You’re exhausted. Not just tired, but drained. Mentally, emotionally, physically. You’ve started telling yourself the same story a hundred owners before you told me:

“I think I’m just burned out”

But here’s the truth I’ve learned from advising dozens of founders at the exit stage: You’re not burned out. You’re stuck in a loop. More specifically, you’re trapped in:

Founder Mode (cue dramatic music)

That survival mindset where you built everything, touched everything, and held it all together through sheer will and brute force.

That works at $500K.
It barely holds at $2M.
At $5M+… ticking time bomb.

I met with the owner of a professional service firm a few months ago. Strong lead pipeline, growing team, very solid presence in their market. But the guy’s schedule was insane. Involved in almost every deal. Inbox overflowing. Trying to lead biz dev efforts. He even wrote copy for their website re-design.

When I asked what would happen if he took a vacation, he laughed:

“I can WhatsApp and Zoom from a different time zone”

And there it was. Three rascals stacked under a trench coat. This was a job disguised as a business. A bottleneck with revenue.

That company became less sellable in that moment because buyers don’t just want margin. They want a machine. And when the entire machine depends on the owner? Your buyer pool shrinks and you lose negotiating power. Multiples take a nose-dive to boot.

The irony?

Owners stay in founder mode because they got the business off the ground that way. They started out wearing every hat and got stuck in a one-person fashion show, instead of becoming the designer behind the curtain.

Caring and wanting things done right doesn’t equate to your involvement in every aspect of an enterprise. That’s short-term thinking with long-term drag. You want growth and execution? Build systems and SOP’s for your people, instead of trying to balance all the spinning plates. That’s an act reserved for the circus.

Use the 80% rule. Is your employee a carbon copy of you in a given role? Probably not right away. But if they’re 80% as effective, give them a shot and be the mentor who helps them bridge the remaining 20% to become great. They’ll feel empowered and you’ll feel relief. That’s how your business will break through to the next level.

If you’re tired, it’s not always a sign to sell. It’s usually a sign to retreat from the front line and become the 5-Star General. Systemize and remove yourself - logistically and emotionally. You’ll gain clarity from a higher vantage point and make your path to an exit easier to map out.

Because when that day comes and someone wants to buy your business? They won’t just look at your P&L. They’ll look at your calendar. And if your only free timeslot is the 10pm Netflix hour, they’ll walk.

👉 Follow @exit_expert for more blunt truths and real stories on how to get your business and your life exit-ready.