Sold my 18-year-old landscaping business last spring. No partner, no board, just me and a lot of sleepless nights. The deal closed, but there were things nobody warned me about. Curious what others wish they'd known going in solo.
Solo sale
What I wish someone told me about selling solo
I wish I'd known how much the buyer would dig into my personal life. They wanted to know why I was selling, what my health was like, even my marriage. Felt invasive but apparently normal.
The loneliness of it. You're the only one who cares, and every decision sits on your shoulders. My brother sold with a partner and they at least had someone to argue with.
How long it takes. I thought 3 months, took 14. And the whole time you're still running the business like nothing's happening.
brickbybrick - yeah, the personal questions caught me off guard too too. They asked about my divorce. I get why, but still.
Biggest thing for me was the emotional whiplash. One day you're excited about the number, the next you're grieving the thing you built. Nobody talks about that part.
I wish someone had told me to get a good accountant early. I thought my bookkeeper was enough. The buyer's due diligence found stuff I didn't even know was messy.
juniper_77 - same. My books were 'fine' until they weren't. Cost me time and a bit of money to clean up mid-deal
The pressure to keep it quiet from employees. You're solo, so you have staff, and you can't tell them until it's done. That was the hardest part for me.
saltwater_sam - yes. I almost slipped up a dozen times.
The employee piece is real. I ended up telling my two longest staff a week before closing because I felt sick about it. Worked out, but risky.
Also wish I'd known how much I'd secondd-guess the price after signing. Even if it was fair, you wonder.
northstar_gals - the second-guessing never really goes away, does it? I still do the math in my head sometimes.