These are ordered from the company outward to you. What makes a business sellable comes first, then what a sale actually feels like from the seller’s chair, then the market you will be selling into, and finally the evidence about the buyers most likely to be on the other side of the table.
The single idea that matters most: a business that depends on you is worth less, and that is fixable.
What exits actually feel like, including the ones that went well financially and badly personally.
The finding every family owner should see: outside buyers run them better, families keep them alive longer.
An honest picture of the buyer landscape and how imperfect the market for your company really is.
The research on selling as courtship rather than auction, which reframes what you are negotiating.
And the counterweight: choosing a buyer you trust makes you more vulnerable, not less.
What private equity buyers are actually doing and what they need your company to be.
You will know which of your company’s weaknesses will be priced by a buyer, which are fixable in the time you have, and what you personally want the day after closing.