When should I start exit planning if I am not ready to sell?

The categories that matter in exit planning will be valuable to work on for any successful business. Digging more deeply into exit planning is most valuable within 5 years of an expected sale. By the time you get within the last year or two, there are some options but they are much more limited than what could be done in 4 or 5 years.
Surprisingly, many owners who set up their business to be set up very well for a sale end up with a business that is much more enjoyable to operate. This often pushes back their retirement timeline because they no longer feel like they need to sell. And this lets them wait for the best offers before deciding the business is worth selling.
The exit planning process goes hand in hand with having a good efficient business. By deciding to prepare the business to sell better, the business should also function better.

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