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LISTEN TO Built To Exit with Jason Sisneros
RECENT EPISODES
How to Think About an Exit Worth Millions and Millions of Dollars (With Todd Polyniak)
Selling your business should not be the moment you learn you were not ready. In this episode, Jason Sisneros talks with Todd Polyniak, "The Todd Father." Todd is a CPA and Certified Exit Planning Advisor. He has spent 35 years helping business owners get ready for a sale. They explain how clean books, a team that can run without you, and a clear plan for your time after the sale can protect your sale price. Todd covers statements built to cut taxes, lifestyle expenses that worry buyers, and pro forma adjusted EBITDA. He also explains how business owners can derail their own exits. Jason and Todd look at the chaos a family may inherit if a business owner dies without a contingency plan. They explain why an advisor who chases fees can do more harm than no advisor. They also cover the 18-month retirement cliff that can catch successful founders off guard.
He Built a Business That Truly Runs Without Him (w/ Stuart Burgess)
Your business should give you freedom, even when you step away. It should not grind to a halt without you. Stuart Burgess built a business that works without him through clear systems, smart delegation, and a strong culture. Burgex Mining Consultants now has 25 full-time employees. The team handles 100 projects at a time.
We Ran Out of Cash... So We Bought a $15M Business (w/ Tom Shipley)
Organic growth can take years. An acquisition may add scale faster and raise your company’s sale price. It may also bring your exit closer. Your company may have room to grow. Yet your market may feel too small, cash may be tight, and time may be short. In this episode of Built to Exit, Jason Sisneros talks with Tom Shipley. Tom is a consumer-brand builder, acquisition operator, and DealCon host. His businesses generated about $2 billion in revenue. One acquisition helped take a $300,000 business to $100 million. Jason and Tom explain how to find motivated sellers and fund a purchase. They also cover how to protect company culture during the handoff. More scale can make it easier to adopt AI.
Make Your Business Worth 20-30% More (With Scott Gabehart)
Your company can earn a profit and still sell for less if it depends on you. Buyers see more risk when one business owner runs everything. A strong management team changes the math. Buyers often pay more when that team can run the company after the sale. In this episode of Built to Exit, Jason Sisneros talks with Scott Gabehart. Scott is a certified business appraiser and former business broker. He is also a co-founder of BizEquity. Jason and Scott explain why management independence matters. They explain how it can raise what a buyer will pay. They also cover recurring revenue and scalable profit. Scott says strong second-tier management can add 20–30% to what a company is worth. Jason and Scott close with deal terms and emotional readiness. Both can help protect the sale.
Why So Many Small Business Owners Are Failing Right Now (w/ Jethro Hopkins)
Jason Sisneros talks with Jethro Hopkins, who founded No Coast Business Advisors. Jethro is also a top Built To Exit advisor. Small business owners often get little help when their firms are worth $750,000 to $5 million. Jethro explains why business owners must plan well before they sell. He and Jason cover messy books, owner freedom, and plans for who will take over. They warn that selling without a plan can leave a business owner broke, bored, or trapped afterward.
