Exit Your Way® Research
Advisory Approach
Exit Your Way® takes a fundamentally different approach to business exits than traditional M&A advisors, investment bankers, or business brokers. Rather than focusing purely on transactions, Exit Your Way® operates on the thesis that most business owners are not ready to sell when they decide to exit—and that selling a business "as-is" often leaves significant value on the table. Their approach combines three integrated service lines: increasing business value, preparing for sale, and managing the sale process. This transformation-before-transaction philosophy means they work with clients for 12-36 months before a sale, implementing operational improvements, strengthening management teams, optimizing financial reporting, and driving revenue growth. The firm's methodology is explicitly designed to help owners achieve 2X to 7X+ increases in enterprise value before going to market.
The firm positions itself explicitly against traditional advisors who "focus on selling a business as is/where is ASAP whether it's best for you or not." Instead, Exit Your Way® advocates for selling when it's right for the owner—after sufficient value has been created and the business is properly prepared for market. This client-centric timing philosophy extends to their deal structuring work, including creative transactions like partial sales that allow owners to monetize a portion of their business while retaining involvement in core operations.
Sector Focus
Exit Your Way® works across six primary industry verticals: manufacturing, e-commerce, healthcare services, construction and engineering, SaaS and technology, and automotive/aerospace. Within manufacturing, they have particular depth in precision machining, sheet metal fabrication, and industrial operations—evidenced by detailed case studies showing 50%+ profitability improvements in a single year for manufacturing clients. Their e-commerce practice focuses on online retail businesses with multi-channel sales operations (Amazon, owned websites, third-party marketplaces). In healthcare, they work with services businesses and provider groups. The construction and engineering practice encompasses trade contractors, engineering services, and industrial services companies. Their SaaS/technology focus includes B2B software and technology-enabled services. The automotive/aerospace vertical leverages the founders' backgrounds in industrial manufacturing.
Deal Track Record
Exit Your Way® reports having completed "hundreds of deals" through their parent entity Cross Northwest, which was founded by Andrew Cross in the early 2010s and expanded through the addition of co-founder Damon Pistulka in 2015. The Exit Your Way® program was formalized following the Park City, Utah office opening in 2016. Specific documented transactions from the firm's published case studies include:
-
E-commerce Business Sale: An 8+ year old e-commerce company that achieved $18+ million in enterprise value growth over 18 months, including 200%+ top-line revenue increase, nearly 4x EBITDA growth, and a 45X ROI for the owner. Exit Your Way® provided sales acceleration, management consulting, and deal advisory services.
-
Retail Solutions Provider: Successfully exited for over 5X the original business value following value improvement work.
-
Sheet Metal Fabrication Company: Achieved 50%+ increase in profitability in a single year through operational improvements and management consulting.
-
Water Restoration Business: Generated 3X revenue increase and 5X profitability increase compared to initial value.
-
Hobart Machine: Exit Your Way® Advisors "put together a creative deal that allowed us to sell a portion of our company so we could concentrate on our core strength," demonstrating the firm's capability in partial sale transactions and recapitalizations.
The firm emphasizes that only about 30% of businesses for sale actually get sold, positioning their preparation and value improvement services as essential to reversing these odds. Their website client results section claims 190% sales growth, 700% exit value improvement, and 90%+ exit success rate.
Process & Fee Structure
Exit Your Way® follows a structured sale process with eight phases: Information Gathering, Business Valuation & Assessment, Marketing Material Development, Marketing, Pre-sale Company Management, Buyer Qualification & Selection, Due Diligence, Buyer Negotiations, Legal & Document Preparation, Closing, and Post-Sale Transition. The pre-market planning phase is particularly comprehensive, including business valuation, readiness assessment, ideal buyer persona development, goal setting, weakness identification and remediation, and due diligence preparation.
The firm places unusual emphasis on due diligence preparation, noting that if diligence extends beyond 90 days, deal completion probability drops by 50%. They conduct all negotiations in teams rather than individually to better understand nuances and key points that will allow deals to close. The firm also manages post-transaction transition planning, citing that acquisitions often fail due to poor integration.
