Before the Exit

Thought Experiments for Entrepreneurs

By: Dan Andrews

Narrated by: Dan Andrews

Length: 1 hr and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the entrepreneurial world, it's rarely questioned that “exiting” is the end goal of a smartly built business and a prestigious waypoint in a successful career. 

Since building and selling a business can take years - or even decades - you can't exactly “practice” exiting your business. The best you can do is learn from others. 

In 2015, Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen sold their product business, which they built over the course of seven years and which employed 15 people, for multi-seven figures. While they don't regret selling the business, there are many mistakes they made that were avoidable. 

Whether you are still in the early stages of building a business or thinking of selling, this book is designed to help you build with the future in mind. 

This book presents a series of five thought experiments including: 

• The Lifestyle Ladder 
• The Mock Tax Rebate featuring the Mediocre CEO Test 
• The Hidden Upsides 
• The Cash Conundrum 
• The Dirty Secret 

It turns out there are patterns and predictable challenges coming your way when you prepare to exit your business. Knowing about them in advance is fun and potentially very profitable. 

The five thought experiments that you'll read about in this book are designed to give you clarity and confidence as you think through what it might mean to sell your business.

©2018 Dan Andrews (P)2018 Dan Andrews

length of the book

I love it when a book is exactly the length it needs to be! This book is exactly what I needed to read right now. Selling a business shouldn't be this thing you hand over to 'professionals'. Use the same energy you used to start your business as you do to end it. Much love Dan.

Excellent points with alternative out comes

This book is a much need exercise for all business owners. Very few think about the reality of selling and assume you will be under a palm tree drinking Fruity drinks on some tropical island after someone bought your business in a week. That is far from what happens to most people. I have sold many businesses big and small and although I don’t agree with everything this book will get you thinking.

Great Insights and Considerations

Great book. Well written and organized. I particularly enjoyed how open and honest the author was about the more emotional aspects of selling his business, which I had not considered. Dan does not claim to have all the answers nor does he intend to provide rigid step-by-step exit advice. He does, however, provide valuable insights from personal experience, thought frameworks and, ultimately, challenges you to consider a lot more than just the "cash from the sale". Highly recommended.

Book should be renamed FOMO

I really struggled with this book. They painted such a picture about their fear of missing out on the upside of the business without talking about the downsides that happen with every business. They clearly were not interested in running their business any more and should have sold. They just wanted to be investors. I’m not surprised their manager left. I’ve never met anyone that enjoys working for absentee owners. People want community in work and these guys don’t get that. They are just over thinking everything and don’t have a real awareness of what it takes to run a business and build a team. Had they kept their business they would have had turnover constantly. Never heard them mention anything about their team in the process. Just how they worry they may have left money on the table. Not helpful at all.

OK but low on details. a starter book t

a starter book to head towards Big Finish by Bo burlingham. much better structured approach to the exit process.