Thinking About Selling Your Business in the Next 1–3 Years?
Plan It Right the First Time.

Most business owners spend years building something valuable, then wing it when it’s time to sell. The result? Deals that fall apart, offers that disappoint, and exits that take far longer than expected.

This guide covers what you actually need to know before you list.

📞 Call Ben: 910-808-1208
Free · No obligation · 100% confidential

📋 Get the Free Exit Planning Kit →
Valuation guide · Deal-killer checklist · Exit roadmap

The Reality of Selling a Business

Before you list, you need to understand the landscape. The numbers are sobering:

• Only 1 in 5 businesses listed actually sell. Most listings fail not because the business is bad — but because the owner wasn’t prepared. Proper planning dramatically improves your odds.
• Most owners are 65+ without a succession plan. Waiting too long shrinks your options and your leverage. Buyers can tell when a seller is desperate.
• 50% of exits are involuntary. Health issues, burnout, partnership disputes, or market shifts can force a sale before you’re ready. Having a plan in place protects you regardless of how the exit happens.

The common thread: the owners who get the best outcomes start planning 2–3 years before they ever list.

What Buyers Actually Care About

Buyers aren’t just buying your revenue — they’re buying confidence that the business will keep running after you leave. The four things that matter most:

• Strong, consistent cashflow. Lumpy or declining revenue kills deals. Buyers want to see 2–3 years of stable or growing SDE (Seller’s Discretionary Earnings).
• Clean financials. If your books are messy or expenses are hard to explain, buyers discount their offer or walk. Clean books = higher multiples.
• A business that runs without the owner. If you’re the business, a buyer is taking on massive risk. Documented processes and a capable team make the business transferable.
• Documented systems and processes. SOPs, employee handbooks, vendor contracts, customer lists these turn your business from a job into an asset.

Full-Service Business Brokerage — What We Do

We help Wilmington business owners sell confidentially, strategically, and for maximum value. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Exit Planning. Strategic preparation 2–3 years ahead to maximize your sale price and eliminate deal-killing surprises before they happen.
• Business Valuation. Know your true market value with a professional assessment before you make any decisions. Most owners are surprised — in both directions.
• Buyer Matching. Access to a national network of qualified, pre-vetted buyers actively seeking businesses like yours. You don’t have to find them — we bring them to you.
• Full Sale Representation. From listing to closing — marketing, buyer vetting, negotiations, and every piece of paperwork handled for you.
• Deal Structuring. Creative deal structures (seller financing, earnouts, equity rollovers) that protect your interests and get you to the finish line.
• Confidential Marketing. Your employees, customers, and competitors never know the business is for sale until you close.

Why Work With Ben Shaw

• 20+ years based in Wilmington, NC — deep local market knowledge
• Part of one of the top nationwide brokerage networks (Murphy Business Sales)
• 5-star Google rating from verified Wilmington clients
• A former business owner himself — he knows what it costs to build something worth selling

“Ben was fantastic to work with and he was instrumental in selling my business. He guided me and the buyer through the entire process and I don’t think I could have done this without him. If you are thinking about selling your business, Ben is the guy you should be calling.”
— Ross, Tree Service Business Seller in 2025 · Wilmington, NC

📞 Call Ben: 910-808-1208
Free · No obligation · 100% confidential

Your Sale Timeline — What to Expect

Most sales take 9–12 months from listing to close. Here’s the realistic breakdown:

• 2–3 years before listing: Exit planning, financial clean-up, building transferability into the business.
• 1–2 months: Valuation, documentation prep, and confidential marketing materials.
• 6–9 months: Active marketing, buyer screening, offer negotiation.
• 2–3 months: Due diligence, financing, legal review, and closing.

The owners who get the best prices are the ones who started this process early — not the ones who called a broker the week they decided to sell.

Get Your Free Exit Planning Kit

Not sure what your business is worth or where to start? The free Exit Planning Kit covers:

• How to estimate your business’s market value
• The top deal-killing mistakes owners make (and how to avoid them)
• A step-by-step exit planning roadmap
• What qualified buyers are actually looking for right now

Download the Free Exit Planning Kit →

Or call Ben directly: 910-808-1208
No obligation. 100% confidential. Local Wilmington expert.

Get Your Business Ready to Sell: Checklist