Insights

Plain guides for owners of growing small businesses on valuation, exit planning, operations, capital, and passive income.

How much is my business worth? A plain guide for owners
Buyers don't pay for revenue. They pay for profit they can keep after you leave. Here's how small business valuation actually works.
Exit planning for business owners: a three-year roadmap
A good exit is built years before the sale. A practical three-year roadmap for owners who want to leave on their terms.
EOS vs Scaling Up: choosing an operating system for your business
EOS and Scaling Up both bring order to a growing company. How they differ, who each fits, and what to do before you pick one.
How to choose a peer advisory group for business owners
The right peer group gives you honest counsel from owners who have been there. What to look for, what to ask, and when to move on.
How to sell a small business: brokers, marketplaces, and private buyers
Three ways to find a buyer, what each costs you, and how to decide which fits your company and your goals.
How to build a business that runs without you
If you can't take two weeks off without the phone ringing, the business owns you. A step-by-step way to change that.
From business owner to investor: building passive income that lasts
Passive income doesn't start at the sale. It starts with how you pay yourself, what you reinvest, and the habits you build now.

[B9]The Back 9 blog

Plain answers on growing the business, freeing yourself from it, and putting the profit to work. Written for owners, by people who have sat in the seat.