IFA Partnership programmes and partial exits

PARTIAL EXIT AND INVESTMENT OPTIONS

Not every deal is a full exit. A partial exit offers a flexible route for financial planning firm owners who want support, continuity and a clearer long-term plan without moving straight to retirement.

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What is a partnership programme?

Partnership programmes are designed for IFA owners who are not ready to fully sell and retire, but would value the backing of a larger firm.

This will usually involve selling a minority stake in the business, agreeing a future route to full acquisition, and working with the partner firm over several years before the remaining shares are bought. The specifics will vary by buyer, but the broad aim is to give you more support, more certainty, and a clearer long-term plan for you, your team, and your clients.

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Benefits of a partnership programme

A partnership programme offers IFA owners greater flexibility as well as stronger operational support and a more gradual route to an eventual full exit.

Flexible path to full exit

Sell a minority stake in your firm while continuing to work in the business for the next few years.

For owners who are not ready for a full exit, this can provide a flexible route to realise value now while keeping control over the timing of the longer-term transition.

Support from a larger firm

Joining a partnership programme can provide the safety net of a larger business, with access to broader resources, infrastructure and investment capability.

For smaller firms or one-man bands, that can ease pressure on the business.

Gradual transition for clients

Rather than moving straight into a full sale, a partnership route can allow for a slower integration into the buyer’s centralised investment proposition and operating model.

That can help create a steadier adjustment for clients before the final buyout takes place.

How we support you

At Chapters Capital we help you assess whether a partnership programme could be suitable for your firm, your clients and your own plans.

If the route is right for you, we carefully identify selected firms with relevant partnership models, help position and present your business clearly, manage introductions, and lead negotiations and commercial discussions through to an agreed outcome.

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Our process

We begin by getting to know you, your goals, and your business. From there, we assess your situation and develop a unique plan to meet your specific needs.

Consultation

We will present you with potential buyers. We will highlight why they are a fit, the valuation they would place on the business, and the practical points to consider for each deal.

Matching

We facilitate and chair meetings with buyers, ensuring an agenda is set so all your questions are answered. We also take detailed minutes, so you can focus fully on the discussion.

Meetings

The many moving parts of a deal can make selling a stressful process. We will make sure you know what is happening and what is expected from each party throughout.

Deal management

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"Simon and Nancy at Chapters Capital took an informed approach to finding potential acquirers who would meet our brief, and as a result they saved us a lot of time with ‘quality’, rather than ‘quantity’ of meetings.

When we found the right partner, they helped immensely in guiding us through the process to a successful conclusion."

Julian Palmer

Kingsbridge Wealth Management

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Other ways we can help

Prepare to sell your advice firm

Get a clear view of the market, your options, how much your business is worth, and more.

Prepare for exit

Sell your financial planning firm and retire

A structured sale process that supports a full exit, with clients properly looked after.

Sell and retire

Sell your firm and keep advising

Exit the business but continue to advise your clients, with greater admin and regulatory support.

Sell and stay

Frequently asked questions

A partnership programme is a route for IFA, financial planning or wealth management firm owners who are thinking about the future of their business, but are not ready to fully sell and retire straight away.

These arrangements usually involve selling a minority stake in the business, agreeing a future route to full acquisition, and working with the partner firm over a number of years before the remaining shares are bought. The exact structure will depend on the buyer, your business and your objectives.

Yes, depending on the size and shape of your business, you can sell a minority stake rather than selling the whole business immediately.

This can suit owners who want to realise some value now, gain the backing of a larger firm, and agree a longer-term plan for the rest of the business. Whether this is the right option will depend on the structure of your firm, your client base, and the suitability of buyers in the market.

Yes. A partnership programme can allow you to sell a minority stake and continue working in the business, with an agreed route to a full acquisition later.

If you would prefer to sell 100% of the firm now and continue advising your clients as an employed adviser, a sell-and-stay deal may be more suitable. When we first speak, we will discuss the role, working pattern and timeline you want, then identify firms able to support them.

Client continuity should be a central part of any partnership discussion.

A partnership route can allow clients to move gradually towards the partner firm’s service model, rather than everything changing at once. This may include a slower move towards the buyer’s investment proposition, systems, advice process and wider operating model. The right structure should give clients a clear long-term home while giving you time to support the transition properly.

We start with an initial conversation to understand your objectives, your business and what you want the next few years to look like.

If a partnership route appears suitable, we identify carefully selected firms with relevant partnership models, help present your business clearly, manage introductions and support the commercial discussions.

We will also help you compare a partnership programme with a straightforward sell-and-retire deal or a sell-and-stay deal, so you can decide which route best fits your plans.

The buyer pays our fees upon the successful completion of a deal. We are not an agent of any buyer and as such we are completely independent.

We don’t charge retainers or onboarding fees; we only receive a percentage of the sale price from the buyer if a transaction is successful. This ensures our incentives are aligned with yours, and we can assist you in securing the best commercial deal. We will always be upfront and honest from the outset, as we have no incentive to take on projects we aren’t confident in completing.

However, if a seller wants to pay our fee we can also agree terms on a sell-side mandate, and we wouldn’t charge the buyer in that instance.

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