Exit planning — build a sellable company from day 1
You don't have to sell, but you must be able to
💡 Genius Solution
Annual simplified company "valuation" report — client diversification, financials, IP, documentation score.
🎯 Why it matters
"Sellable" is the definition of a business. Building a business is not building a job. You don't have to sell, but you must be able to — options at year 5 (sell / freedom), crisis backup, negotiating power, immunity to lowball offers.
📊 ROI highlights
- 5-year horizon: 3 options (sell / freedom / hold)
- Health issues (see #4): company can run short-term
- "For sale" discipline = company actually runs better
⚠️ Common mistakes
- "I will never sell" → slowly company becomes a job
- Heavy client concentration — one leaves, whole company collapses
- No documentation — you're the only one who knows how it runs
- IP scattered across employees / contractors
✅ Action checklist
- This month: write "If I were to sell, what do I need" audit
- This quarter: 1 pillar deep work (weakest one)
- Annually: simplified company "valuation" report — 5 pillars scored
- Ongoing: client diversification / documentation / IP under company — daily habit
- Within 5 years: able to say "tomorrow's offer is sellable"
🎬 The takeaway
Building a business is not building a job. 'Sellable' is the definition of a business. You don't have to sell — but you must be able to.