Build It to Leave It: Preparing Your Business for a Successful Exit

Most business owners spend years thinking about how to start, grow and strengthen their business — but what about how they’ll eventually step away from it?

In this episode, Cheryl is joined by small business consultant and author Ingrid Thompson to explore why your exit strategy shouldn’t be an afterthought.

Whether selling your business is years away, already on your mind, or something you’ve never seriously considered, Ingrid explains why the decisions you make today can have a significant impact on what your business is ultimately worth — and whether there’s actually a business to sell when the time comes.

Cheryl and Ingrid unpack what makes a business valuable beyond its physical assets, from recurring revenue and client retention to profitability, systems, processes and a strong team. They also discuss one of the biggest challenges for service-based businesses: building a business that isn’t entirely dependent on the owner.

The conversation covers the signs it may be time to consider an exit, how businesses are valued, what needs to be in place before going to market, who you need on your advisory team, and how to navigate the often-sensitive process of communicating a sale or closure to employees and clients.

And if selling isn’t an option? Ingrid shares why closing a business doesn’t necessarily mean failure — sometimes it simply means that chapter has reached its natural end.

If you own a Pilates studio, health or wellbeing business, or any service-based business, this episode offers plenty to think about — whether your exit is two years away, ten years away, or not yet on your radar.