One thing, if you don’t do anything else this year, is be more business-like.

To build a good business that runs without you, gives you the time, freedom, and options you want in life then you simply can’t be in the day to day running of the business.

No one started their own business to work more hours, have more stress and earn less money.

You must set up and build the business the right way.

Slowly making yourself redundant.

Having a leader in the business that you can nurture, promote, and leave to it.

Having auditing, KPIs, financial systems in place so you can monitor performance.

Having a business like this is all about options – Being able to do what you want, when you want and not doing things as you are the only one to do it OR you have to.

Also, I’d guesstimate that 99% of businesses sell not when they are expecting to sell i.e., they just woke up and decided or ill health or similar.

You need to prep your business for sale, for a good 12 months, maybe even longer to get it profitable, all the team performing, maximise the revenue, and minimise the expenses, stop putting through things in the business that you know you shouldn’t.

We have bought nearly 20 businesses and we have NEVER paid top dollar for any of them as they were not prepared to sell the business – For most of them it was a forced sale as in something outside the business made up their mind, hence why we are very good at negotiating and getting businesses for a good price.

So reverse engineer it – Make it as though your business is a well-run and oiled machine so when people like me come knocking at your door trying to get it for a steal, you can say “No way big fella, it’s worth more than that.”