How do I prepare my trade show exhibit business for sale?

Exhibit businesses often run on the owner’s memory: who the client is, which show is coming, which booth is in which crate. A buyer cannot buy memory, so your first job is to move it into documents. Do this well before you list. It also tells you what a buyer will ask, and it shows where the business leans on you personally.

Client list and show calendar

Build a simple record of each client, the shows they exhibit at, what you built or rented to them and when. Add the shows coming up. A buyer reading it should see how work repeats and where it comes from. Keep it factual and leave out opinions about who will stay. Share it only with buyers who have signed a confidentiality agreement.

Booked builds and deposits

List every build under contract, its stage, what the client has paid and what you still owe in materials and labour. Buyers will want to know who finishes the job and who holds the deposits. Your lawyer can tell you how those contracts are handled in the sale, so ask before you speak to buyers about them.

Rental inventory and design files

Count the rental exhibits you own, note their condition and mark which ones are client-owned and only stored with you. Then sort out the design files: where they live, who made them and whether the designers agreed in writing that the company owns them. Gaps here are easier to fix now than during a buyer’s review.

Your role and the handover

If clients deal mainly with you, say so and plan for it. Many sellers offer to stay on through at least one show season to introduce the buyer to clients and show organizers. Decide what you are willing to offer, and have your lawyer put it in the agreement.