Are you a medical professional thinking of selling your practice? In this episode of Your Business Unleashed, host Clayton Achen sits down with valuation expert Gord McFarlane to unpack the critical differences between an asset sale and a share sale, and why this distinction could mean hundreds of thousands in tax savings.

They explore how Canada's Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE)—now at $1.25 million per individual—can be a powerful tax tool when selling shares of a professional corporation. But qualifying for the LCGE isn’t automatic. You’ll hear real-world examples, common pitfalls (like excess investment assets or foreign ownership), and actionable tips for ensuring your practice is set up to benefit.

Whether you’re an optometrist, chiropractor, or veterinarian, this episode is packed with must-know insights on valuation, tax strategy, and proper pre-sale planning.

🎧 Tune in to learn:

• Why buyers prefer asset sales but sellers benefit from share sales
• How to qualify for the LCGE (and avoid losing it)
• The role of “purification” and working capital in tax planning
• How professionals can multiply exemptions with family members

If you’re preparing to sell, don’t miss this episode. A little planning can go a very long way.

🧷 Read the full blog

https://www.achenhenderson.ca/

In this kickoff episode of our special series for medical entrepreneurs, host Clayton Achen is joined by Gord McFarlane—founder of McFarlane Transition Advisors and former Managing Director of Corporate Development at FYI Health Group. Together, they dive into the foundational question every clinic owner must ask: “Have you built a business, or just a job?”

Gord brings insights from hundreds of clinic acquisitions across Canada to reveal:

• Why being unprepared for a sale is the #1 deal killer
• The dangers of personal goodwill and how to build transferable value
• Why your strategic plan (or lack thereof) matters more than you think
• The key timeline: why it takes 2–5 years to truly get sale-ready
• The “hit by a bus” test for practice resilience
• Lessons from deals that succeeded—and those that didn’t

Whether you’re selling in 6 months or 10 years (or not at all), this episode will change how you think about your practice. It’s not just about exit strategy—it’s about building a stronger, more valuable business now.

🔗 Read the full blog

🔗 Connect with Gord:
🌐 transitionadvisors.ca
📧 gord@transitionadvisors.ca

https://www.achenhenderson.ca/

In this episode, we explore the new Canadian Entrepreneur’s Incentive (CEI) introduced in the 2024 Federal Budget. The CEI offers a reduced capital gains inclusion rate for entrepreneurs in select industries when they sell their businesses, aimed at mitigating the impact of the general increase in the capital gains inclusion rate from 50% to 67%.

We'll break down how the CEI works, its phased implementation over ten years starting January 1, 2025, and which industries qualify for this incentive.

Want to learn more about how the CEI can benefit your business?

🔗 Read the full blog
🔗 Watch the detailed video

https://www.achenhenderson.ca/