Find the AutoPilot

It sounds backwards, but the best way to increase your company’s value is to make yourself less necessary.

No buyer wants to inherit a business where the founder is the engine, the GPS, and the seatbelt.

That’s not an asset. That’s a liability wearing a Patagonia vest.

If you're thinking about a future transition, the question isn’t "how do I sell this?" It’s "how do I make this company transferable?"

 Think of it this way, a buyer wants to know that it will maintain financial health once they take over your company. That means, as soon as you let go of the steering wheel, it's going to stay between the ditches. If Joe is running the company and it is the "Joe show", when Joe goes, so does the show. Ya know?

Start here

Build a leadership bench

If no one else can run the show, the show ends when you leave.

Codify your knowledge

Tribal wisdom is cool until the tribe moves on.

Brand-first, not founder-first

If your customers call you instead of the company, that’s a red flag for any acquirer.

Consistency > Heroics

Buyers love predictability more than pizzazz.

Even if you’re not looking to sell right now, the discipline of building for transferability will make your business stronger—and your life easier.

 Thanks for reading and do well!