Fee structure information is not publicly disclosed on their website. As business brokers rather than FINRA-registered broker-dealers, they likely use success fee models common in the business brokerage industry rather than the Lehman formula used by investment banks. Initial consultations are free, and business valuation fees are described as "fair and competitive" and scope-dependent.
Buyer Network
Exit Your Way® conducts "targeted and comprehensive marketing outreach" to find qualified buyers for client businesses. Their marketing approach includes detailed marketing materials that communicate unique value, targeted outreach campaigns, buyer qualification and screening, and management of the offer process. The firm requires all interested buyers to sign confidentiality agreements as part of pre-screening and delivers client confidential data through secure access-controlled methods.
Their buyer network likely includes a mix of strategic buyers, private equity groups, family offices, and individual acquirers. The case studies mention buyers across various categories, though specific buyer names are not disclosed in public materials due to confidentiality constraints. The firm's long history with M&A attorneys and transaction professionals suggests established relationships in the broader deal community.
Competitive Positioning
Exit Your Way® differentiates itself through several key attributes:
-
Transformation-before-transaction philosophy: Unlike traditional advisors who list businesses as-is, Exit Your Way® invests 12-36 months improving operations, financials, and management before going to market.
-
Integrated service delivery: The firm combines sales acceleration, management consulting, and deal advisory under one roof, allowing coordinated improvement across all value drivers.
-
Team-based negotiation: All negotiations are conducted by teams rather than individuals, improving deal outcomes and closing probabilities.
-
Proven ROI: Documented case studies show extraordinary returns—45X ROI, $18M+ value creation in 18 months, 5X+ exit multiples.
-
Creative deal structures: Willingness to structure partial sales, recapitalizations, and other non-standard transactions to align with owner goals.
-
Industry specialization: Deep operational expertise in manufacturing, e-commerce, and other verticals allows more credible buyer outreach and value improvement.
-
Confidentiality-first approach: Rigorous CA processes and secure data sharing protect client interests throughout marketing.
Not a Fit If
Exit Your Way® likely declines engagements where:
- Owners are not willing to invest 12-36 months in value improvement before sale
- Businesses have minimal revenue or profitability that cannot be improved
- Owners want immediate listing without preparation work
- Businesses face existential threats (imminent bankruptcy, major litigation, regulatory collapse)
- Sellers are seeking pure auction processes without buyer qualification
Team
Exit Your Way® was founded by Andrew Cross and Damon Pistulka, who brought together a team of business owners, operational specialists, startup advisors, and turnaround experts. Andrew Cross holds CBI (Certified Business Intermediary) and CM&AA (Certified M&A Advisor) credentials and has decades of experience in business growth, management, and transactions. Damon Pistulka specializes in business strategy, leadership development, value improvement, and mergers and acquisitions.
The broader Exit Your Way® team includes 15+ professionals with complementary expertise:
- Jeffry Graham: Business growth and sales acceleration advisory
- Ira Bowman: Sales & marketing, social media and digital media strategy
- Jeanette Roatch, CPA, CGMA: Financial review, quality of earnings, accounting procedure advisory
- Curt Anderson: Manufacturing and e-commerce evangelist and implementer
- Bill Sablan, CPA: Accounting and CFO services
- Jonny Kingman: Business development and sales strategy
- Marty Vondrell, PCC: Executive and leadership team development
- Jessica J. Norris, CPA, CFE, CVA: Financial review, valuation services, accounting advisory
- Reuben J. Ortega: Corporate legal advisory and M&A legal advisory
- Mike O'Connor: SEO strategy, digital marketing, online traffic generation
- Brad Smith: Business growth coaching and sales strategy development
- Jacob Warren: IT support, data security, infrastructure
- Jason Totedo, CFA, CIPM: Wealth and investment management, tax planning
- Andrew Deutsch: Global marketing, sales advisory, customer due diligence
- Dale Richards, CVA: Business valuation and value optimization coaching
This multi-disciplinary team allows Exit Your Way® to address all aspects of business value creation, from operational improvements and sales growth to financial reporting sophistication and transaction structuring.
Geographic Coverage
Exit Your Way® is headquartered in Park City, Utah with additional presence in Seattle, Washington and Denver, Colorado (remote location). The firm serves clients across the United States with particular strength in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest regions. Their remote service delivery capabilities allow them to work with businesses nationally.