“Is it time?” is two questions in one: are you ready, and is the timing right? The owners who sell well can answer both — long before they call a broker.
Are you ready? Start with your number
Your number isn’t what the business is “worth” — it’s what you need to net, after debt, fees, and tax, to fund the life that comes next. Work backward from the life, not forward from a multiple. Then name your value gap: the distance between what the business would net you today and the number you actually need. No gap means you can be patient and selective — the strongest position a seller can hold. A gap means the real work right now isn’t selling; it’s closing it.
The day after
For many owners the business is identity and purpose as much as income. “What will I do, and who will I be, the day after it’s gone?” is not a soft question — cold feet at the closing table ends more good deals than price does, and preparation is the cure. If you have a spouse or partner, their readiness is part of yours.
Is the timing right?
Three clocks have to roughly align: your life, the business (ideally sold on an upward trend, not after the peak), and the market. You rarely get all three perfect — but selling into a decline or under duress is where the worst prices happen. Sell when you don’t have to, into strength.
Start free: the Seller’s Readiness toolkit
The “Are You Ready to Sell?” guide and the one-page Readiness Checklist — the worksheets that tell you whether you, and the business, are ready to sell well. Free, no signup.