Ben Shaw

How To Sell a Business in 12 Minutes

Selling a business takes most owners 9 to 12 months from listing to close — and the owners who get the best price start preparing 2 to 3 years before that. This 12-minute video walks you through the whole process in plain English, so you know what to expect before you ever talk to a buyer.

I’m Ben Shaw with Murphy Business Sales in Wilmington, NC. I help local business owners understand what their business is worth, prepare it for sale, and exit for the highest return. Before I became a broker, I started and ran several of my own businesses — so I’ve sat in the owner’s chair, and I know how much is riding on getting this right.

This video is for any Wilmington-area business owner thinking about selling — whether that’s next year or five years out — as well as the CPAs and financial advisors who guide them. In about 12 minutes, you’ll learn:

Why early planning is critical (and how it protects your business’s value)

• What your business is actually worth and how small business valuations are calculated using Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE)

• What buyers and banks look for — and what makes a business easier to sell and finance

• The realistic 9–12 month sale timeline, broken into phases so there are no surprises

• Why only 20–30% of listed businesses actually sell, and how preparation puts you in the group that closes

• Why clean financials and documentation matter more than most owners realize

• How a business broker works and what role they play in getting a deal done

It also covers why succession planning matters so much — especially since about half of all business exits are involuntary, triggered by health, burnout, or life changes no one plans for.

Also, explains Business Valuations using Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE), a common way small business value is calculated, and highlights the importance of succession planning. Especially since half of all business exits are involuntary.

Whether you’re a business owner, CPA, or financial planner, this video offers practical, actionable advice to help you or your clients plan ahead and exit for the highest return.