5. Letting go

Dave had a number in his head. It was not based on a market analysis or a valuation report. It was based on what he had poured into the business over the years. The early mornings. The weekends. The money he left on the table to keep things going. In his mind, the business was worth that effort. The number felt fair.

But emotional valuation and market valuation are not the same thing. Buyers do not see the sacrifices. They see the systems, the cash flow and the risk. John helped Dave understand that if he stayed attached to an emotional figure, he would struggle to sell. The number had to make sense to someone who had not lived the story.

That shift was hard. Dave had to separate what the business meant to him from what it was worth to someone else. Once he did, everything changed. He could look at offers objectively. He could hear feedback without getting defensive. He stopped taking it personally.

Letting go of emotional valuation was not about lowering expectations. It was about aligning with reality so he could move forward with clarity and confidence.

Seeing the business through a buyer’s eyes

Dave had always seen the business through the lens of effort. He knew what it had taken to get it to this point, the tough calls, the loyal staff and the reputation he had built over the years. But when it came time to think about selling, that view was no longer enough. Buyers do not buy history. They buy future potential and manageable risk.

John encouraged Dave to start thinking like a buyer. If you had never seen this business before, what would you want to know? What would worry you? What would make you feel confident? That shift in perspective was revealing. Suddenly, gaps that Dave had normalised became obvious. He noticed things that were undocumented, overly reliant on him or just messy behind the scenes.

This process was not about criticising the business. It was about making it stronger. By viewing it from the outside, Dave saw what others would see. That gave him the insight he needed to tighten up systems, prepare better reporting and hand off key relationships more effectively.

Seeing the business through a buyer’s eyes turned it from something personal into something saleable. It gave Dave a clearer picture of what needed to change and what already held value.

Building objectivity and resilience

Once Dave began viewing the business through a buyer’s eyes, he started hearing feedback that stung a little. Comments about gaps in reporting, unclear processes or reliance on him made him feel defensive at first. It was natural. After all, this was something he had built from the ground up. But if he wanted to get the best result from his exit, he had to build objectivity.

John reminded him that selling a business is not a personal evaluation. It is a commercial one. Buyers are not judging his effort or loyalty. They are assessing risk and opportunity. That shift in mindset helped Dave take feedback without taking it personally. He started asking better questions. What is this feedback telling me? What would I do if I were buying this business?

At the same time, Dave had to build resilience. Exit planning is full of unknowns. Some days you feel confident. Other days you wonder if it is worth it. There are delays, doubts and moments where it feels easier to just carry on as usual. Resilience is what helps you keep going when the process gets messy.

By staying objective and building emotional stamina, Dave made better decisions. He was less reactive and more focused on the long game. That attitude filtered through to the team and set a more stable tone across the business.

Listening to uncomfortable but necessary feedback

One of the hardest parts of Dave’s journey was hearing things he had not been told before. Feedback about how often staff relied on him for decisions they should be making themselves. How certain reports were unclear or late. How the business culture leaned too heavily on his approval. These were not things people had raised while he was fully in control, but now they mattered.

John made it clear from the start. If you are preparing to sell, you have to stop filtering for what is easy to hear and start listening for what a buyer will care about. That includes the uncomfortable stuff. Dave had to take a step back and look at the business with honest eyes.

It was not easy. Some feedback challenged how he saw himself as a leader. But once he got past the sting, it helped him focus. Each piece of feedback became a pointer to something that could be improved or clarified. It was not about blame. It was about making the business stronger.

Dave came to appreciate the honesty. It gave him a head start on fixing things that could have become deal-breakers later. Listening well, even when it was tough, became one of the most valuable parts of the process.

Dave had a number in his head. It was not based on a market analysis or a valuation report. It was based on what he had poured into the business over the years. The early mornings. The weekends. The money he left on the table to keep things going. In his mind, the business was worth that effort. The number felt fair.

But emotional valuation and market valuation are not the same thing. Buyers do not see the sacrifices. They see the systems, the cash flow and the risk. John helped Dave understand that if he stayed attached to an emotional figure, he would struggle to sell. The number had to make sense to someone who had not lived the story.

That shift was hard. Dave had to separate what the business meant to him from what it was worth to someone else. Once he did, everything changed. He could look at offers objectively. He could hear feedback without getting defensive. He stopped taking it personally.

Letting go of emotional valuation was not about lowering expectations. It was about aligning with reality so he could move forward with clarity and confidence.

Seeing the business through a buyer’s eyes

Dave had always seen the business through the lens of effort. He knew what it had taken to get it to this point, the tough calls, the loyal staff and the reputation he had built over the years. But when it came time to think about selling, that view was no longer enough. Buyers do not buy history. They buy future potential and manageable risk.

