LEARN THE BUSINESS SALE PROCESS
Learn how to sell your business.
Most founders learn how to run a business long before they learn how to sell one. Start with the decisions a sale will put in front of you: value, readiness, buyers, evidence and terms. Then choose how much structure and support you need.
A starting point for first-time sellers
This is a learning route for owners considering a sale of their business. The guides below are free to read, with no purchase required.
You do not have to wait for an offer to start. If a sale is years away, work on value and transferability. If someone has already approached you, start with the sale process and deal terms, then return to the preparation gaps.
Start the free learning path ↓Six decisions to learn
A practical route from “where do I start?” to better questions.
Follow the route in order or start with the decision you are facing. Each stage gives you something to read and one practical action. It is a learning framework, not a fixed timetable or a complete transaction checklist.
STEP 01
Decide what a good exit means for you
What are you selling, when, and what do you want afterwards?
Put it into practice
Write down your preferred timing, the role you want after completion and the outcomes that matter beyond the headline price.
Related Academy modules: The Exit Mindset · Exit Routes
STEP 02
Learn how a buyer will value the business
Which earnings and risks would a buyer actually inherit?
Put it into practice
Reconcile your recent financials, separate proposed EBITDA adjustments from reported results and list the assumptions behind your valuation range.
Related Academy modules: How Businesses Are Valued · How to Increase Your Valuation
STEP 03
Prepare a business that can run without you
What stops the buyer taking over the business you are describing?
Put it into practice
Identify decisions, customer relationships and operating knowledge that still depend on you. Give each gap an owner and a next action.
Related Academy modules: Why Deals Fall Apart · Stand Out
STEP 04
Understand buyers and the sale process
Who could buy, why would they care, and how do you approach them?
Put it into practice
Define the kinds of buyer that make strategic sense, what you can share at each stage and the support you need to run the process.
Related Academy modules: Exit Routes · Make It Happen
STEP 05
Get ready for questions, diligence and deal terms
Can you evidence the story, and what would you actually receive?
- Work through a seller’s diligence checklist →
- Learn the difference between deferred payments and earn-outs →
Put it into practice
Prepare a document index and compare an offer’s cash, conditional payments, timing and obligations instead of looking at price alone.
Related Academy modules: Why Deals Fall Apart · Make It Happen · Life After Exit
STEP 06
Plan the handover and life after the sale
What will you still owe the business after signing?
Put it into practice
Consider the handover, any earn-out obligations and the practical changes to your work and identity. Take transaction-specific advice before agreeing terms.
Related Academy modules: Life After Exit
Course, workshop, books or an adviser?
The right way to learn depends on the gap you need to close. A short introduction can give you vocabulary; a structured course can help you join the decisions together. Neither replaces professional advice on the transaction itself.
Free guides and books
Useful for building a first understanding or answering a specific question. You choose the order and decide which actions to take. Start with the route above if you are unsure what to read first.
A self-paced course
Useful when you want a coherent curriculum you can revisit alongside running the business. Check the audience, actual lessons, practical resources, access terms and whether support is included.
How to choose a course on selling a business →A live workshop or programme
Useful if a scheduled session, discussion or facilitated work helps you learn. Check what happens after the event and whether the fee includes individual advice. The Academy is self-paced; it does not promise live workshops.
Professional advisers
Needed for transaction-specific legal, tax, financial and process decisions. Education helps you ask better questions and prepare; it does not mean you should run a sale without qualified help.
Understand the course-versus-adviser decision →Questions before you start
Can I learn how to sell a small business?
Yes. Start with how your business makes money, who could take it over and what evidence supports its value. Transaction size changes the process and the appropriate support; the route here is general education, not a promise that every exit method suits your business. The Academy’s stated audience is founders running businesses of $1M–$50M+.
Do I need a course before speaking to a broker?
No. You can seek advice at any point. Learning the basics first may help you understand fees, buyer fit, valuation assumptions and your responsibilities. If an offer or deadline is already live, get appropriate professional support rather than delaying it to finish a course.
Is the Academy an exit planning certification?
No. It is practical owner education, not professional adviser certification, a regulated qualification or a licence to give advice.
Where do the templates fit into learning?
Use them to turn an idea into a working document: a financial bridge, a data-room index or an information memorandum draft. They do not verify the information you enter. The Template Vault is included with the Academy and is also available separately.
NEXT STEP
Build your understanding into a preparation plan.
If you want the learning in one place, explore the Academy’s modules, resources and payment options. See what is included before deciding whether it is the right fit.
See the business exit planning course →