You’ve been grinding it out for years. Built something from scratch. Survived the chaos, tamed the fires, maybe even tasted a bit of that sweet Prosperity step. And now you’re thinking about the endgame—selling the business and riding off into the sunset with a fat check in your pocket.

But here’s the ugly truth: 80% of small to mid-sized businesses never sell.

Let that sink in.

That dream exit? It vanishes for most owners because they make the same critical mistakes over and over. They treat selling like a spur-of-the-moment decision instead of the strategic process it absolutely must be.

Mistake #1: Waiting Too Long

By the time most owners think about selling, they’re burned out. Emotionally fried. They want out yesterday. But they haven’t built a business anyone actually wants to buy.

Why? Because buyers don’t buy burnout. They buy systems. They buy teams. They buy profitability that doesn’t depend on the owner being in the driver’s seat 80 hours a week.

Mistake #2: Selling a Job, Not a Business

There’s a massive difference between owning a business and being the business. If your company grinds to a halt when you’re not around, you’re not selling a business—you’re selling a job. And nobody’s paying a premium for that. You’ll get lowballed or ignored entirely.

Mistake #3: Overestimating What It’s Worth

Ask 10 business owners what their business is worth, and 9 will give you a fantasy number. Something based on ego, not evidence.

When you finally get around to a valuation—if you ever do—it’s a gut punch. That number doesn’t just come in low. It knocks the wind out of your entire retirement plan. You thought you had $5 million. Turns out it’s barely $1.2 million. And that’s before taxes.

Mistake #4: No Exit Strategy

This one’s the killer.

Most owners spend more time planning a vacation than their exit. No target valuation. No advisory team. No leadership pipeline. No idea who would even buy their company.

A proper exit takes years to engineer. It’s not just about cleaning up your books. It’s about transforming your company into something that’s worth buying.

That means identifying your Value Gap. Building leadership that can run the company without you. Systematizing processes. Hitting your numbers. And knowing what type of buyer you’re targeting.

What You Can Do About It

Start with the Value Equation:
Target Value – Current Value = Value Gap

You want that $5 million sale? Great. What’s it worth right now? $1.5 million? Then you’ve got a $3.5 million gap to close. That’s the work. That’s the roadmap.

Then build your team—coach, accountant, financial advisor, attorney. Get real about the numbers. Use a tool like Benchmark Boss. Update your valuation every 6–12 months. Track the progress.

Selling a business isn’t luck. It’s math. It’s process. It’s preparation.

And the sooner you start, the better the outcome.

📘 Want the full roadmap? Download my free eBook at OptaProfit.com.

About Don Vanpool
Don Vanpool is a strategic operations expert who helps business owners scale, systematize, and sell their businesses for top dollar. With a background in turning chaotic businesses into well-oiled machines, Don’s expertise in operational efficiency is the key to a high-value exit.