Your Business Doesn't Have a Set Price Tag

Welcome back to another edition of The Wise Exit newsletter. This week, we're covering:

• Why your business doesn’t have a fixed valuation, and how to influence what buyers will pay

• 5 questions to challenge how you’re thinking about value

• 3 action steps to start moving up the valuation spectrum

Let’s dive in.

💡One Big Idea

 Your Business Doesn't Have a Set Price Tag

Founders and business owners love to ask themselves what their business is worth. And I get it, it's an important question to think about.

But the truth is, your business doesn’t just have one value. It has dozens.

You see, valuation isn't some static number. It’s a spectrum that ranges from “barely liquidatable” to “strategically irreplaceable.”

On the low end, you’ve got what we call asset value and distressed pricing. In the middle, you’ll find your fair market value, which is often based on EBITDA multiples, comps, or what a third-party firm tells you it’s worth.

But on the high end? That’s where true strategic value lives. And that’s where most founders leave money on the table.

The reason is that every buyer is telling themselves a different story when they look at your business.

One buyer sees solid cash flow. Another sees market expansion potential. A third sees product synergies or a big email list that they’ve been trying to create for years.

Same business. Different buyer. Different price. 

And the only way to find out who values your business the most is to run a competitive process. Because it’s not about guessing who’s willing to pay. It’s about creating the conditions that force them to compete with one another.

That’s how you unlock the top of the valuation spectrum and make buyers show you how valuable your business really is.

Reach out if you need any help with this or have questions.

5 Key Questions to Ask Yourself Today

1️⃣ What kind of buyer would see the most strategic value in acquiring your business, and are you doing anything today to attract them?

2️⃣ If five buyers looked at your company tomorrow, would they all come away with the same understanding of your value, or would some see more than others?

3️⃣ Have you been anchoring to a valuation that came from a spreadsheet, or one shaped by a real buyer's priorities and narrative?

4️⃣ What would make your business more valuable to someone else than it is to you right now?

5️⃣ Are you assuming who your best buyer is, or are you building a process that lets the market prove it to you?

3 Action Items For This Week

☑️ Write down your business’s hidden value: Think beyond revenue. List 3 strategic assets or capabilities that would be difficult for a buyer to replicate on their own.

☑️ Revisit your current valuation: If you've had one done, look beyond the number. Ask what kind of buyer that valuation was based on, then assess the gap. 

☑️ Map your buyer universe: List 5–10 companies or investors who could benefit from acquiring you. What would they value most? How are you positioning yourself for them?

That’s all for this week.

Remember that your value isn’t just what one buyer offers you. It’s what the best buyer is willing to fight for.

If you want help identifying your strategic value or planning an exit process that maximizes it, just reply to this email or contact us here.

Until next time,

Brian Dukes
Managing Partner at Exitwise