We often think of a "successful exit" as handing over the keys to a perfectly oiled machine—a business that is growing, profitable, and operationally sound.

But what happens when the machine starts to sputter?

What if the margins are too thin, the operations are exhausting, and you are simply burned out?

It is easy to assume that a broken business model means a worthless company. But as this week's guest on Built to Sell Radio proves, sometimes the individual parts are worth more than the whole.

Meet Jason Patel.

Jason built Transitions Education, a college counseling marketplace. On the surface, it looked great: upper six-figure revenue and a noble mission. But under the hood, customer acquisition costs were eating his margins, and he was carrying $250,000 in personal debt to keep it afloat.

He was ready to walk away. He assumed he had zero leverage.

Then, a "Micro Private Equity" firm reached out. They didn't want his headaches. They didn't want his operations. They didn't even want his business model.

They wanted his "parts."

Specifically, they wanted his SEO ranking, his blog traffic, and his 5-star reputation. They realized they could strip away the expensive service delivery and plug his high-performing marketing assets into their own portfolio.

In this episode, Jason breaks down how he structured an asset sale that allowed him to:

• Sell the high-value "parts" (marketing assets) without the operational baggage.

• Avoid a grueling earn-out (because the buyer didn't need him to run the company).

• Pay off his debt and fund his next venture.

If you feel like your business model is grinding you down, this episode will open your eyes to the hidden value sitting on your balance sheet right now.