John encouraged Dave to start thinking like a buyer. If you had never seen this business before, what would you want to know? What would worry you? What would make you feel confident? That shift in perspective was revealing. Suddenly, gaps that Dave had normalised became obvious. He noticed things that were undocumented, overly reliant on him or just messy behind the scenes.

This process was not about criticising the business. It was about making it stronger. By viewing it from the outside, Dave saw what others would see. That gave him the insight he needed to tighten up systems, prepare better reporting and hand off key relationships more effectively.

Seeing the business through a buyer’s eyes turned it from something personal into something saleable. It gave Dave a clearer picture of what needed to change and what already held value.

Building objectivity and resilience

Once Dave began viewing the business through a buyer’s eyes, he started hearing feedback that stung a little. Comments about gaps in reporting, unclear processes or reliance on him made him feel defensive at first. It was natural. After all, this was something he had built from the ground up. But if he wanted to get the best result from his exit, he had to build objectivity.

John reminded him that selling a business is not a personal evaluation. It is a commercial one. Buyers are not judging his effort or loyalty. They are assessing risk and opportunity. That shift in mindset helped Dave take feedback without taking it personally. He started asking better questions. What is this feedback telling me? What would I do if I were buying this business?

At the same time, Dave had to build resilience. Exit planning is full of unknowns. Some days you feel confident. Other days you wonder if it is worth it. There are delays, doubts and moments where it feels easier to just carry on as usual. Resilience is what helps you keep going when the process gets messy.

By staying objective and building emotional stamina, Dave made better decisions. He was less reactive and more focused on the long game. That attitude filtered through to the team and set a more stable tone across the business.

Listening to uncomfortable but necessary feedback

One of the hardest parts of Dave’s journey was hearing things he had not been told before. Feedback about how often staff relied on him for decisions they should be making themselves. How certain reports were unclear or late. How the business culture leaned too heavily on his approval. These were not things people had raised while he was fully in control, but now they mattered.

John made it clear from the start. If you are preparing to sell, you have to stop filtering for what is easy to hear and start listening for what a buyer will care about. That includes the uncomfortable stuff. Dave had to take a step back and look at the business with honest eyes.

It was not easy. Some feedback challenged how he saw himself as a leader. But once he got past the sting, it helped him focus. Each piece of feedback became a pointer to something that could be improved or clarified. It was not about blame. It was about making the business stronger.

Dave came to appreciate the honesty. It gave him a head start on fixing things that could have become deal-breakers later. Listening well, even when it was tough, became one of the most valuable parts of the process.

Preparing to be challenged

Dave quickly learned that the exit process is not just about ticking boxes. It is about being questioned—by advisors, by buyers and sometimes by your own team. That can feel uncomfortable, especially when you have spent years being the one with the answers. But challenge is part of the process. It sharpens thinking and surfaces weak spots before they become real problems.

John prepared Dave early for this. He explained that buyers will test assumptions, poke holes in plans and want evidence for claims. They will want to know what happens if sales drop, if a key staff member leaves or if a supplier changes terms. The questions are not personal. They are part of due diligence.

Dave decided to lean into it. He asked his own team to challenge him more. He encouraged honest conversations with advisors. He started rehearsing his answers to tough questions so he would not be thrown later. This mindset made him more confident. Instead of reacting, he began responding.

Being open to challenge does not mean agreeing with everything. It means staying open, staying calm and being willing to adjust. That approach strengthened the business and made Dave a better leader, even as he prepared to step away.

Dave quickly learned that the exit process is not just about ticking boxes. It is about being questioned—by advisors, by buyers and sometimes by your own team. That can feel uncomfortable, especially when you have spent years being the one with the answers. But challenge is part of the process. It sharpens thinking and surfaces weak spots before they become real problems.

John prepared Dave early for this. He explained that buyers will test assumptions, poke holes in plans and want evidence for claims. They will want to know what happens if sales drop, if a key staff member leaves or if a supplier changes terms. The questions are not personal. They are part of due diligence.

Dave decided to lean into it. He asked his own team to challenge him more. He encouraged honest conversations with advisors. He started rehearsing his answers to tough questions so he would not be thrown later. This mindset made him more confident. Instead of reacting, he began responding.

Being open to challenge does not mean agreeing with everything. It means staying open, staying calm and being willing to adjust. That approach strengthened the business and made Dave a better leader, even as he prepared to step away.

Talk to us about your exit journey. www.regenerationhq.co.nz/contact