Selling an Event Planning Business

Most event planning companies are valued on the profit you keep from fees and markups, not the full event budgets that pass through to caterers, venues, rentals, and AV. The multiple varies with booking visibility, how dependent the business is on the owner, and how cleanly you separate pass-through from true gross profit. Start with Rejigg’s free valuation calculator, then check it against your last 12 months of job-level gross profit and staffing capacity.

No. You can sell an event planning company without a broker and avoid paying 5–10% of the sale price for work you can run yourself with the right process. Rejigg gives you vetted buyer access, digital NDAs, a secure data room, and offer tracking so you can manage outreach, diligence, and negotiations directly. Start with the finding buyers guide, then list once your calendar, contracts, and margin story are ready to share.

Many buyers use SBA 7(a) loans to buy service businesses, including event planning, when the financials are clean and earnings are steady. Lenders usually want consistent profit, clear owner add-backs, and enough cash to handle the timing gap between client deposits and vendor payments. Model payments with Rejigg’s SBA loan calculator, and make sure your financial package explains pass-through costs so big invoices don’t get mistaken for big profit.

Many sales take a few months to find the right buyer and agree on terms, then another 60–90 days for diligence and closing. Event planning can take longer when the transition needs to follow the booking calendar, especially if the buyer wants you present for a few high-stakes programs. You can speed things up by having contracts, a booked-events calendar, and job-level margin samples ready to share. See the due diligence checklist.

Deposits often become a negotiation because some of that cash is already earmarked for vendor deposits, labor, and upcoming event costs. Many deals treat deposits as a liability and adjust the cash left in the business at closing so the buyer is not paying twice. The cleanest support is an event-by-event schedule that shows deposits collected, vendor deposits paid, and what is still owed. Rejigg’s data room lets you share that schedule selectively during diligence.

Buyers usually want three years of profit-and-loss statements, year-to-date results, and enough detail to separate vendor pass-through from true gross profit. Expect requests for bank statements, payroll summaries, and job-level samples from recent events to validate margins. If your books mix client billings with third-party costs, diligence tends to slow down while everyone rebuilds the economics. Rejigg can import financials via QuickBooks integration and keep the backup organized.

Add-backs are owner expenses that may not carry over to a new owner, like personal travel run through the company, one-time brand photo shoots, one-off legal work, or a vehicle that is partly personal. In event planning, buyers also ask about low-margin “at cost” jobs done to keep a venue or corporate contact happy, since those can drag down reported profit. Document each add-back with a receipt and a short note. Rejigg’s data room is a clean place to store that support.

Seasonality is normal in events, and buyers mainly price how stressful it makes operations and cash. They will look at whether peak months force premium last-minute labor, whether slow months create cash pressure, and whether double-booked weekends lead to quality issues or refunds. A calendar view that shows capacity limits, staffing plans, and collision weeks goes a long way. Keep a simple seasonality calendar plus a few months of deposit and vendor-payment timing in your diligence folder.

Many smaller owner-run event planning companies are priced off SDE, which is profit with the owner’s pay and certain owner-only expenses added back in. Larger teams are often priced off EBITDA, which assumes a manager layer and reflects operating profit before interest and taxes. The practical question is whether the business can run without you doing sales, pricing, and show-day decisions. If you want a starting point, use the valuation calculator and compare it to what it would cost to replace you.

Working capital is the cash cushion that covers timing gaps between when clients pay and when vendors need to be paid. In event planning, the gap often spikes when venues, rentals, and AV require deposits before the next client milestone payment arrives. Buyers may negotiate a target cash amount that stays in the business at closing so the next season is not starting underwater. The best prep is an event-by-event cash timeline plus a monthly deposit and vendor-payment schedule.

Earnouts tie part of the price to future results, usually when the buyer worries bookings depend on the founder or a small set of referral channels. In event planning, earnouts are often based on gross profit or events delivered, since pass-through can make revenue a misleading target. Get specific about the measurement period and what counts as “earned,” and be clear on who controls pricing and staffing after close. Rejigg’s offer comparison dashboard lets you line up earnout terms side-by-side.

