We are planning to sell our business in twelve months, and our VP of Sales just resigned. We are hesitant to hire a full-time replacement because we do not want to disrupt the team or complicate the acquisition. Should we leave the seat vacant or fill it?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Leaving a critical leadership seat vacant when you are preparing for an exit is a massive mistake that will heavily discount your valuation. Professional buyers do not want to purchase a company with a gaping hole in its leadership team, especially in a key driver like sales. If they see an empty VP of Sales seat, they will assume the business is unstable, owner-dependent, or highly risky. You must fill the seat, but you must do so strategically. Your Accountability Chart must show a complete, high-functioning structure to prospective buyers. If you cannot find or afford a permanent, full-time replacement who GWC's the seat within your timeline, you should consider hiring a high-caliber fractional executive or promoting a strong internal candidate on an interim basis. The key is that the seat must have a clear owner who is fully accountable for the five roles defined on your chart. This demonstrates to buyers that your operational superstructure is sound and that the business can continue to generate revenue and scale without relying on you. Do not let the short-term disruption of recruiting prevent you from presenting a clean, complete, and highly valuable organization.