In Parts 1 and 2, I covered how owner dependence shows up in a business and why owners often stay so involved. This part is focused on what you can actually do about it. These are steps I use in my own advisory work because they fit the constraints most owners deal with. They don’t require big hires, major restructuring, or a full management team. They focus on small, practical changes that create real movement. 1. Start with one area, not the entire business Trying to delega

In Part 1, I covered how owner dependence shows up in a business and why buyers care. Most owners understand this in theory. The harder part is taking steps to reduce it. Not because they don’t want to, but because the obstacles feel real. After working with founders for years, these are the reasons that show up most often. 1. The cost feels too high Many owners assume reducing their involvement requires hiring senior people or building a full management layer. For a lot of b

This is the first blog post in my series on what really impacts your business valuation. A common issue I see in both growth work and sell-side advisory is owner dependence. Most owners don’t think they have it, but it shows up quickly once you look under the hood. I hear some version of this all the time: “I’m not that involved.” “I only work 20 to 30 hours a week.” “The team knows what to do.” And sometimes that’s true. But more often, once you start asking how decisions g

When a business is being sold, most owners and buyers focus on top-line numbers — revenue, profit, and EBITDA. But smart buyers go deeper. That’s where a quality of earnings report comes in.  In this article, we’ll explain what a QoE report is, what goes into it, and why it has become a standard expectation in most business transactions.  What Is a Quality of Earnings (QoE) Report?  A quality of earnings report is an in-depth financial analysis that goes beyond surface-level

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