Why Most Business Owners Aren’t Ready to Sell: Cameron Young’s Hard Lessons | Episode 45

Cameron Young didn’t take the traditional route into business, but the lessons he learned along the way shaped everything that followed. From leaving school unsure of his direction, to helping grow a family wedding stationery business into a fast-scaling e-commerce operation, Cameron’s journey is built on learning by doing and putting in the unseen hours.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Cameron to unpack his journey from scaling and exiting a family-run e-commerce business to becoming a partner at Business Partnership. Cameron shares the realities of rapid growth, burnout, business exits, and why so many owners aren’t prepared when it comes time to sell.

This conversation explores what really drives business value, the importance of knowing your numbers, building a business that doesn’t rely solely on you, and why trust, transparency, and the right advice matter when everything is on the line.

If you’re a business owner thinking about growth, exit, or long-term legacy, Cameron’s story offers grounded, honest insight into what to focus on before it’s too late.

Key moments include: ✔️ Leaving school and joining the family business ✔️ Building and scaling an e-commerce company from the ground up ✔️ The reality of long hours, pressure, and burnout ✔️ Why drop-shipping and “quick win” business models fail ✔️ Learning the hard way to truly know your numbers ✔️ Navigating mergers, acquisitions, and a full business exit ✔️ The emotional and practical challenges of selling a business ✔️ Why owner-led businesses struggle to sell ✔️ The biggest mistakes business owners make before going to market ✔️ Why trust, transparency, and education matter in business sales ✔️ Cameron’s top three pieces of advice for business owners

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jamesflemingmq/ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com

Follow Cameron Young Company Website → https://www.businesspartnership.com LinkedIn →https://www.linkedin.com/in/cam95/

Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Cameron [00:00:15] Cameron introduces himself and Business Partnership [01:08] Leaving school and joining the family business [02:04] Moving into e-commerce and early online sales [04:39] Scaling warehouse operations and rapid growth [07:43] The reality of long hours and unseen graft [08:06] The truth about drop-shipping models [12:46] Learning the importance of knowing your numbers [18:20] Merger discussions and acquisition offers [21:08] Burnout and seeking expert support [26:38] Personal loss and rethinking priorities [28:41] Joining Business Partnership [30:34] Common mistakes business owners make when selling [32:00] Owner dependency and valuation issues [36:34] Why many businesses never sell [53:00] Cameron’s top three pieces of advice [57:10] How to connect with Cameron [58:28] James closes the episode