We are five years away from our target exit date, which feels too early to hire investment bankers. What specific work should we be doing on our Accountability Chart and system processes right now to make sure we are not scrambling at year three?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Five years out is the optimal time to begin. This is not about drafting marketing materials or talking to brokers. It is about building a highly transferrable asset. At the five-year mark, your primary objective is to redesign your Accountability Chart to render yourself obsolete. Start by identifying every seat you currently occupy. Most founders are quietly holding three or four critical functions, such as visionary, head of sales, or chief estimator. Your five-year runway gives you the necessary time to systematically find, train, or elevate people who truly GWC™ those seats. You must transition these responsibilities slowly and deliberately, ensuring each successor has at least two years of proven execution before you approach the market. Additionally, this is the time to build a pristine operating foundation using the Step by Step Exit framework. Clean up your credit profile, resolve any outstanding partnership disputes, and standardize your technology stack. Ensure your processes are documented so clearly that an outside manager can understand them instantly. Starting five years out transforms your exit from a stressful, defensive scramble into an offensive strategy where you control the timing, the terms, and the ultimate valuation.