Question 1

What's included in this event planning valuation template?

Accepted Answer

The template includes 5 worksheets: a Business Inputs sheet for entering three years of revenue by event type and revenue stream (corporate fees, social fees, retainer revenue, vendor commissions, and pass-throughs), full expense structure, owner compensation details, staff count, and current contract pipeline; an SDE and Income Approach sheet calculating seller's discretionary earnings with a full owner add-back worksheet, applying a scored multiple range of 2x–4x based on recurring revenue percentage and transferability factors, and a discounted cash flow section; a Market Multiples sheet applying revenue and EBITDA multiples from comparable event planning and professional services firm transaction data; an Intangible Asset Assessment scoring the corporate client roster, vendor relationships, staff operational capability, and brand identity; and a Valuation Summary combining all methods into a weighted low/central/high range with deal structure notes on earn-outs, staff non-competes, and vendor agreement transferability.

Question 2

Does this work in Google Sheets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The template is built in Excel (.xlsx) but is fully compatible with Google Sheets. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets — all formulas, scoring logic, and DCF calculations work without modification. You can share it directly from Drive with a business broker, a potential buyer, or a business partner during a buyout negotiation.

Question 3

Can I customize the scoring criteria and multiple ranges?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every cell is unlocked. The SDE multiple range, revenue multiple range, and all scoring benchmarks in the intangible asset assessment are fully editable. If you have specific transaction comparables from a business broker, or if your market conditions suggest a different multiple range applies, you can adjust the parameters directly. The valuation summary recalculates automatically when you change any input.

Question 4

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If the template doesn't meet your needs, contact us for a full refund — no questions asked.

Question 5

What is an event planning business typically worth?

Accepted Answer

Event planning businesses under $600K in revenue are typically valued using SDE (seller's discretionary earnings) multiples. SDE for a small-to-midsize planning firm usually ranges from $50,000 to $200,000 annually, and buyers apply multiples of 2x to 4x depending on transferability. A firm generating $100,000 in SDE with 40% recurring corporate retainer revenue, two trained coordinators who independently manage client relationships, and formal corporate service agreements might be worth $300,000–$400,000. The same SDE with 100% project-based revenue, one owner-operator handling all accounts, and no formal client agreements might be worth $200,000–$250,000. The difference is almost entirely about how reliably the revenue will survive the ownership transition.

Question 6

How does recurring corporate retainer revenue affect valuation?

Accepted Answer

Recurring retainer revenue is one of the most powerful value drivers in an event planning business acquisition. A corporate client under an annual service retainer — committing to a specific number of events or a minimum annual fee — represents revenue that transfers to a new owner contractually, without requiring new sales activity. Buyers apply higher multiples to businesses with meaningful recurring revenue because the primary acquisition risk (revenue continuity during transition) is partially mitigated before the transaction closes. In practice, this means a firm with 40% recurring retainer revenue might command a 3x–4x SDE multiple while an identical firm with 100% project-based revenue commands 2x–2.5x. If you're preparing for a sale, formalizing annual corporate relationships into service agreements — even simple ones that outline expected event volume and pricing — is one of the highest-return things you can do to improve your valuation.

Question 7

How does client concentration affect an event planning business's value?

Accepted Answer

Client concentration is a standard risk factor that buyers and lenders evaluate in every service business acquisition, but it's particularly important in event planning because the loss of a single large corporate client can represent 20–40% of revenue. A business where one client represents 35% or more of annual revenue will face buyer scrutiny regardless of how strong the rest of the metrics are. Buyers account for this by applying a lower multiple, requiring larger earnout provisions tied to the retention of the concentrated client post-transition, or structuring the purchase price with holdbacks contingent on client renewal. If you're preparing for a sale, diversifying away from extreme client concentration — even if it means slower top-line growth in the short term — directly reduces the discount buyers apply to your valuation.

Question 8

What's the difference between this and a generic business valuation template?

Accepted Answer

Generic valuation templates apply standard income and asset approaches that miss the specific dynamics of event planning businesses. They don't separate recurring retainer revenue from project-based revenue (a distinction that directly affects the applicable multiple), don't score the intangible assets that dominate event planning value — corporate client roster quality, vendor relationships and preferred vendor agreements, staff operational independence — and don't address the deal structure considerations specific to this industry, including earn-outs tied to corporate contract retention, staff non-compete provisions protecting coordinator relationships, and vendor agreement transferability. This template is built around how event planning businesses actually trade.

Question 9

How do I value an event planning business for a partnership buyout?

Accepted Answer

Partnership buyouts require the same valuation methodology as a third-party sale — SDE multiples, market approach, intangible asset assessment — but the intangible asset scoring becomes particularly important because it forces an honest conversation about which value each partner has contributed. Corporate client relationships that came through one partner's network, vendor relationships built by a specific coordinator, and the brand identity associated with one partner's name are all intangible assets that need to be attributed and valued in a buyout. The template's intangible asset scoring framework gives both parties a structured starting point for that conversation. Most partnership buyouts in event planning are structured with installment payments rather than a lump sum, and the deal structure notes in the Valuation Summary address how to handle that.

Event Planning Valuation Template

What's Inside This Event Planning Valuation Template

Business Inputs

SDE & Income Approach

Market Multiples

Intangible Asset Assessment

Valuation Summary

Event Planning Business Valuation Template Features

How to Use This Event Planning Valuation Spreadsheet

How Event Planning Businesses Are Valued

Event Planning Industry at a Glance

Revenue Drivers

Key Cost Categories

Typical Margins

Seasonality

Key Performance Indicators

Event Planning Business Valuation FAQ

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