Part 5 of 10 in the Exit Strategy Series

So, you want to sell your business one day?

Let’s talk numbers—the kind that actually matter when it comes to your exit.

Most business owners have no idea what their company is worth.

Worse, they think they do.

🔍 The Value Gap: Your Biggest Blind Spot

Here’s the cold, hard truth:

What you think your business is worth ≠ What the market will actually pay for it.

That difference is called the Value Gap—and it could cost you millions.

Let’s break it down:

• Target Value – What you need to walk away financially free.

• Current Value – What your business is worth today.

• Value Gap – The (usually large) gap between the two.

And unless you’re doing the math early and often, you’re flying blind into one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

🧠 Most Owners Guess. You Won’t.

Most entrepreneurs have never had a proper valuation done. Some rely on rules of thumb. Others ask their accountant. And nearly all are wrong.

A real valuation—like we do using tools such as Benchmark Boss—uses at least 3 years of financials, plus 5 years of projected free cash flow. It’s serious, structured, and strategic.

And it gives you a reality check that helps you plan your way forward.

🧭 The Exit Equation

If you want $2.5M invested for retirement and you're expecting 4% returns, you need to sell your business for at least $3.75M after taxes.

If your business is currently worth $1.2M?

You’ve got a $2.55M Value Gap.

That’s not a failure. It’s a starting point.

Now we can go to work.

💥 Close the Gap. Boost the Value. Get Paid.

This is where strategy meets execution.

The Silver Bullets—strategic tools from our Exit Playbook—are what help you increase value fast and move from a “good job” to a real asset that buyers will line up for.

📘 Ready to calculate your Value Gap and start closing it?
Download the full guide at OptaProfit.com

Or better yet, book a complimentary 30-minute Exit Strategy Assessment with me and let’s run the numbers together.

About Don VanPool
Don VanPool is a strategic operations expert who helps entrepreneurs scale, systematize, and sell their businesses for top dollar. With decades of experience across corporate leadership, private equity, and coaching, Don helps business owners turn operations into real assets buyers will fight for.