The Exit You Want Starts Years Before You Think: Why Waiting Kills Value
The Founder Who Tried to Sell Too Late
In Built to Sell, John Warrillow tells the story of Alex Stapleton — a talented agency owner whose business depended entirely on him.
Alex wanted to sell.
Buyers were interested.
But every conversation hit the same wall: “If you leave, the business falls apart.”
Alex didn’t have recurring revenue.
He didn’t have documented systems.
He didn’t have a team who could run the work without him.
So even though the agency looked successful…
it wasn’t sellable.
Here’s the twist:
Alex didn’t fix this overnight.
He rebuilt the business over years by doing one thing well —
designing it to run without him long before he planned to exit.
Most Owners Wait Too Long — And Lose Their Best Exit
An exit isn’t a moment.
It’s a runway.
And most small business owners don’t build the runway until the plane is already descending.
That’s why owners get stuck with:
Low valuations
Limited buyer interest
Endless due-diligence headaches
Deals collapsing late in the process
A business that looks strong from the outside but is “unsellable” internally
Exit strategy isn’t something you do at the end.
It’s something you bake into the way you run the business.
That’s the point most owners miss.
Most Owners Wait Too Long — And Lose Their Best Exit
An exit isn’t a moment.
It’s a runway.
And most small business owners don’t build the runway until the plane is already descending.
That’s why owners get stuck with:
Low valuations
Limited buyer interest
Endless due-diligence headaches
Deals collapsing late in the process
A business that looks strong from the outside but is “unsellable” internally
Exit strategy isn’t something you do at the end.
It’s something you bake into the way you run the business.
That’s the point most owners miss.
Because Your Exit Value ≠ Your Current Revenue — It Equals Your Future Independence
Buyers don’t buy your work.
They buy your absence.
If the business still relies on:
Your relationships
Your expertise
Your approvals
Your decision-making
Your presence
Then you don’t have a business — you have a job with overhead.
And jobs don’t sell for 4× EBITDA.
They barely sell at all.
But when your business can operate, deliver, and grow without you?
Its value multiplies.
Its pool of buyers expands.
And you gain leverage — for the first time.
Build a Business That Someone Else Could Operate 3 Years From Now
Here’s the long-game play:
Stop thinking about “exiting someday” and start designing an “exitable” business now.
Focus on:
Owner independence — fewer tasks rely on you
Documented systems — predictable, repeatable delivery
Recurring or transferable revenue — reliable future cashflows
Leadership depth — a team who can carry the business forward
Clean financials and processes — buyers hate messy books
You’re not preparing to leave now.
You’re building optionality.
Because Your Future Freedom Depends on the Decisions You Make Today!
When Alex from Built to Sell returned to market years later, his business was transformed.
He had recurring revenue, repeatable processes, and a team that delivered without him.
This time, buyers didn’t hesitate.
They competed.
His business didn’t just sell.
It sold for a premium.
If you want that same outcome, ask yourself:
4 Hard Questions Every Owner Must Face
If I disappeared for 30 days, would my business grow, stall, or collapse?
Can someone else deliver my core service as well as (or better than) me?
Do I have a predictable, transferable revenue engine — or a personality-driven one?
Is my business more valuable with me or without needing me?
Most owners don’t like the answers at first.
Good.
That’s where the real work starts.
Because a business built to run without you is a business that can be sold, scaled, or stepped away from — on your terms.