About Us
Exit Engineering: The Full Story
Exit Consulting Group, Inc.® (ECG) is a premier professional services firm specializing in business transitions and exit strategies. Our team of experts brings a unique blend of real-world experience and professional expertise to every client engagement. Having personally navigated the challenges of starting, growing, managing, and selling businesses, our consultants offer invaluable insights that go beyond theoretical knowledge.
At ECG, we understand that every business transition is unique. That’s why we work hand-in-hand with our clients to develop customized roadmaps for success. Whether you’re planning for generational succession, exploring exit strategies, resolving partner disputes, or seeking to add value to your business before a sale, our team is equipped to guide you through every step of the process.
Our approach, which we call Exit Engineering®, is designed to facilitate successful transitions and ensure that your organization continues to thrive throughout the process. We begin by defining what success looks like for you and your business. Then, we establish a plan of action to achieve those goals, always keeping your organization’s long-term health and value at the forefront.
OUR PURPOSE
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
Running a business is challenging. Exiting your business can be daunting.
That’s the realization that led to Exit Consulting Group’s (ECG’s) beginning. And it’s part of our ongoing story, too.
John Ovrom saw a need based on personal experience. After being a successful entrepreneur, owning and operating his family-owned construction business, and then exiting – John realized there wasn’t the support he wished he had throughout his transition. Despite bringing in qualified service providers to assist with his business sale, John found that no single provider was able to provide a strategic approach, negotiate terms, oversee the deal, and minimize taxes. The process was frustrating at best and took several turns for the worse. By the time the business sold, it didn’t even feel like a win—but it did provide the inspiration for his next endeavor.
Fast-forward almost 20 years, ECG had become well-established in the world of exit planning, and along the way John realized he too had to now prepare for ECG’s succession planning.
Like most business owners, it took John several years to find his successor, Andrea Steinbrenner. Since joining the firm (first as a consultant in 2019, and then as COO in 2020) it took several years for the company and leadership to evolve and prepare for succession, and it didn’t come without the normal rocky paths that this ensues. But, because our team at ECG is committed to practicing what we preach, Andrea was named CEO in 2022; and John continued to assume the role of President.
ECG continues to grow, and we have stayed committed to helping our clients envision, pursue, and achieve rewarding exits. Our Exit Engineering® professionals bring all types of experience, from working in the trenches of day-to-day business operations, to leading corporations and running their own businesses. We’re well-versed in finance, strategic planning, operations, transactions, and everything that it takes to see your business through to a transition, which can also include selling your company.
Our purpose is to create alignment, and bring peace of mind, which is not something you typically hear paired with exit planning. Everything we do is with integrity, purpose, and perspective. The best part for us is that we’re bringing our day-to-day internal dealings of succession to our clients as we navigate the same journey with you. Exit planning is part of a good business strategy, it is active and present tense and should always be considered in both short-term and long-term business goals and growth.
You are not alone in working through your succession plan, and we’d love to partner with you as you navigate this road ahead.
