If you’ve arrived on this page, then you are getting a sneak peek into a new coaching service I’m offering in 2021. Before we get into the details, I’m going to explain why I’m making this change and how it benefits the companies who want to come along with me.
I’ve built a few companies, sold a few, and advised more than I can recall. The majority of the work was and is in the tech space — from websites to digital marketing to running IT teams and hiring IT leaders for my clients. Tech touches almost every part of a business now. When I was younger, I just concentrated on the tech. As I gained experience I started to realize I’d morphed into a consultant and coach with technology driving the initial project with a client. From there, it could go anywhere.
That’s when I realized I wanted to make a shift into coaching business owners how to grow the value of their business. I looked around for the right program to offer as a model and then it dawned on me I already knew the program.
When I sold my first company, I was 29 and had no idea what I was doing when the buyer and I cut the deal. I agreed to a multi-year earn-out based on performance, a guaranteed base salary for three years while working for them, and forgot to add in measures of control so I could manage performance during the earn-out. I learned a lot from that company, the employees, and the owners. And I left after 18 months.
Fast forward another year or so. I started consulting with other tech companies — marketing, sales, tech stack, and more. My current business partner was an employee there and we made an offer to buy one of the business units from the owners. It was bleeding cash every month. Once we completed the sale, we earned our investment back in less than three months, became profitable, and really enjoyed the company.
We decided to sell it to focus on some other ventures.
The sale of that company was very easy. The buyers handed us a check with a few more scheduled over the next 12 months (they paid in 9), and we gave them a USB stick with all the data, logins, etc. No earn-out. No requirement to work for the buyer.
What was the difference? I read “Built to Sell” by John Warrilow between the sale of the first company and the second. My business partner and I put some of the processes in place mentioned in the book and it made a great impact and allowed us to smile and relax immediately after the sale.
John built the Value Builder program to help business owners achieve more freedom, increase the value of the business, and make it attractive for buyers. The program doesn’t mean you have to sell your company. But it does build value and freedom for the owners.
A valuable company is much easier to sell than one reliant on the business owner, a key client or employees, no stable recurring revenue, and other common pitfalls.
In 2020, I decided to become a certified Value Builder Advisor. The program starts with an owner who gets a Value Builder Score (more on this in the video below), then we meet to ensure things are a good fit, and if so, then we start working together.
Currently, I’m in the second stage of the program and starting to share what’s coming in 2021. So, without more of the background, spend some time to watch the video and sign up to get your Value Builder Score or share this page with other owners who would like more freedom to attend family events, travel, and increase the value of their companies.
Ready to get your Value Builder Score? All you need to do is sign up, you’ll receive an email invite, and then I’ll review the overall Score and two key areas with you. No cost or obligation. I love to help companies build value.