Mastering the Business Exit Journey & Your One Page Plan
Welcome to Emerge Insights, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you find momentum, scale up your business, and reclaim your life.
Read time: 4.48 minutes.
Read this on: jeanmoncrieff.com
What's in store for today:
- Selling your business? Insider tips for a winning exit.
- Why revenue alone can't sustain your business.
- Start 2025 with a POPP of clarity.
Hey {{first_name}},
This weekâs guest on The Freedom Experience is Bruce Eckfeldt, a seasoned entrepreneur and growth strategist with a truly unique career journey.
After starting as an architect with two degrees from McGill University, Bruce transitioned into tech, founding a lean agile software development company in 2002.
Over the next decade, he scaled the company into a leader in its field, eventually navigating the challenging but rewarding process of selling the business in 2013.
In our conversation, Bruce shares valuable lessons on scaling, selling, and aligning business goals with personal priorities. His experience offers practical insights for anyone thinking about whatâs next for their businessâor their life.
|
Catch my full conversation with Bruce on The Freedom Experience podcast.
1. Selling Your Business? Insider Tips for a Winning Exit
Selling your business is one of the biggest decisions youâll make as a founder. Itâs not just about the numbersâitâs about knowing when and why youâre ready to let go. In my conversation with Bruce Eckfeldt, we unpacked the steps to a smoother, more successful exit.
Hereâs what stood out:
Start with Your âWhyâ
Whatâs driving your decision to sell? Is it financial freedom, burnout, or the desire to move on to something new?
Bruce explained how many business owners struggle with aligning personal goals and business plans. Getting clear on your âwhyâ makes everything elseâfrom timing to strategyâfall into place.
Get Your House in Order
A well-prepared business commands a better price and faster sale. That means:
-
Ensuring your financials are clean and transparent.
-
Addressing risks, like key-person dependency or client concentration.
-
Showing a track record of consistent profitability and scalable systems.
These arenât just tasksâtheyâre investments in making your business as attractive as possible to a buyer.
Tell a Story that Sells
Bruce highlighted how buyers arenât just looking at numbers; theyâre buying a vision. Whether itâs showing consistent growth or illustrating untapped market potential, your ability to tell a compelling story about your businessâs past and future can make or break a deal.
Build Your Exit Team
Exiting alone is a recipe for stress and missed opportunities. Bruce emphasized the importance of having the right team: financial advisors, accountants, and legal experts who specialize in transactions. Theyâll help you navigate the process and protect your interests.
Plan for What's Next
What happens after you sell? Without a clear plan for the next chapter, you risk feeling unmoored after the deal closes. Whether itâs starting a new venture, pursuing a passion, or simply taking time to breathe, having a âpullâ toward your future is just as important as the mechanics of the sale itself.
If selling your business is on the horizon, take the time to reflect on your motivations, prepare thoughtfully, and surround yourself with the right support. As Bruce reminded us, the best exits donât just free up your timeâthey create opportunities for the life you want next.
2. Why Revenue Alone Can't Sustain Your Business
As a business owner, I know how frustrating growth can feel at times. Youâre putting in the work, but it doesnât seem to translate into meaningful progressâor worse, it feels like youâre just spinning your wheels.
I wrote "A CEO's Guide to Purposeful Growth" to help you cut through the noise and focus on growth that truly matters. In this article, I address some of the most common frustrations business owners face, like:
-
Feeling stuck in a cycle of hustle that doesnât lead to results.
-
Wondering if the growth youâre chasing is even worth it.
-
Struggling to align your team and goals for long-term impact.
If any of this sounds familiar, I think youâll find the guide valuable. Itâs packed with strategies to help you regain clarity, momentum, and direction.
3. Start 2025 with a PPOP of Clarity
Do you ever feel like youâre setting goals but not making real progress?
Big dreams can feel excitingâuntil you get stuck trying to figure out where to start.
Thatâs why I use the Metronomics Personal One-Page Plan (POPP). Created by Shannon Susko, itâs a simple and effective way to stay focused and make meaningful progress toward your long-term vision.
In this weekâs video, I show you how I use the POPP to:
-
Break down big goals into manageable 90-day actions.
-
Stay aligned with a 10-year vision while staying flexible.
-
Build consistent momentum, even when life gets busy.
Iâve stuck my POPP up on my desk to keep me focused on what matters in 2025âand I can already feel the difference.
|
Watch this weekâs video to see how it works, and download your free POPP template to start mapping out your 2025 goals today.
Letâs make this the year where every quarter counts.
Dublin Workshop
If youâre ready to go beyond the chaos and implement a system to propel your business forward, join us in Dublin for the Foundation for Growth Workshop.
This in-person event will help you:
- Build a clear and actionable strategy,
- Align your team around shared goals, and
- Create the systems needed to execute consistently and confidently.
The workshop includes a keynote by Shannon Byrne Susko, founder of Metronomics and a globally recognized expert on scaling businesses.
Space is limited, so donât waitâsecure your spot today and make 2025 the year you transform your business.
Click here to reserve your seat.
One quote to start the week strong
"Concentrate on having a high sense of purpose, and the success will flow to you naturally."â- Robert Greene
In life and business, purpose acts as a guiding force, pulling us toward our goals. Itâs not about chasing success but aligning with something biggerâsomething that borders on obsession.
Who inspires you? Whose work moves you deeply? Use them as models, not to copy, but to understand the power of purpose in action.
This week, take a moment to reflect on your purpose. Is it pulling you forward or holding you back?
Have a great week!
- Jean
|
Responses