Practical, honest writing about what it actually takes to sell a founder-led business at the right price.
July 28, 2026
Amy Mattinat sold her Vermont auto shop for full price, no broker. The five-year, buyer-minded plan that made it work.
Read the case study →August 3, 2026
A personal brand isn’t a dealbreaker. What buyers actually price when your name is the business — and the work to do first.
Read article →July 31, 2026
Most sellers start too late. Here’s the real 24–36 month timeline — what to fix in each window, and the one thing you can’t rush.
Read article →July 24, 2026
It doesn’t show up on your P&L — but it shows up in your sale price. The four ways founder dependency quietly costs you at the exit.
Read article →July 21, 2026
Readiness has two parts — and most owners only think about one. The two-week test, the tax-return test, and the honest questions buyers will eventually force.
Read article →July 17, 2026
Tax minimization and sale-price maximization are opposite strategies — and the returns your CPA optimized can block the SBA loan your buyer needs.
Read article →July 14, 2026
The owners who close at full price don’t start when they’re ready to sell — they start long before. What buyers actually evaluate, and what to fix first.
Read article →July 7, 2026
Buyers aren’t guessing — they have specific methods for measuring owner dependency, and they start before you know they’re looking.
Read article →June 30, 2026
Before due diligence even starts, buyers form a judgment in the first few interactions — here’s what they’re seeing.
Read article →June 23, 2026
The symptoms show up long before a buyer does. Here’s how owner dependency actually shows up in a business that’s otherwise healthy — and how to recognize it before a buyer does.
Read article →June 16, 2026
Five areas buyers examine before they sign anything — financials, operations, contracts, people, and online reputation. Here’s how to know where you stand before they do.
Read article →June 2026 · IBA Business Sales Blog
Featured Guest PostA guest post for the IBA Business Sales Blog on why owner dependency quietly kills more deals than sellers realize — and the concrete steps to fix it before you go to market.
Read on IBA →June 9, 2026
Before a buyer signs an NDA, they Google you. Unresolved negative reviews and a thin profile add to their risk column — and risk lowers the multiple they’re willing to pay.
Read article →June 2, 2026
A missing or poorly written assignment clause can quietly kill a deal or give a buyer leverage they shouldn’t have. Here’s what to know — and why timing is everything.
Read article →May 26, 2026
You need documentation before a sale. But telling your team why creates anxiety and attrition. Here’s how to get the same result without the risk.
Read article →May 19, 2026
The owners who sell well aren’t the ones who found the best broker. They’re the ones who spent time before the broker making their business actually sellable.
Read article →May 12, 2026
Two businesses, same profit, very different outcomes at closing. The gap isn’t about revenue — it’s about how a buyer sees your risk.
Read article →May 5, 2026
Buyers don’t wait for due diligence to test whether your business depends on you. Here are four tactics they use early — and how to make sure your business passes.
Read article →April 14, 2026
If you’re the hub of every decision, relationship, and process in your business, a buyer isn’t buying a business — they’re buying a job. Here’s how to change that before you go to market.
Read article →April 7, 2026
I’ve been on the buyer’s side of the table. Here’s what actually gets examined during due diligence — and why most sellers are surprised by what kills their deal.
Read article →March 31, 2026
45% of deals die because buyers can’t trust the numbers. What “clean financials” actually means, why it matters so much, and how to get there before you list.
Read article →March 24, 2026
Hint: it’s not when you decide you’re ready to sell. The businesses that close at the right price started preparing 12–24 months before listing.
Read article →March 17, 2026
Standard operating procedures aren’t about bureaucracy. They’re about proving your business can run without you. Here’s how to think about documentation when you’re preparing to sell.
Read article →May 2026
What due diligence revealed on a $1.9M service business — key-person risk, worker misclassification, and adjusted earnings that were negative. A real-world look at what buyers actually find.
Read case study →March 10, 2026
Not all business brokers are the same. Here’s what to look for, what questions to ask, and why the broker relationship matters more than most sellers realize.
Read article →