[The coaching] helped me bring clarity. Now I have a clear vision of where I want to go, where the industry might go. It was helpful in stopping me from changing course too much. I know the direction now and what we need to do.

— Mansoor Nasir - Group General Manager – World BI
Emily Potts - Business Coach and Exit Strategist

About Emily Potts

Exit strategist & transition coach for SME founders

I’m Emily Potts – an exited founder turned exit strategist and transition coach.

I help SME business owners choose the right exit, build less founder-dependent, more valuable businesses, and navigate the transition and life afterwards with confidence.

With more than 25 years’ experience – including building, leading and selling my own business – I understand first-hand the emotional complexity and strategic pressure that comes with stepping away from something you’ve poured yourself into.

I’m a professionally qualified executive and business coach, and I’ve worked with many founders on leadership, strategy and growth. Now, through Exit Compass, I focus on one thing:

Helping founders shape exits they can be proud of – and futures they can feel excited about.

Why I created Exit Compass

When I exited my own business, the lawyers and accountants did a brilliant job. The sale wouldn’t have happened without them.

But there was a whole side of the process no one was holding:

  • What do I actually want this exit to give me – beyond money?
  • Who will take the business forward in a way that protects what I’ve built?
  • What do I need to change in the business now to make it more valuable later – while I’m still trying to grow it and run it day to day?
  • Where do I even start with all of that?
  • And once it’s all over… what on earth comes next?

Everyone around me was focused on the deal. Very few people were asking about me, or about what the business needed to look like in order to be truly ready for someone else to own and lead.

I remember the feeling of carrying big decisions on my own:

  • not knowing which levers would really move value
  • trying to work out how to reduce dependency on me without breaking things
  • and wondering what life would look like on the other side – with no real space to think about it properly.

I created Exit Compass to fill that gap.

To offer a calm, clear space where you can:

  • Think seriously about exit before you’re under pressure
  • Work out what your business needs to change – and in what order – to become less reliant on you and more attractive to the right buyer
  • Prepare your exit while you’re still growing and leading the business in the present
  • Navigate the transition with integrity – especially if there’s an earn-out or extended handover
  • And step into what comes next without feeling flat, lost, or like the best part of you is behind you

How I work

I don’t replace your other advisers – I sit alongside them.

Brokers, lawyers, accountants and IFAs all have important roles to play. My role is to help you:

  • get clear on what “a good exit” looks like for you
  • understand your realistic options and choose the route that fits
  • shape your business so it’s less dependent on you and more attractive to the right buyer
  • brief and coordinate the right specialists at the right time
  • and stay steady as a leader while you prepare, transition and move on

My work combines:

  • Practical business strategy – understanding how businesses create value, where risk sits, and what buyers will really care about
  • Leadership and identity coaching – how you show up, let go and step into a new chapter
  • Lived experience – I know what it’s like to carry decisions only a founder can make

Clients describe me as calm, grounded and straight-talking. I ask the questions other people avoid, hold the emotional weight of exit without flinching, and keep decisions anchored in what actually matters to you.

The Exit Compass Framework

Most of my work is shaped by the Exit Compass Framework – a phased approach that gives structure to your exit journey:

  • Prepare – Clarify what you want, understand your exit options, assess where the business stands today and identify what needs to change to create real choice and value.
  • Transition – Shape the business and your leadership so you can step back without chaos, manage handover or earn-outs well, and protect what matters most.
  • Evolve – Rebuild your identity and purpose after exit, deciding how you want to use your time, energy and experience in the next chapter.

Some founders work with me from the very first glimmer of “maybe I should sell” right through to life after exit. Others find me later and come in just for post-exit transition coaching.

Both are absolutely fine. The important thing is that you’re not carrying it all on your own.

Professional background & credentials

Alongside my founder experience, I bring:

  • ILM Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Executive Coaching & Mentoring
  • EMCC Senior Practitioner-level accreditation
  • Additional training in leadership, team development and post-exit career / identity coaching

Before specialising in exit work, I spent many years coaching and consulting on:

  • Founder leadership and mindset
  • Strategy and planning
  • Team and culture development

All of that feeds into how I support founders through exit: it’s never just about the transaction. It’s about the business, the people and the person leading it.

Ready to talk?

If you’re starting to think about your exit – whether it’s a faint idea or an active plan – or you’ve already exited and are working out what comes next, I’d be happy to talk.

It’s a conversation to help you get clear on where you are, what you want, and what kind of support might make the journey easier. Book a free 45-minute Clarity Call

Or, if you prefer, you can explore the Exit Compass Framework and Post-Exit Transition Coaching pages to see more about how I work.