Start with a crisp segue where each advisor confirms their primary focus. Review an Exit Scorecard tracking diligence-readiness metrics, such as EBITDA adjustments, documented standard operating procedures, and customer concentration percentages.

Next, review Exit Rocks. These are specific quarterly milestones like completing a quality of earnings audit, cleaning up tribal knowledge, or restructuring corporate entities.

When you enter IDS®, focus entirely on high-stakes exit friction. For example, if your tax strategist and transaction attorney disagree on asset purchase structuring, do not let them debate across ten billable emails. Put the disagreement on the Issues List, debate the trade-offs live during IDS®, and make the call.

End the pulse with clear To-Dos assigned to each advisor with hard deadlines.

Running a structured pulse for external advisors treats exit preparation as an operational discipline rather than an emotional scramble. It minimizes transaction risk, controls advisory fees, and ensures your company is transfer-ready when buyers begin diligence.