By Thomas E. Knauff… Everyone who owns a business, sooner or later, thinks about an exit strategy. For some, that means passing the business on to grown children. For others, the transition means selling to someone else — a crosstown competitor, private investor, or regional or national company. But how can you do this well? Transitioning out of the propane business you have spent years building, with many close relationships and daily commitments, is a huge personal change. How can you plan this process so that you will feel good about the outcome in the years to come? Let me share a few key ideas from my experience, over nearly three decades, working through more than 80 successful acquisitions of propane companies. Engaging in this process from…