When business owners first think about selling, it is easy to be impressed by numbers. A long list of enquiries can feel like momentum. It can look like the market is responding well. It can even create the illusion that a good deal is just around the corner. In reality, a high volume of anonymous enquiries often means very little. What matters far more is whether there is genuine, credible, and qualified buyer intent behind the interest. That is where the real value sits. No

When owners prepare to sell, they often focus on profit, turnover, and valuation. Those matter, but buyers do not buy figures alone. They buy a business they believe can keep performing after the founder steps back. That is why management depth matters so much. A business can look strong on paper and still concern a buyer if too much depends on one person. If the founder controls the key customer relationships, makes most of the major decisions, settles operational issues, an

So when someone says “you do not pay anything”, the question is straightforward: who is paying them? If the buyer is paying them, then they are acting for the buyer. That does not make them dishonest or unprofessional. It simply means their incentive is to deliver the best deal for the acquirer, not the best outcome for you.

January is exactly when serious exits should begin. Not because of motivational quotes and fresh diaries. Because if you want a proper sale, at the right price, on the right terms, this is when the groundwork needs to start.