We want to sell in three years, but we are completely consumed by our weekly operations and short-term Rocks. How do we run a multi-year exit planning process without burning out our leadership team or losing focus on our current growth targets?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Many owners fail to prepare for an exit because they view exit planning as a separate, time-consuming project that competes with running their business. The reality is that exit planning and operational excellence are the exact same thing. A business that is highly valuable to a buyer is simply a business that runs exceptionally well.

To prevent burnout and maintain operational focus, you must integrate your exit readiness initiatives directly into your existing EOS rhythm. Do not create a separate exit planning committee or add extra meetings to your calendar.

Instead, update your V/TO to reflect your three-year exit target as a major milestone. During your annual and quarterly planning sessions, identify the specific operational gaps that need to be resolved to maximize your valuation, such as documenting processes or diversifying your customer base.

Turn these gap-closing initiatives into quarterly Rocks for your leadership team. By limiting each leader to a maximum of three to five Rocks per quarter, you ensure that exit preparation is tackled systematically without overwhelming the team.

Use your weekly Level 10 Meeting to track progress on these Rocks and use the IDS process to solve any operational bottlenecks. This approach ensures your business continues to grow today while steadily building enterprise value for tomorrow.