The 24-Month Countdown: How to Prepare Your Business (and Yourself) for a Successful Sale

By Holly Clapp, CFP®, CEPA® | Nexus Advisors

You’re 12–24 Months Away From Selling—Now What?

If you’re thinking about selling your business in the next year or two, congratulations. You’re entering one of the most significant—and rewarding—chapters of your professional life.

But here’s the truth: the difference between a good sale and a great one isn’t timing the market. It’s preparation.

Your company may be profitable and respected, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s sale-ready. What buyers look for—and what gives you freedom after the deal—depends on what you do right now, in the 12–24 months before you sell.

At Nexus Advisors, we call this the Freedom Window—the critical stretch of time where smart planning turns your years of work into lasting independence.

1. Get Clear on What “Life After” Looks Like

Selling your business is both a financial and emotional milestone. You’ve led, built, and sacrificed for years—so the idea of stepping away can feel uncertain.

That’s why your first step isn’t financial—it’s personal clarity.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want my next chapter to look like?

• How will I spend my time, energy, and talent once the sale is done?  Travel?  Time with Family?  Hobbies?  Volunteering?

  
  

When your post-sale vision is clear, your advisors can align your strategy, income plan, and deal structure to support it. The goal isn’t just to sell—it’s to sell with purpose.

2. Organize Your Financial Picture—Business and Personal

Clean, organized financials do more than impress buyers—they empower you.

Twelve to twenty-four months before selling, take time to:

• Consolidate and reconcile financial statements.

• Separate personal and business expenses.

• Identify and eliminate “owner-only” perks or discretionary spending.

• Build a forward-looking cash flow model.

• Forecast post-sale income and tax implications—what will your new “paycheck” be?

• Create a strategy that integrates business sale proceeds with your personal financial plan.  Let’s dream about your needs and wants and see if all the numbers match up.

  
  

Partner with advisors who can evaluate your business through the eyes of a buyer—while keeping your personal wealth goals front and center.

 Pro Tip: “Tax-ready” books look backward. “Sale-ready” books look forward.

3. Build a Business That Runs Without You

Every buyer asks: “What happens when you’re gone?”

If the answer is “things slow down,” your business valuation will too.

Start now by:

• Documenting key processes.

• Recruiting and training leadership to make independent decisions.

• Delegating client and vendor relationships.

• Establishing repeatable revenue systems.

  
  

The more your business can thrive without you, the more valuable—and attractive—it becomes.

This isn’t just about selling for more; it’s about protecting your legacy.

4. Diversify and Protect Your Wealth—Before You Sell

For many owners, the majority of their net worth is tied up in the business. That’s a concentration risk that can unravel decades of effort if the market turns.

In the year or two before your sale, begin transferring wealth out of the business:

• Build personal investment and savings vehicles.

• Pre-fund retirement or charitable strategies.

• Explore trusts or family entities to preserve long-term wealth.

  
  

These steps stabilize your personal balance sheet and give you flexibility when negotiating your exit.

5. Develop a Tax & Transition Strategy

Your business sale isn’t just a transaction—it’s a tax event.

The structure of the deal (asset vs. stock sale, lump sum vs. installment) can dramatically affect how much you keep. Working with your financial advisor, CPA, and attorney together ensures every detail—from entity structure to charitable planning—is optimized.

Equally important: plan your transition. Decide how long you’ll stay on, how clients will be introduced to the new owner, and how employees will be supported. The smoother the hand-off, the stronger your reputation—and your legacy.

6. Align Your Plan, People, and Purpose

The best exits aren’t just profitable—they’re meaningful.

As you prepare for your sale, take time to align these three pillars:

• Your Plan: a financial roadmap that supports your next season.

• Your People: clarity for employees, clients, and family members.

• Your Purpose: a vision for what fulfillment looks like post-sale.

  
  

When these align, your transition becomes more than a business decision—it becomes a life decision you can feel proud of.

 7. Start Early. Finish Strong.

The owners who start early sell with confidence, not urgency. They don’t rush; they choose. They understand that a successful exit is built—not found.

Twelve to twenty-four months gives you time to strengthen your numbers, your systems, and your peace of mind. Whether you plan to sell internally, to a third party, or to private equity, your preparation will determine your power at the table.

8. Your Next Step: Start Your Freedom Plan

If you’re planning to sell your business in the next 12–24 months, now is the time to act. The earlier you prepare, the more control you’ll have—and the smoother your transition will be.

At Nexus Advisors, we help business owners:

• Clarify their goals before the sale.

• Optimize tax and transition strategies.

• Build a post-sale income plan that creates lifelong independence.

Take the first step toward a successful exit. Reach out by contacting us directly: 📞 (972) 348-6305📧 info@nexusadvisorsllc.com🌐 www.nexusadvisorsllc.com

Contributor Note

This blog was contributed by Holly Clapp, CFP®, CEPA®, Managing Partner at Nexus Advisors, in collaboration with NorthStar Mergers & Acquisitions. Together, we help business owners plan, prepare, and execute their transitions with confidence and clarity.

About Nexus Advisors

At Nexus Advisors, we help business owners turn years of hard work into lifelong freedom. Our comprehensive exit planning approach aligns your personal and business goals, integrating wealth management, tax strategy, and succession planning to create a seamless transition. We partner with entrepreneurs 12–24 months before their sale to maximize value, minimize taxes, and design a post-sale plan that supports the life you want next.

Learn more at www.nexusadvisorsllc.com.

About Holly Clapp

Holly Clapp, CFP®, CEPA®, is the Managing Partner at Nexus Advisors, where she helps business owners strategically prepare for and confidently navigate their business transitions. With over 30 years of experience in financial services and a lifelong connection to entrepreneurship, Holly understands both the financial and emotional sides of selling a business. She and her team specialize in aligning business exit strategy with personal financial planning, ensuring owners not only sell well — but transition into their next chapter with clarity, freedom, and purpose.

“You’ve built the business. Now let’s build your freedom.”— Holly Clapp, CFP®, CEPA®

About NorthStar Mergers & Acquisitions

At NorthStar Mergers & Acquisitions, we partner with trusted advisory firms like Nexus Advisors to help business owners navigate one of the most important financial and emotional decisions of their lives — the sale of their company. Our mission is to make it easy for buyers to buy and sellers to achieve their dream exit with clarity, confidence, and maximum value.

As part of our partnership with Nexus Advisors, NorthStar Mergers offers Nexus clients a complimentary business valuation to help assess current value and identify opportunities to increase it before going to market.