Before change becomes obvious, it usually shows up through many small data points. In my work, I notice these trends in phone calls, meetings, and everyday conversations.
In the last two quarters, over 50% of my calls came from wealth advisors, bankers, CPAs, and attorneys asking for advice on behalf of clients who have expressed an intent to sell their business. This is a change from the past when most of my calls were from business owners who wanted to sell “yesterday.” What this trend tells me is that more advisors are having conversations with business owners that are leading to exit planning. The discussions may be about everything from business goals and health to grandkids or bucket-list vacations, and in the process, advisors are picking up early intent signals from business owners about their timelines for selling.
Business owners who are thinking about selling are becoming more deliberate and more intentional. They are not only having conversations with their advisors; more business owners are also taking time to prepare, with a goal of selling a year or two out.
So the shift I’m noticing isn’t about more businesses coming to market or a rush to sell. It’s about business owners and their advisors thinking ahead.
The Market Is Improving — and Why That Adds Pressure
2025 had a slow start; however, the last quarter was a boom for closings, and it looks like the first quarter of 2026 is shaping up to be just as strong. When markets improve, I often see business owners move their timelines to sell because they have expectations that selling will be easier, faster and more lucrative.
The first question I hear from owners exploring their options usually sounds like this:
-
-
- What is my business really worth?
- Who would buy my business?
- How long will it take to sell?
-
These questions usually show up when owners see peers selling, not necessarily because they’re personally ready.
What’s interesting is that these questions aren’t driven by curiosity as much as they are driven by pressure, specifically, a concern that they may miss a window to sell.
Business owners who have conversations one to two years before they want to sell are less likely to be influenced by that fear of missing out. They are developing a plan, grounded in realistic expectations of their business’ enterprise value, and taking steps to prepare. They are not rushing to market because of external pressure or news of some other business owner (supposedly) cashing out for a huge sum. They are sticking with their own timeline and choosing to do a deal on their own terms.
The Risk of Bringing Advisors in Too Late
One of the hardest truths that many in the industry don’t like to talk about with business owners is that only 20-30% of private companies that go to market ever sell. When deals don’t close, it’s rarely because the business is weak, or brokers are not capable, or buyers don’t exist, or capital is unavailable.
In my experience, most breakdowns happen because there is a rush to sell and brokers or M&A advisors are brought in way too late to strategically position the business against comparable companies and design and execute a plan that will meet the owner’s expectations. In almost every case, when there is a rush to sell, outcomes suffer.
Judging from the conversations I am having now, wealth advisors and business owners are recognizing the benefits of creating a timeline for selling and a plan built on realistic expectations. This is a very good thing.
What Owners Should Do Now
You don’t need to act tomorrow. But you do need to be thinking and discussing your goals with advisors you trust. As I discussed in a previous article, “Start With the End in Mind: What Will Your Press Release Say the Day After You Sell?”, writing a press release for the day after the sale is a great exercise to start this process.
Don’t go it alone. Talk with your family, your banker, your wealth advisor, your CPA, even if your timeline may be three, four or five years out.
The most prepared owners I work with start thinking a few years ahead. They engage their banker or wealth advisor early, and then bring an intermediary (like myself) into the conversation a year or two ahead of when they want to sell, giving that intermediary enough time to do their work.
There are plenty of articles that offer checklist items owners can and should do to prepare to sell. But what is most important are early conversations that lead to readiness, certainty, sequencing and timing.
If you or your advisors would like to sit down and have a conversation about the process and get answers to your questions about timeline, costs, preparation, the market outlook or whatever else is on your mind, I am always up for coffee at the Waffle House (Unsponsored plug). Give me a call or text 252-339-6471, send an email to t.ryan@murphybusiness.com.
See this article on WilmingtonBiz