Just released: The Q2, 2026 Exit Readiness Index. See how ready owners really are to sell. Get the free report →
As an entrepreneur, you’re optimistic. I know this because if you weren’t optimistic, you would have let doubt and uncertainty creep into your decision to start your business. You’d still be sitting on the sidelines, thinking of everything that could go wrong.
You may have dismissed social media as a marketing channel, but the latest data from The Value Builder System™ shows a clear correlation between the number of followers a business has across all social media channels and the acquisition offers they receive for their company.
On April 18, 1999, Wayne Gretzky, who is widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time, played his last NHL game. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was emotionally charged as everyone in the stadium knew they were seeing Gretzky play for the final time.
Before putting your company on the market, creating a list of potential buyers for your company is paramount. Rather than courting generic investors, I’ve learned that founders that sell for the highest multiples understand the key players in their industry that are paying a premium for businesses like theirs.
We’re hardwired to cheer for an underdog.
From Rocky versus Creed to, more recently, last year’s run by the Saint Peter’s Peacocks into the NCAA Elite Eight, we are captivated when an underdog pulls off an improbable upset against an overwhelming favorite.
If you were looking to buy a house, you wouldn’t want to compete with other bidders. Acquirers are no different.
They want to avoid competing with anyone to buy your business. Acquirers land a proprietary deal (or “prop deal”) by convincing you to sell your business without creating a marketplace for your company.
Sue Bryce had always dreamed of selling her photography education membership website, so when she received an inquiry offer from a private equity group doing a rollup in her industry, Bryce was excited.
Along with the website, Bryce’s company had several other revenue sources, including conferences, awards, and accreditations for photographers. All told, they were doing almost $7 million in revenue, and Bryce figured she had a shot at hitting her number.
Have you ever felt frustrated when scrolling through your television guide and seeing hundreds of channels you pay for but never watch?
You’re not alone.
Sandy and Randy Hansen had only been married for a few months when Randy was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors
It may happen when your business is worth $1 million. Perhaps it will happen at $5 or $10 million.
But eventually it happens to just about all founders.
There’s a well-trodden path to building a successful technology company: Develop an idea, raise a bunch of money, and sell your baby for a truckload. Most founders who chose this route are down to single-digit stakes of equity by the time they sell, but if the acquisition price is large enough, it works out just fine for everyone.
But it’s a high-stakes racket, and for every winner, there are probably dozens of losers in the ditch.
There is an alternative to jumping on the fundraising hamster wheel.
Sometimes the best business ideas are not really ideas at all. They are simply new ways of doing old things.
For example, Melissa Kwan created a business to help real estate agents manage their open house contacts. As she described when I interviewed her on Built to Sell Radio, it was a “bloated” piece of software.
As an entrepreneur, you’re optimistic. I know this because if you weren’t optimistic, you would have let doubt and uncertainty creep into your decision to start your business. You’d still be sitting on the sidelines, thinking of everything that could go wrong.
You may have dismissed social media as a marketing channel, but the latest data from The Value Builder System™ shows a clear correlation between the number of followers a business has across all social media channels and the acquisition offers they receive for their company.
On April 18, 1999, Wayne Gretzky, who is widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time, played his last NHL game. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was emotionally charged as everyone in the stadium knew they were seeing Gretzky play for the final time.
Before putting your company on the market, creating a list of potential buyers for your company is paramount. Rather than courting generic investors, I’ve learned that founders that sell for the highest multiples understand the key players in their industry that are paying a premium for businesses like theirs.
We’re hardwired to cheer for an underdog.
From Rocky versus Creed to, more recently, last year’s run by the Saint Peter’s Peacocks into the NCAA Elite Eight, we are captivated when an underdog pulls off an improbable upset against an overwhelming favorite.
If you were looking to buy a house, you wouldn’t want to compete with other bidders. Acquirers are no different.
They want to avoid competing with anyone to buy your business. Acquirers land a proprietary deal (or “prop deal”) by convincing you to sell your business without creating a marketplace for your company.
Sue Bryce had always dreamed of selling her photography education membership website, so when she received an inquiry offer from a private equity group doing a rollup in her industry, Bryce was excited.
Along with the website, Bryce’s company had several other revenue sources, including conferences, awards, and accreditations for photographers. All told, they were doing almost $7 million in revenue, and Bryce figured she had a shot at hitting her number.
Have you ever felt frustrated when scrolling through your television guide and seeing hundreds of channels you pay for but never watch?
You’re not alone.
Sandy and Randy Hansen had only been married for a few months when Randy was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors
It may happen when your business is worth $1 million. Perhaps it will happen at $5 or $10 million.
But eventually it happens to just about all founders.
There’s a well-trodden path to building a successful technology company: Develop an idea, raise a bunch of money, and sell your baby for a truckload. Most founders who chose this route are down to single-digit stakes of equity by the time they sell, but if the acquisition price is large enough, it works out just fine for everyone.
But it’s a high-stakes racket, and for every winner, there are probably dozens of losers in the ditch.
There is an alternative to jumping on the fundraising hamster wheel.
Sometimes the best business ideas are not really ideas at all. They are simply new ways of doing old things.
For example, Melissa Kwan created a business to help real estate agents manage their open house contacts. As she described when I interviewed her on Built to Sell Radio, it was a “bloated” piece of software.
