Editor's note: This is the first in a series of articles on the planning considerations and decisions that business owners face over the lifecycle of creating and running a company.
When starting a business, one of the most important things to consider is how it will end. Whether you'll sell the business, step back and let your children or employees run it (or buy it from you), or just shut it down when you are tired of running it, thinking about the possibilities now will help you decide how to structure your business from the beginning.
