Part 5 of 6: CLEAN™ Exit-Readiness Series

Series progress: Cash Flow ✅ Leadership ✅ Earnings ✅ Assets ⬅️ Next Steps

Most owners assume assets—equipment, real estate, IP—automatically add value in a sale.

The uncomfortable truth: Assets only add value if they’re owned, transferable, serviceable, and relevant to the buyer’s future.

⚠️ The $5,000 Domain That Killed a Deal

Everything looked perfect. Operations ran smoothly. Equipment was current. The buyer was ready to close.

Then due diligence revealed: The company’s domain was registered to a former employee who’d left on bad terms.

That domain controlled email, marketing, online booking—the business’s digital nerve center. The ex-employee wanted $5,000 ransom.

Result: Deal stalled. Buyer pulled back. Seller paid the ransom and lost leverage.

📊 CLEAN™ Asset Scoring (6 points possible)

Digital Assets (2 points):

• Domain, social media, software licenses owned by business entity
• All digital properties properly transferred and documented

Physical Assets (2 points):

• Equipment current, well-maintained, with service records
• Clear ownership documentation, transferable titles

Intellectual Property (2 points):

• Trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets properly documented
• All IP owned by business entity, not individuals

🚩 Common Deal-Killing Asset Issues ❌ Equipment owned personally but “loaned” to business ❌ Software licensed to owner, not company
❌ Domain/social media in individual names ❌ Vehicles with unclear titles ❌ Non-transferable facility leases ❌ Missing maintenance records for critical equipment

✅ What High-Scoring Businesses Have

• Complete asset register with ownership documentation
• All digital properties in company name
• Equipment maintenance logs and warranties
• Clear transfer procedures for all assets
• Current, relevant assets that support growth

🔧 This Week’s Asset Audit

1. Digital inventory — List all domains, social accounts, software. Who owns them?
2. Equipment review — What needs replacing in next 2 years? Document maintenance.
3. Title check — Ensure all vehicles, equipment titled to business entity
4. IP audit — Identify trade secrets, processes, customer lists. Document ownership.
5. Lease review — Are facility/equipment leases transferable?

💡 Pro Tip: Well-documented assets = deal confidence. Poor documentation = buyer discounts and delays.

📩 Want a professional asset evaluation? Message us for your free CLEAN™ Scorecard review.

🔧 Asset Organization & Documentation We’ve navigated asset transfers in our own deals and know where problems typically arise. If your assessment reveals asset issues, we can help with:

• Asset documentation and title transfer strategies
• IP protection and formalization processes
• Equipment valuation and replacement planning
• Referrals to attorneys, IP specialists, and equipment appraisers

Don’t let poor asset documentation derail your deal—most issues are preventable with proper planning.

Next week: Next Steps — The final component that ties everything together.

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