The Lie About Selling Your Business
Most founders believe selling their business is a clean finish line.
Fast. Profitable. Simple.
It’s not, and Eric Coonrod has the scars to prove it, from years in the trenches guiding founders through the maze that is the reality of mergers and acquisitions.
It’s long, expensive, emotional, and brutally exposing—and most don’t realize that until they’re already deep in the process.
That’s where things break.
Not because the deal wasn’t there…
But because the founder wasn’t prepared.
You’re Not Selling a Business. You’re Losing an Identity
For years, sometimes decades, your business is you.
Your time. Your energy. Your reputation.
Then one day… it’s gone.
What most people don’t plan for isn’t the money, it’s the void.
Without preparation, that void shows up as hesitation, second-guessing, or walking away from a deal you spent months building. As Eric and I know full well working with our clients.
Eric, to and through the successful and profitable exit.
And I, very specifically, in the transition of identity for these founders to find their way to solid ground when the dust settles.
Deal Fatigue Is Real (And It Will Test You)
Selling a business isn’t one process.
It’s two:
- Running your business
- Selling your business
At the same time.
By month 6 or 7, you’re buried in:
- Endless diligence requests
- Legal pressure
- Financial scrutiny
This is where most deals die, not because they’re bad, but because the founder is exhausted.
The Right Team Changes Everything
You don’t win this alone. Eric outlines the founder’s DREAM TEAM and the roles they play, very specifically in his book, “The Preparation Principle”
If you’re serious about maximizing value, you need:
- Business Banker (the quarterback of the team)
- M&A Attorney (not just a corporate lawyer)
- Tax Advisor (to protect what you keep)
- Wealth Manager (to define what “enough” actually means)
- Accounting Team (to ensure your numbers are real, not assumed)
Miss one, and it will cost you.
Sometimes millions.
So What’s the Point?
The sale doesn’t fail at the finish line. It fails in the preparation.
Your Next EASIEST Step:
Start thinking about your exit now, even if you’re years away. Get clarity on what “winning” actually looks like for you—financially, emotionally, and operationally. Then build your business in alignment with that outcome.
Alignment First. Progress Always.
Next Level HQ
Next Level exists to help leaders reconnect to their peace, presence, and power by integrating identity with environment, not forcing willpower alone.