The best time to sell your company is often when you don’t want to.
Hold forever: selling means giving up upside.
Sell early: markets turn, buyers disappear and founder energy isn’t infinite.
Sell from strength
From advising on both sides of the table: the owners who get the best exits sell from strength, not exhaustion.
When growth is strong, margins are expanding and you have options, buyers compete for you. That’s when multiples are highest and terms are friendliest.
What waiting costs
When you’re burned out, growth is slowing and you need a deal, buyers can tell. The earnout grows, the escrow deepens, and the headline number looks a lot better than what reaches your bank account.
I’ve watched owners leave millions on the table not because they sold too early, but because they waited until the only exit left was a tired one. Timing is one of the hardest decisions an owner makes, and most wait too long.
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