Exit readiness work is priced in the same three ways as the rest of the Sedighi.ca group's consulting: by the hour, by the project, or by the month. All prices are in Canadian dollars; exit clients add the GST/HST of their province (GST and QST in Quebec). The initial 30-minute consultation is free, with no obligation, and nothing locks you in. The group's full rate card is on BusinessConsulting.ca's pricing page.
Hourly consulting
$175–$350 /hour
Strategy sessions and expert advice by the hour.
Project
$3,500–$25,000 per project
Defined-scope work such as a plan, assessment or launch, with milestone payments.
Monthly retainer
$2,500–$12,000 /month
Ongoing advisory and execution support.
Growth Partner Program
Custom
Performance-based partnership: Ali invests time upfront and is paid on measurable results. Limited partnerships available.
Free initial consultation · no lock-in. The initial 30-minute consultation is free, with no obligation.
Prices in Canadian dollars. Sales tax is added based on the client's province (as of October 2026, CRA rates): 5% GST in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut; 13% HST in Ontario; 14% HST in Nova Scotia; 15% HST in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and PEI; 5% GST plus 9.975% QST in Quebec. Provincial sales tax (BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) only where it applies to the service. See full pricing on businessconsulting.ca/pricing.
The rates
| Option | Price (CAD) | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly consulting | $175–$350 per hour | Strategy sessions, a second opinion on an offer, reviewing a plan |
| Project | $3,500–$25,000 per project | Defined-scope work with milestone payments, such as an assessment or a data room |
| Monthly retainer | $2,500–$12,000 per month | Ongoing readiness work over months or years |
| Growth Partner Program | Custom | Performance-based: Ali puts in time first, and payment follows measurable results. Limited partnerships available. |
The free initial consultation is separate from these. It is a 30-minute conversation to understand your situation and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.
How each service usually fits
Each engagement is scoped individually, so these are typical patterns, not fixed prices.
- Exit readiness assessment: usually a project. Scope depends mainly on how many entities and years are involved and how organized the records are.
- Valuation readiness: usually a project for the first pass, with optional year-end updates by the hour.
- Owner-independence plan: usually a retainer, because the work runs over 12 months or more.
- Succession route planning: a project, sometimes a few hours if the route is already clear.
- Deal preparation: a project or a short retainer while a transaction is active.
Your written proposal sets out the scope, the price, the milestones and what is excluded.
What drives the cost
Four things make readiness work bigger or smaller:
- Complexity of structure. One operating company is simpler than an operating company, a holding company and a property company with shareholder loans between them.
- State of the records. A current minute book and reconciled statements shorten everything. Missing documents take time to find or recreate.
- Owner dependence. The more the business runs through you, the longer the handover work.
- Runway. A three-year runway lets work be spread out at a modest monthly level. A buyer at the door compresses it.
A worked example of how to budget
Suppose an owner is about two and a half years from a planned sale.
- An assessment as a project in the first quarter.
- A retainer at the lower end of the range for about 18 months while the books are cleaned up and managers take over key accounts.
- A deal-preparation project in the final six months.
Add your accountant's and lawyer's fees, which are separate, and, if you use one, a broker's or valuator's fees, which they set themselves. Ask each professional for a written estimate early so the total exit budget has no surprises.
Then compare that budget with what is at stake. In the normalized earnings guide, a single documented add-back of $18,000 is worth $54,000 at an illustrative multiple of three. The arithmetic of preparation tends to favour starting early.
What is not included
- Legal, tax, accounting, valuation and securities services. These come from licensed professionals you engage directly.
- Broker or M&A adviser services such as marketing the business for sale or finding buyers.
How to choose
- Not sure where you stand? Book the free consultation, then a few hours of consulting or an assessment.
- Clear on the gap? Go straight to the matching project.
- Long runway, lots to do? A retainer spreads the cost and keeps momentum.
Questions about fees are welcome before any commitment. Call, text or email, or read the FAQ first.
Frequently asked questions
Do you charge a percentage of the sale price?
Our published fees are hourly, project and retainer fees, set out on this page. Any other arrangement would be written into your proposal before work starts. Brokers and other transaction advisers set their own fees, which are between you and them.
Is GST or HST included?
No. Prices are in Canadian dollars, and owners add GST/HST for their province: 5% GST in the West and North, 13% to 15% HST in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, or GST and QST in Quebec.
Can I start small?
Yes. Many owners start with a few hours of consulting to review where they stand, then decide whether a project such as the readiness assessment is worth doing.
What is the Growth Partner Program?
It is the group's performance-based partnership, in which Ali invests time upfront and is paid on measurable results. Partnerships are limited, and the terms of each are agreed in writing.
Is there a contract term?
There is no lock-in. Projects are scoped with milestones, and retainers continue only while the work is useful to you. The specific terms are confirmed in writing in your proposal.