Margin Drivers AcademyModule 6 · Build a company worth owningLesson 22 of 22
Growth & Exit
Getting Buyer-Ready
24 checks a buyer will look for.
A buyer will check your company from every side before paying for it. Use this list to see where you stand today and what to work on in the years before a sale.
Buyers pay for earnings they can trust and a business that runs without you
- 3 years outClean up the books, close monthly, start tracking add-backs.
- 2 years outBuild the management team. Grow recurring maintenance revenue.
- 1 year outGet a valuation, fix fleet issues, assemble the document folder.
- SaleDiligence goes faster, and fewer surprises means fewer price cuts.
The 24 checks a buyer will look for
Tick what's true today · saved in this browser1 · Financials
2 · Revenue Quality
3 · Owner Independence
4 · Fleet & Equipment
5 · People
6 · Legal & Admin
Your readiness score. Count your checks. Every unchecked box is something a buyer will find in diligence, and usually a reason to lower the price or hold back part of it.
0 / 24Key idea: The best time to get buyer-ready is years before you sell. A buyer-ready business is also a better one to own.