A checklist covering the financial, documentation, and dependency-reduction prep that needs years of runway, so you’re not starting from zero once a buyer shows up.
Starting the prep years before a sale means you're not scrambling to fix gaps that quietly lower your business's value at the worst possible time.
Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it is not useful, we will refund it, no questions asked.
Most owners start preparing to sell only once they’ve decided to sell, which is exactly the wrong time: the biggest value-driving changes (clean financials, documented systems, reduced owner dependency) take years to actually show up in a valuation.
This checklist covers the four areas that matter most to a buyer: financial readiness (2-3 years of clean, separated records), documentation of key processes so the business isn’t dependent on tribal knowledge, reducing what only you personally do, and getting periodic rough valuations so you know what’s actually driving your number.
We built this after noticing the owners who get the best sale outcomes started preparing years before they had a buyer in mind, not months. Starting early is the entire point of this checklist.
— DaveWays
Covers the groundwork that actually needs a multi-year runway to pay off.
Organized around what a buyer actually values: clean financials, documented systems, low owner dependency.
Prompts periodic rough valuations so you can see which levers move your number.
I’m not planning to sell for 5+ years, is this too early?
No, that’s the ideal timeline; the value-driving changes in this checklist take years to show up.
Does this replace a business broker or M&A advisor?
No, this is prep work to do before engaging one, so you go in with cleaner financials and fewer surprises.
Do I need this if I might just pass the business to family?
Most of the checklist (financials, documentation, dependency reduction) still applies; only the valuation section is sale-specific.
Business Sale Exit Prep Checklist (Free Preview) — download a condensed version free, no purchase required, to see if it's a fit before you buy.
Business Sale Exit Prep Checklist is $19.99 USD, one-time payment, instant delivery, no subscription. Covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. See our refund policy and terms.
