Most advisors start preparing their practice for sale about two years too late. Here is what the timeline actually looks like and why starting earlier changes the outcome more than almost anything else.
Due diligence is where deals slow down, get repriced and sometimes fall apart entirely. Knowing exactly what a buyer is looking for before they come looking is one of the most valuable things you can do for your valuation.
How your deal is structured matters just as much as what your practice is worth. Understanding the mechanics before you get to the table puts you in a fundamentally different negotiating position.
Selling your practice starts years before you ever talk to a buyer. The advisors who command the strongest valuations did not find a great deal. They built one.
