For two out of three business owners, selling the company will be the largest financial transaction of their lives. Yet most have never had it valued, and many don't know where to begin. In this episode, Wendy Brookhouse and Kelsey MacAulay dig into the number 66, why business value belongs right alongside revenue and profit as a metric worth tracking, and the practical first steps owners can take, often years ahead of a sale, to understand what their business is worth and build it into something worth transitioning.

In This Episode

Why business value deserves a seat next to revenue and profit as a number to track every year
What the "66%" and "less than 40%" figures reveal about how few owners actually know their number
How to get a baseline read on your business's worth when a sale is still 5 to 10 years out
Which levers can lift both your profit and your multiple, and why that combination changes the sale price so dramatically
Who belongs on your exit team, and why a transaction specialist is not the same as your generalist lawyer
Why waiting until you're tired weakens both your energy and your bargaining position

Featured Quote

"The person buying your business generally wants to buy cash flow. They don't want to buy a job."
— Kelsey MacAulay

About the Hosts

Wendy Brookhouse is the founder and chief strategist at Black Star Wealth and a Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years of independent advisory experience. She works with entrepreneurs and business owners to build financial clarity, business value, and wealth that lasts.

Kelsey MacAulay is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Relationship Officer at Black Star Wealth, and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. He works with business owners on the operational and strategic side of building a business worth transitioning.

Resources & Links

CEPA (Certified Exit Planning Advisor): the credential Kelsey points to when choosing an advisor who specializes in transitions
Baseline business valuation: an informal valuation to establish a starting number, referenced in the episode as a service Black Star Wealth offers
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB): succession research cited in the episode (roughly 76% of owners planning to transition within 10 years, and 9% with a written plan)

Connect With Black Star Wealth

Website: blackstarwealth.com
LinkedIn: Wendy Brookhouse | Kelsey MacAulay
Podcast: The Number, available on all major platforms

If knowing your number feels overdue, visit blackstarwealth.com to learn whether a baseline valuation is a fit for where you're at.