by scottsylvan | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
If the business stops when you stop, you do not own an asset — you own a job. And the freedom that feels so good today can quietly cap the value you are building for tomorrow. I have seen this pattern hundreds of times working with owners of $10 million to $250...
by Scott Sylvan Bell | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
Due diligence is the period after a buyer says yes in principle and before they sign the final purchase agreement. They have seen your seller’s thesis. They like what they see. Now they verify everything. This process runs six to eight weeks on the short end and...
by Scott Sylvan Bell | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
Important: This post is for informational purposes only. Nothing here is tax or legal advice. Talk to a qualified tax attorney or CPA before making decisions about how to structure your business sale. When you go to sell your business, the buyer will often have a...
by Scott Sylvan Bell | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
Customer concentration risk is what happens when one client represents too large a share of your total revenue. Buyers see it immediately. And it reduces what they are willing to pay for your business. Here is the math: if you have 10 clients and each represents 10...
by Scott Sylvan Bell | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
Key person dependency is what happens when one person — usually the founder — holds most of the critical knowledge, relationships, and decision-making power inside a business. If that person leaves, the business struggles. And buyers know it. When you go to sell, the...
by Scott Sylvan Bell | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
The 5-4-3-2 framework is a time-based exit preparation system built around one idea: the more history you have, the more you can prove, and the more you can charge. Five years. Four years. Three years. Two years. Pick your horizon and work backwards. Every quarter...
