The Highlights
Clean up books, systems, and team before hitting the market
Why “wait until close” is a risky mindset
What buyers notice and what they discount
A step-by-step checklist to prep your exit
Tangible Takeaways at the end to feel in control of the process
On your marks…
Most owners wait too long to get serious about selling. They assume their business is worth top dollar simply because it’s profitable or growing. Then they call an M&A advisor 6 months before they want out hoping for a quick onboarding, a smooth close, and a big payday. But buyers don’t pay for potential. They pay for what’s proven, documented, and predictable. A growing business is attractive, but only if the books are clean, the team is stable, and the operations don’t fall apart when the owner steps away.
Buyers want to know:
Can this thing run without you? Will the revenue stick? What skeletons are hiding?
If the answers are shaky, interest drops fast.
You don’t sell a business. You prepare it to be bought. And preparation takes time. It’s not just about earnings. It’s about making the business easier to understand, easier to transfer, and less risky to operate post-sale. The goal over the next 12 months isn’t perfection, but clarity. Buyers don’t need you to be Fortune 500, they need to trust your profit, your people, and your processes. That trust is built through simplicity, clarity, and a believable growth story.
Think of it like staging a house. You’re not gut-renovating. You’re decluttering, painting walls, and fixing leaks. The same game applies here:
Trim the bloated and unnecessary expenses
Bring payables and receivables in-line
Demonstrate a clear customer process
Gut-check your team and company culture
Put your systems on paper
It’s likely that these are tasks that have been on your to-do list for a while that kept getting put off. Now is the time. You’re not trying faking it, you’re showing the business in its truest light. A light that says, “This company works. And it’ll keep working without me.” If you want top-end multiples, your business has to look and feel like a well-oiled machine.
Most of the value is baked in before the business ever hits the market. So if you're targeting an exit 12 months from now, start treating your company like a product people will trip over themselves to buy. Every month counts, and the owners who plan ahead don’t just get better prices - they get better buyers, better terms, faster closes, and far less stress.
Month-by-Month Exit Prep Plan
Month 1 & 2: Financial Clarity
Hire a bookkeeper if you don’t have one
Clarify your income statement by cleaning up personal expenses and one-time costs to simplify the EBITDA picture
Get your balance sheet up-to-date. Reflect accurate inventory counts, timely action on A/R & A/P, and a sane cash balance
Review 3 years of financials for red flags or lumpy trends
Month 3 & 4: Operational Tightening
Document key SOPs (sales, service delivery, hiring and onboarding)
Identify and reduce owner dependency pain points
Evaluate vendor and customer concentration risk
Month 5 & 6: Team and Talent Check
Lock in key employees with retention incentives and good agreements
Cross-train staff where applicable to reduce single points of failure
Clarify the org chart, even if you’re lean
Month 7 & 8: Legal Paperwork
Review your leases
Verify supplier contract terms
Ensure agreements with clients are up-to-date
Double-check licenses and compliance
Month 9 & 10: Story and Positioning
Build a client onboarding deck and appealing marketing collateral
Highlight your culture, retention strategies, and competitive advantages
Prepare answers for common due diligence questions
Month 11: M&A Advisor/Broker Engagement
Interview and select a sell-side advisor who aligns with your values
Set expectations on price, process, and timelines
Finalize opinion of value range and go-to-market strategies
Month 12: Go to Market
Launch your sale campaign and confidential outreach
Be ready for pre-offer Q&A, site visits, and due diligence
Start thinking like a buyer
You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed by the process. But doing nothing is what leads to burnout and anxiety. Here’s how to embrace the uncertainty, without needing to call your therapist for emergency sessions along the way:
Tangible Takeaways
Start cleanup early. Buyers will see through last-minute efforts
Tidy your financials to show true earnings
Reduce major reliance in ops and with clients
Fix legal and doc issues before they derail diligence
Position your business like an exclusive product
Treat your M&A advisor/broker like a quarterback, not a miracle worker
Expect 6–12+ months from going live to close, even in an active market
You don’t need a hundred solutions. Just a few better habits.
If this hit home and you’re thinking about an exit, reach out. My DMs are always open. I share actionable knowledge for owners like you.
@exit_expert on X.