Why Most Founders Fail to Sell and How to Fix It

About the Episode

Most business owners unknowingly lower their company’s value by staying too involved in daily tasks. Learn how to remove yourself and build a self-sustaining asset that attracts premium offers. This episode reveals the systems and leadership structures you need to attract high-value buyers and ensure a smooth transition.

If you’re in all the sales meetings and the firefighting meetings, you aren’t an owner – you’re a risk for the purchaser.

Josh Davis

What You’ll Learn

• Financial transparency drives higher valuations: You must normalize your EBITDA and maintain clean records to prevent buyers from chipping away at your asking price during due diligence.
• Owner independence is a non-negotiable asset: A business that relies on the founder for sales or problem-solving is a major risk, so you must delegate key responsibilities to a capable leadership team before going to market.
• Detailed terms prevent deal fatigue: Drafting a comprehensive Letter of Intent (LOI) helps set clear expectations early, which reduces the friction that often kills deals during the transition from agreement to closing.
• Emotional readiness impacts post-sale success: Selling a business is often an emotional process, making it vital to have a personal plan for your life and identity after the exit is finalized.
• Strategic preparation creates permanent value: Building your company as if you are selling it tomorrow, even if you aren’t, improves your systems and metrics so much that you might decide to keep the business or pass it to heirs.

Topics Covered

Want More? Related Resources:

• Adjusting Financial Statements: A Complete Guide
• EBITDA | Definition, Formula & Example – A Complete Guide
• Negotiating the Letter of Intent

Meet Our Guest

Elliott Holland

Managing Partner, Guardian Due Diligence | Georgia

Elliott is a Harvard Business School alum and founder of a 7-figure M&A business called Guardian Due Diligence, where Elliott & his team help Buyers close great deals and kick bad ones out. He provides an audit-like product for Buyers to ensure Sellers of businesses aren’t lying. He also runs a Masterclass and Mastermind for first-time buyers.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliottholland/