She had a buyer. She had a deal. She nearly walked away from her retirement. Not because the offer was bad. Because she needed the number to mean something it was never going to mean. I worked with her early in my advisory career. She’d built a real business. Had a real buyer at the […]
The first call from a prospective buyer isn’t the start of a negotiation. It’s the end of your leverage. By the time a formal offer lands, the buyer already knows your timeline, your pressure points, and what you’ll accept. They learned it all in a conversation you thought was casual. Most owners don’t realize this […]
I talked to an owner last month who ran a $4.2M compliance consulting firm. Strong margins. Recurring revenue. Been at it 12 years. He took his first real vacation in three years. Costa Rica. Seven days. Day three, his phone started lighting up. Client needed a proposal revised. New hire had questions about protocol. Another […]
The Friend Who ‘Sold for Eight Figures’ And Other Exit Myths That’ll Cost You Millions Last month, I spoke with a founder convinced his business was worth $10 million. He’d used AI valuation tools, applied a multiple from a podcast, and compared himself to what a friend claimed they sold for. I see this all […]
You’ve poured decades into building your business. Maybe you’ve missed family dinners, worked weekends, or carried the stress that no one else could see. And then one day – it comes down to a buyer sitting across the table who can devalue it all in 20 minutes. That’s the uncomfortable truth no one talks about. […]
