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As a business owner, you know what it’s like to lie awake at 2 a.m. Maybe it has happened when you are excited and full of new ideas for your business. More often, it’s because you are worried about issues you will face the next day. Sometimes, it’s because you just woke up with the solution to a problem. I’ve experienced all those emotions about my businesses over the years. Awake at 2 o’clock? is where I share them with you, and hopefully help with answers that will let you sleep.
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Tag Archives: exit planning
3 Responses to Exiting a Family Business: Three Questions
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The Unsellable Company
What does an unsellable company look like? Some business brokers will assert that there is a buyer for any business. That may be true, but historically four out of every five small businesses listed for sale fail to sell. In … Continue reading
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Stop Managing
Why would anyone advise business owners to stop managing? Management is a proven science. From the time and motion studies of Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 1800s, to Matthew Kelly and Patrick Lencione’s Dream Manager, we are constantly in … Continue reading
Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Leadership, Management
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, leadership, management, new business, sales, small business, small business advice
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One Response to Stop Managing
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Great summary of the panel session. I was in the audience for the panel and it was clear that business owners need to be more willing to let go and delegate more to a qualified 2nd in command. Like, John, I would encourage owners to consider upscaling their next hire into a more qualified candidate who can assume a strategic competency as a GM, Operations Manager, or even 2nd in-training. This is a high leverage investment which will allow more time for “working on the business.” TAB Business Coach-
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Exit Planning in a New Political Environment
What does a new political environment mean for business owners who are planning to transition their businesses? Should you accelerate your plans, or slow them down? As I’ve said many times in this space and elsewhere, the biggest single factor … Continue reading
Posted in Exit Planning, Exit Strategies
Tagged Baby Boomers, banks, Boomer Bust, business, business brokerage, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, financial, international relations, leadership, management, politics, recession, selling a business, small business, small business advice, trade
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I have read these columns for years. Enough with the exit planning already. Most of us are out here trying to succeed, not leave,
Thanks David. I know you’ve been a loyal reader for years, and I appreciate your comments. They’ve always been well-considered and erudite, if not necessarily in agreement with mine!
I guess you missed my post on February 12th. I read somewhere that “A particular strength is using a variety of technologies to bring separate systems together into a coherent solution.” In my case, I was fielding requests for articles and speaking on multiple topics, blogging on a variety of subjects, developing planning tools for advisors and consulting on ownership transitions. Too much work for diffused results. It was time to get focused.
I’d hate to lose you, but exit planning is what it’s gonna be…
Wow – good article and good comments in response. Exit planning is very similar to planning a football game. One can not just field a team and see what happens if the intent is to win. One must anticipate the opponent. Plan and execute a play script at the start to see if your player skill and play strategy can adequately defeat, and with how much difficulty. Personally, I really enjoy reading about exiting regularly because it is practice. I remember Coach Lombardi mostly for saying, “It is not practice that makes perfect – it is perfect practice that makes perfect.” This is how we succeed today – by anticipation of and preparation for the leave.