Transitions in event planning usually follow the calendar. Buyers often want you involved through at least one planning-and-delivery cycle so venue teams, agency partners, and corporate contacts see the handoff happen smoothly. A solid plan names which upcoming events you will stay close to, which introductions happen early, and when your lead producer becomes the primary face. Use Rejigg’s transition planning guide as a starting template.

Buyers will ask what marketing assets transfer, and event companies can get tripped up on photo rights and brand restrictions. Photographers, venues, and corporate clients sometimes limit commercial use, even if you paid for the shoot. Build an inventory of your best photos and videos and confirm you have permission to use them in marketing. Also, document ownership of your domain, website, social accounts, and testimonials. Put releases and usage terms in the data room so this does not become a late-stage surprise.

Most buyers will ask for a non-compete so you do not sell the business and then start planning events for the same venues and clients right away. A reasonable scope usually matches your real market, such as your city or region, and covers the event categories you actually serve. The length is typically long enough for relationships and referral patterns to transfer. Use Rejigg’s negotiation guide to pressure-test terms before you agree.

Yes, as long as you can show the bench is real and repeatable. Buyers look for a core group of freelancers you use often, clear pay practices, and a scheduling process that holds up during peak weekends. They will also ask about backup coverage for critical roles like lead producer and onsite captain. The more you can show “who we use, what they cost, and how far out they book,” the smoother diligence usually goes.

Common slowdowns include worker classification risk for recurring onsite labor, missing vendor insurance certificates, unclear responsibility for alcohol service and security, and inconsistent contract language around cancellations and force majeure. Buyers do not need perfection, but they do need organized paperwork and a consistent way you operate. We see deals move faster when sellers can quickly produce contracts, insurance files, and a simple incident log. Rejigg’s data room is built for that kind of diligence speed.

Confidentiality matters in event planning because rumors can spook venues, freelancers, and corporate champions mid-season. A practical approach is to share sensitive details only after a buyer is vetted and has signed an NDA, then disclose key relationships in stages as the deal gets real. Rejigg handles buyer vetting and digital NDAs, and you control which documents each buyer can access and when.

Include three years of financials, job-level samples from recent events, contract templates, a booked-events calendar with deposit status, vendor and venue partner lists, and insurance policies and certificates. If you own gear, add an equipment and inventory list. Add an org chart with roles and a transition plan tied to the upcoming season. Rejigg includes a built-in due diligence checklist and a secure data room so you can upload once and share without email attachments.

Start by organizing your financials by event type and documenting your repeat client rate and booked events. List on Rejigg where buyers are actively looking for event companies. You'll talk directly with buyers, negotiate terms, and handle things without paying broker commissions.

Most event planning businesses sell for 2 to 7 times their annual profit. Where you land depends on how many clients rebook each year, your venue partnerships, your team depth, and whether events run without you managing every detail. Try Rejigg's free valuation calculator for a starting estimate.

Four to eight months is typical when your financials and client records are organized. Timelines can stretch if buyers want to see a full event season or if key venue relationships need introductions. Having a pipeline of booked events and a production team that runs things independently helps speed things up.

No. Brokers charge 8 to 12 percent of the sale price. Rejigg gives you buyer vetting, secure document sharing, and direct messaging. Schedule a free consultation to see how the process works without the commission.

Repeat clients and predictable revenue top the list. Buyers want to see that organizations come back year after year, that your production team handles vendor coordination and event execution, and that your venue partnerships are documented. Clean financials, a spread-out client base, and a team that sticks around also matter.

Track your repeat client rate by year, showing what percentage of your organizations rebooked. Separate the truly recurring events (annual galas, corporate retreats, school fundraisers) from one-time projects. Buyers respond well to a simple chart showing client retention and a list of already-booked events for the coming months. Talk to Rejigg about presenting your revenue story.

In most successful deals, buyers want your production managers, coordinators, and key freelancers to stay because they hold the vendor relationships and know how to run your events. Having a list of your team members and reliable freelancers with their roles and tenure helps buyers feel confident the operation will continue smoothly.

Buyers want to see how your revenue flows across the calendar year. Show your monthly financials for at least two years so they can see the busy seasons and how you fill quieter months. Companies that generate revenue throughout the year, not just during one peak season, consistently get stronger offers.