How to Sell Your Business

Selling a business is not a single event—it’s a process.
And most owners don’t realize how early that process truly begins.

This course was created to give you clarity, structure, and protection before decisions are made, documents are signed, or leverage is lost.

If you are thinking about selling your business—whether that’s months or years from now—this course will walk you through how business sales actually work.

Most sellers start too late.

They think selling begins with a broker, a valuation, or a buyer.

But by the time that happens, the leverage is already shifting.

Buyers move fast. They look for risk. And if they find it, your price drops — or the deal disappears.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how a business sale actually starts — and how to prepare before the process ever begins.

Most business sales start long before an offer appears. You’ll learn what truly triggers a sale, the early decisions that create legal and financial risk, and how to protect yourself before engaging buyers or brokers. This lesson shows how to avoid costly missteps and position your business correctly from day one.

Not all business sales are the same. This lesson breaks down the most common types of business sales, including asset sales, stock or equity sales, partial buyouts, and internal transitions. You’ll learn how each structure affects taxes, liability, control, and risk—so you understand which sale types may align best with your goals before entering negotiations.

Waiting to hire an attorney can expose you to avoidable risk. This lesson explains why legal counsel should be engaged before you decide to sell, how early legal planning protects you personally, and how it strengthens deal structure, confidentiality, and leverage throughout the sale process.

Many of us don’t worry much about our insurance until it’s time to use it. We keep the minimums to stay in compliance. What you may not know is that if your insurance isn’t sufficient it could cost you money after the sale of your company. We’ll cover what question you should be talking to your insurance agent about and what changes may need to be made BEFORE you sell your company.

What you keep after a sale of your business depends on early planning. This lesson explains why your CPA and/or wealth advisor must be involved before selling, how tax strategy and timing affect proceeds, and how coordinated planning protects your long-term financial outcome.

Business value is more than a multiple or online calculator. This lesson explains how buyers actually value businesses, the factors that increase or reduce valuation, and common mistakes owners make when estimating worth. You’ll learn how to assess value realistically and position your business to support a stronger sale price.

You’ve now learned how a business sale works, why your lawyer and your wealth advisor/CPA is important BEFORE you decide to sell your company.

After exploring these topics, are you ready to sell your business?

Before sharing financials or sensitive information, you need a properly structured NDA. This lesson explains why NDAs matter in a business sale, what key terms protect you as the seller, and common mistakes that leave owners exposed. You’ll learn how to use an NDA to control information, protect leverage, and reduce risk early in the sale process.

A teaser package introduces your business without revealing sensitive details. This lesson explains what a preliminary offering should include, what to leave out, and how to position your company to attract qualified buyers while protecting confidentiality. You’ll learn how a strong teaser sets expectations, filters buyers, and supports a smoother sale process.

Working with a broker can expand buyer reach—but only if done strategically. This lesson explains when to engage a broker, how brokers are compensated, and what sellers must clarify before signing a listing agreement. You’ll learn how to evaluate brokers, protect confidentiality, and avoid conflicts that can weaken your position in a business sale.

Due diligence is where most deals slow down—or fall apart. This lesson explains what due diligence really involves, what buyers examine, and why unprepared sellers lose leverage. You’ll learn how to assess your readiness, organize key information, and avoid common issues that delay closing or reduce purchase price.

A data room is a controlled environment where all diligence materials live. Poor organization = perceived risk. I’ll show you how to prepare your own data room in advance, so you’re ultra-prepared.

Before valuation or due diligence begins, buyers ask one critical question: Do you have the legal authority to sell your business? In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ensure clean legal ownership, updated corporate documents, and a defensible cap table before going to market. Avoid deal delays, valuation pressure, and ownership disputes by preparing your formation documents, operating agreements, and shareholder approvals the right way.

What financial documents are required for due diligence in a business sale? We’ll cover each document, why it’s important and how to test your financials for accuracy.

Working capital adjustments are one of the most overlooked ways sellers lose money at closing. In this lesson, you’ll learn how buyers calculate working capital, why AR, AP, inventory, and deferred revenue matter, and how closing adjustments can quietly reduce your proceeds. Understand how to establish your baseline, prepare documentation, and protect your purchase price before signing the final agreement.

Unresolved taxes, hidden debt, and unclear liabilities can delay closing or reduce your proceeds. In this lesson, you’ll learn what buyers review during due diligence, including tax returns, audit notices, loan agreements, personal guarantees, and contingent liabilities. Understand what must be paid off at closing, how debt impacts deal structure, and how to eliminate surprises before signing the final agreement.

Revenue size matters, but revenue durability drives valuation. In this lesson, you’ll learn how buyers evaluate customer concentration, contract terms, renewal structures, and recurring cash flow during due diligence. Understand how revenue stability impacts multiples, why concentration risk lowers price, and how to prepare documentation that demonstrates predictable, transferable cash flow before selling your business.

