How do I sell my recruiting firm when clients are tied to me?

If your clients call you and no one else, a buyer will see that at once. Buyers will ask how much of the book depends on you personally, and whether you would stay through a handover. Be ready to answer both. The work below is best started early.

Move relationships to the team

Pick the clients who matter most and introduce a second person on each account. Bring that person into calls, search updates and billing conversations, then step back a little at a time. Clients generally respond well when the change is explained as growth in the team, not as an exit. Keep notes of who has met whom, because a buyer will ask.

Write down how you work

Put your search method on paper: how you take a mandate, how you source and screen candidates, how you report to clients and how you invoice. Tidy the candidate database so that a stranger can use it. A firm that runs on documented habits is easier to hand over than one that runs on your memory.

Plan the transition period

Buyers commonly ask the owner to stay for a set period after closing to introduce clients and finish open searches. Decide in advance how long you are willing to stay, what role you want and how you will be paid for it. Ask your lawyer to write the commitments into the agreement, including any limits on what you may do afterwards.

Tell the right people at the right time

Keep the plan confidential until you and a buyer have agreed how clients and staff will be told. Your accountant and lawyer can help you sequence this. For the wider picture, read the guide on selling a recruiting firm in Canada.