Fix This Before You Sell

July 22, 2025

I see it over and over… one of the biggest mistakes women business owners make when they start thinking about exiting their business.

It is such a big mistake that it can actually send you reeling backwards in time and space. It can cause revenue drops and send reliable staff scrambling.

It can leave you feeling demoralized and betrayed. In a worst-case scenario, it can decimate your business.

I see women business owners get hurt and hustled. All. The. Time. I feel protective of my clients and colleagues.

So, I’m sharing tangibles for women to believe, find, prioritize, avoid, fix, keep secret, learn, lose, negotiate, and plan before you sell. This is the fifth of ten ‘Do This Before You Sell’ articles I’ve developed to help you navigate your business exit without all the pain…

Today’s Question:

What should you fix before you sell?

Here’s the Twist . . .

As women, we are a collaborative and hopeful bunch. We often enter into partnerships, joint ventures, or succession plans that are ill-fated from the start.

It might take years to discover this is the wrong path for you, and damage may be done during that time.

Our strong personal relationships with clients, vendors, or employees, can make it harder for a new owner to step in – and we hang onto people far longer than makes sense, especially when they’re really not the right fit but we want to make the situation work.

I often advise: Systematize operations so that client work and retention, vendor agreements, and team management aren’t dependent on you.

Make sure you have qualified, experienced staff in the right roles, vendors you can trust, and a team that can function with a good leader – who might not be you, in the future.

If you started your business using friends who were available and capable, it might be time to have difficult conversations. Perhaps moving them to a different role in your company or having them find a replacement for themselves.

Nothing is meant to last forever, and just as you and your business have evolved, your team and systems must do the same.

So fix this before you sell: build and refine systems that standardize the client work and daily operations. Make sure you have the right people in the right seats, and craft a revenue engine that can function with less of you – or without you.

Now What?

Are you stuck in your Second Act?

Have you built a profitable and valuable business but instead of feeling like there's something missing, you’re feeling like there's something more?

If you’ve built an accounting firm, a law firm, a financial services firm, a psychology practice, or a specialty consulting firm that is generating $1 million to $10 million in annual revenue, you are in a prime market.

Larger firms and companies are growing by buying other firms. This has long been the case, but we’re seeing a higher rate than ever.

In a tragic twist, I see too many women who actually lose their company instead of exiting on their own terms. The exit process is filled with pitfalls and complex issues – especially for women.

I’ve built my business as an advocate, and I specialize in helping women founders transition to their Third Act – when you’re ready to do the work you’ve always longed to do.

As your advocate, by definition, I’m looking out for your best interests. I am not taking a brokerage fee, commission, or equity. I am not motivated by how quickly the exit moves or the final dollar amounts. I want what you want – and will help you get it.

Are you ready to exit your business on your terms?

That requires a new way of thinking, new skills, a simple and elegant design, and an advocate by your side. Contact me to learn more.

How exit-ready are you? Find out at: http://she-exits.com/

The ‘Do This Before You Sell’ Series of Articles, by Patty Block

A Note from Patty...

My life’s work is empowering high-achieving women business owners to fine-tune their operations and scale their revenue for strategic growth, creating real business value and emerging exit ready. That value can transform into wealth when they are ready to exit their company - and I believe that wealth in the hands of women elevates society as a whole.