Buyers don’t buy hustle — they buy systems. In this lesson, you’ll learn how organizational structure, documented procedures, and operational clarity reduce key-person risk and strengthen deal terms. Discover why org charts, SOPs, IT systems, and delegated processes increase buyer confidence, improve valuation, and make your business transferable before entering due diligence

Employee issues are one of the most common sources of post-closing claims. In this lesson, you’ll learn how buyers evaluate HR policies, compensation structures, contractor classifications, employment agreements, and compliance during due diligence. Discover how undocumented promises, misclassified workers, or unresolved disputes can trigger indemnification and how clean HR documentation protects your valuation and deal terms.

Representations and warranties are where sellers unintentionally give money back after closing. In this lesson, you’ll learn how legal disclosures, litigation history, contracts, and compliance issues affect reps and warranties in a purchase agreement. Understand survival periods, indemnification risk, and how incomplete disclosure during due diligence can trigger clawbacks, escrow claims, and costly post-closing disputes.

Buyers expect organized, complete documentation early in due diligence. This lesson outlines the key financial, legal, and operational documents buyers request and why delays raise red flags. You’ll learn how preparing documents in advance protects leverage, speeds the process, and reduces the risk of price reductions or failed deals.

Receiving a letter of intent is exciting—but it’s not the finish line….far from it. This lesson explains what an LOI really means, which terms matter most, and what to review before moving forward. You’ll learn how to assess risk, involve your advisors, and decide whether to proceed, negotiate, or walk away.

Before responding to or signing an LOI, it must be reviewed by legal counsel. This lesson explains why attorney review is critical, which LOI terms can create risk, and how legal guidance protects you before exclusivity or diligence begins. You’ll learn how your lawyer helps clarify exposure, leverage, and next steps. You’ll also learn why red-lining is important, but not as critical as the final contract.

Before signing a Letter of Intent (LOI), business owners must understand the tax consequences of deal structure, allocation, earnouts, and working capital adjustments. This lesson explains how asset vs. stock sales impact capital gains, depreciation recapture, installment treatment, and escrow taxation. Learn how to meet with your CPA strategically and model your true after-tax proceeds before entering due diligence.

Once the LOI is signed, the sale feels real—but it is not guaranteed. This is the most dangerous period for employee panic, rumor spread, and value erosion.

Your job now is not transparency at all costs.
Your job is stability, trust, and continuity.

Handled well, employees become an asset to the deal.
Handled poorly, they become a liability that can kill morale and possibly your deal.

Remember the quote, “Loose lips, sink ships”? Don’t make the mistake of telling people you’re selling your company. This means friends, neighbors and some family members too.

The final purchase agreement is where your business sale truly becomes binding. In this lesson, you’ll learn how risk allocation, indemnification terms, payment structure, and liability exposure are defined in the final contract. Understand why the LOI is only a framework—and how sophisticated sellers protect themselves when negotiating the definitive purchase agreement.

At the final contract stage, buyers often request price adjustments or structural changes. In this lesson, learn how to distinguish legitimate due diligence findings from strategic “re-trade” tactics. Understand working capital adjustments, escrow increases, risk-based price reductions, and how sophisticated sellers negotiate structure before surrendering purchase price.

Contracts are not written to sound fair. They’re written to be enforced. “Shall vs. May” and “Best of Sellers Knowledge” actually matter and mean something. We’ll go over what you need to be watching for in your contract.

Representations and warranties define the seller’s post-closing liability in a business sale. In this lesson, learn how inaccurate financial statements, undisclosed liabilities, and vague disclosures can trigger indemnification claims. Understand disclosure schedules, knowledge qualifiers, materiality thresholds, survival periods, and indemnity caps to protect your proceeds after closing.

Where you fight your battle (if you must) matters! Know what you’re agreeing to in advance. I’ll show you what this means and how choosing the battlefield before the fight can save you money, time and frustration later.

What will you do with your knowledge, career and life after signing the non-compete. Know what limitations you have and for how long after the closing of the sale. There will be a non-compete in your contract, so understanding what the language means for your future is important!

Learn how to work with your attorney strategically during the final contract stage of a business sale. This lesson teaches sellers how understanding contract language, indemnification risk, survival periods, and market terms can reduce legal fees and improve negotiations. Discover when to push back, what questions to ask, and how to align with counsel like a sophisticated seller.

At this phase, you may be exhausted from the legal and financial documents you’ve been dealing with through the process of your business sale. Please remember, no matter what type of sale you’ve committed to, you may have future tax and other liabilities you may need to defend. I’ll explain the importance of document retention.

Understand what happens after closing a business sale. This lesson covers post-sale obligations, escrow funds, earnouts, non-compete agreements, and reputation considerations so sellers can transition confidently. Learn how risk shifts after closing and what responsibilities may continue beyond the final contract.

Life after selling your business requires discipline and clarity. This lesson covers the 90-day rule, capital protection, tax reserves, and the emotional transition after exit. Learn how to protect liquidity, avoid common post-sale mistakes, and intentionally design your next chapter after closing your business sale.

You’ll get access to a complete 4+ hour audio version of this course, so you can learn the business sale process without being tied to your computer.

Whether you’re in the car, on a flight, or between meetings, you can move through the material at your own pace — and come back to the course to access the checklists, tools, and documents when you’re ready to execute.

This is designed for real business owners with real schedules.