The Right Time to Sell Is Before You Have To

The best time to sell a business is before you have to. Discover why early preparation, strong financials and reducing owner dependence can help you achieve a better outcome when the right buyer comes along.

Inika Pieters

27 August 2026

Summary

Ask owners when they plan to sell and many say the same thing. When I am ready. When I am tired. When something forces my hand. The problem is that the moment you have to sell is usually the worst moment to get a good price. Buyers can sense pressure, and pressure costs money.

Selling From Strength

The best sales happen when the business is doing well and the owner does not need to leave. Profits are steady, the team is settled, and there is a clear story of growth. From that position you can wait for the right buyer, hold firm on price, and walk away if an offer is too low. That freedom is worth a great deal, and it only exists when you are not forced to act.

The Cost of Waiting Too Long

Owners who sell only when they are exhausted, ill, or in trouble tend to accept less. A tired business shows it. Energy drops, customers drift, and the numbers soften in exactly the years a buyer will study most closely. Waiting for a crisis to decide for you hands the advantage to the other side of the table.

Preparation Takes Longer Than You Think

Getting a business ready to sell well is not a quick job. Tidying the records, reducing how much depends on you, and building a run of clean results can take two or three years. That is why the right time to start preparing is long before you actually want to go. If you are ready early, you can choose your moment. If you are not, the moment chooses you.

None of this means you should sell now. It means you should be ready, so that when the right time comes, whether by choice or by chance, you are selling from a position of strength.

The best exits are planned years ahead, not decided overnight. If you want to know what it would take to be sale ready, start the conversation with us today.

Author: Inika Pieters

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