The moment Dave knew it was time.

Dave was sitting in his office at the back of the factory, watching a pallet of finished product being shrink-wrapped and labelled. It was a sight he had seen thousands of times but for the first time in years it stirred nothing. No pride. No buzz. Just fatigue. That was the moment something shifted.

Dave had owned his manufacturing business in a New Zealand metro area for nearly three decades. He had grown it from a one-man operation in a borrowed warehouse to a respected and profitable company with a loyal team and steady clients. He had always said he would know when it was time. Now, it seemed, he did.

Where did Dave start?

Dave built his business with his hands and his name. He still remembered the first invoice, the first hire and the day he broke even. Over the years he had become not just the owner but the core of the business. Every key decision ran through him. Every staff issue, supplier deal or new product idea came across his desk. He thrived on it for years.

But lately he had started noticing how tired he felt. How holidays no longer recharged him. How he looked at growth plans with a sense of dread not excitement. It was not that the business was struggling. It was strong. That was the point. It was strong enough to go on without him. He just did not know how to let go.

What is the problem we are working on?

Dave had reached the stage where the business no longer gave him what it once did. The energy, the identity, the sense of purpose were fading. But he had no idea what life without the business would look like. He felt guilty for even thinking about leaving. The problem was not the business. It was Dave. He had changed. Now he needed to figure out what that meant.

What are the options we can explore?

Could Dave keep going as he was, pushing through and hoping the spark would return? Could he begin quietly preparing for an exit but stay hands-on until a plan was clear? Could he start talking to someone experienced in exit strategy to help him explore what a good transition might look like, even if he was not ready to commit to it yet?

What reflective questions should Dave be considering about this part of the journey?

• What is driving my desire to step away?

• What am I afraid of if I leave?

• What would I do if I was not running the business?

• Is staying in the business still serving me and the people around me?

• What signs am I ignoring?

What decision has Dave made?

Dave reached out to a business contact who had exited the year before. That contact introduced him to John Luxton from RegenerationHQ. Dave did not commit to anything. He just booked a meeting. He figured if anyone could help him think this through properly it was someone who had done it before. That was enough for now.

Why did he make that choice?

Dave was not ready to exit. But he was ready to stop pretending he would never exit. Talking to someone who specialised in this process gave him a sense that he was not trapped. There were options. There was a way to do it right. That gave him a sense of calm he had not felt in months.

What are the implications for the rest of the journey?

By deciding to explore the possibility of exit Dave set in motion a process that would change everything. The business would start becoming less reliant on him. He would begin to separate his identity from his company. Every step from here would be a step toward clarity not just for Dave but for his team, customers and family.

What is HR best practice?

When an owner begins thinking about exit the implications for people start early. HR best practice is to plan for leadership development, knowledge transfer and succession long before a date is set. This creates stability and signals to the team that the business is future-focused.

What is the psychological perspective?

Owners like Dave often experience anticipatory grief. The business is part of their identity and even thinking about leaving can trigger loss. But naming that feeling helps. The exit journey is not just a commercial transition. It is a personal one. Supporting mental clarity at the beginning helps ensure better decisions later.

What are the red flags to be watched out for and how can they be eliminated or mitigated?

Red flags at this stage include staying too long out of guilt, hiding doubts from others and making impulsive decisions to exit without planning. These can be avoided by bringing in trusted advisors early, being honest about emotional drivers and treating exit as a process, not a moment.

What has been the immediate effect on the business of taking this action?

Nothing visible changed in the business. But Dave changed. He was no longer stuck. He had taken the first step toward a plan. That shifted his mindset. His team noticed he seemed less tense. He started to delegate more. Even small things like that made a difference.

Golden nugget

You will not always know exactly what to do but you will know when it is time to start asking the right questions. That is when the exit journey begins.

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