Part 6 of 6: CLEAN™ Exit-Readiness Series
Series completion: Cash Flow ✅ Leadership ✅ Earnings ✅ Assets ✅ Next Steps ⬅️
You’ve built something great. But here’s the question too many owners ignore:
“What happens after the deal?”
In CLEAN™, Next Steps isn’t about your retirement. It’s about whether your business can succeed without you—and whether buyers see that path clearly.
🔍 What Buyers Really Want to Know ✅ Can this business grow without the current owner? ✅ Are people, systems, and strategy in place for continued success?
âś… Is the exit clean, or are there hidden entanglements?
Without clarity, buyers assume the worst: customer churn, key employee departures, operational disruption.
📊 CLEAN™ Next Steps Scoring (6 points possible)
Transition Planning (2 points):
- Clear knowledge transfer plan
- Key relationship transition strategy
Documentation (2 points):
- Contracts, SOPs, financials organized and current
- All agreements formalized and transferable
Growth Strategy (2 points):
- Realistic post-sale expansion plan
- Strategy not dependent on seller
⚠️ “Hope Is Not a Strategy”
We’ve seen deals fail when sellers said:
- “We haven’t planned that far ahead”
- “The new owner will figure it out”
- “Most contracts are verbal, but everyone knows what to do”
Buyers don’t invest in guesswork. Lenders don’t finance hope.
âś… What Premium-Ready Businesses Have
- Employment agreements and vendor contracts organized
- Clean, reconciled financials with clear growth story
- Documented SOPs that the team actually follows
- Realistic growth plan independent of seller involvement
🧹 Your Complete CLEAN™ Exit-Readiness Summary
Congratulations! You’ve completed our 6-week journey through the CLEAN™ framework.
đź“Š How Do You Score? (30 points total)
Cash Flow (6 pts): Efficient conversion cycle, strong reserves Leadership (6 pts): Independent operations, strong management team
Earnings (6 pts): Quality, predictable, diversified revenue Assets (6 pts): Owned, transferable, well-documented Next Steps (6 pts): Clear transition plan and growth strategy
Your Exit-Readiness Level:
- 27-30 points 🟢 Premium Ready — Command top valuations
- 21-26 points 🟡 Exit Ready — Strong position for sale
- 15-20 points 🟠Risky but Possible — Address gaps first
- 0-14 points 🔴 Not Exit Ready — Significant preparation needed
🎯 What’s Your Next Step?
If you scored 21+: Start exploring your options If you scored 15-20: Focus on your lowest-scoring areas
If you scored under 15: Systematic improvement over 12-18 months
The Bottom Line: Selling your business should be your greatest win. CLEAN™ helps ensure it is.
📩 Ready to get your official CLEAN™ Scorecard? Message us for a free, confidential 20-minute assessment. It could save you years of effort—or thousands in lost value.
🚀 Your Exit-Readiness Partners As entrepreneurs who’ve successfully exited businesses, we know the journey doesn’t end with assessment. Whether your score is 15 or 25, we’re here to help you reach premium-ready status.
Our comprehensive approach includes:
- Direct Guidance: One-on-one strategy sessions to address your specific gaps
- Resource Network: Connections to specialists in finance, legal, operations, and HR
- Implementation Support: Ongoing coaching through your improvement process
- Market Timing: Guidance on when and how to approach the market
We don’t just broker deals—we help you build businesses worth buying.
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