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How Does ExitMap Prepare Owners for Life After Exit John Dini
In this episode of the B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast, Mark Osborne talks with John F. Dini about what is really happening in exit planning right now. John shares what the National Exit Planner Survey is, why he created it, and what it reveals about how advisors build and run exit planning practices. They dig into the long-discussed "silver tsunami" and why it has not looked like the massive wave many predicted, largely because new buyer groups like search funders and private equity have moved down market to acquire smaller businesses. John also explains how many business owners still delay planning, which leads to more distressed transitions when health or life events force a sale.
John brings his personal story into the conversation, from owning and running multiple businesses to becoming a broker and eventually realizing that selling is only one of many exit paths. He explains why exit planning is often a "gateway" service for advisors, how referral networks shape the industry, and why the advisory population is aging alongside the business owners they serve. Toward the end, he highlights a part of exit readiness that many people ignore: what happens to the owner after the deal. John argues that owners often struggle not because they did not get the money, but because they did not plan for purpose, identity, and what life looks like when the business is gone.
Quotes:
• People refer to me as a serial entrepreneur. But in reality, I'm just chronically unemployable.
• Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
• When an owner calls you up and says, I'm ready to sell my business, they're probably not.
• If you're spending all your marketing money, doing networking, and trying to find business owners, you're missing the boat.
• Exit planning is a gateway drug.
• People don't believe that the person who's managing a million dollars for them is the person who should be managing 10 million dollars for them.
• I didn't have enough advice in advance of the event.
• They met somebody whom he was introduced to, and they said, I'd like to meet Bob Smith, he used to own Smith Manufacturing. And he said, my stomach sank.
• 75% of owners are very unhappy a year later.
• It's only the most important financial transaction of your life.
Takeaways:
• The National Exit Planner Survey was created to study advisors, not just business owners, including how advisors practice, charge, and find clients.
• The "silver tsunami" is real in demographics, but the market adapted through new buyer pipelines like search funders and smaller private equity deals.
• Many owners still delay planning, and that delay increases the chance of a distressed transition when health or life events hit.
• Exit planning is often used to support an advisor's core service, and it can function as a strong way to deepen relationships and open other opportunities.
• Exit planning practices grow faster when advisors focus on referral sources and other professionals rather than only marketing directly to owners.
• The advisor workforce is aging, similar to the owner population, and the industry is feeling pressure to bring in a new generation.
• A major risk in transition is not the deal itself, but the owner's identity and purpose after the exit.
• Many owners struggle after selling because they did not plan for idleness, structure, and what comes next.
Conclusion:
This episode highlights why exit planning is not just a transaction strategy; it is a life strategy. John F. Dini explains how the exit planning market has evolved, why the predicted wave of business sales has shifted shape rather than simply exploding, and what advisors need to understand about building a sustainable practice. Most importantly, he brings attention to the part many owners ignore: what happens after the business is sold. Planning for the exit is important but planning for the owner's next chapter is what makes the transition truly successful.
Links Mentioned:
• ExitMap: https://exitmap.com/
• John F. Dini website: https://johnfdini.com/
• John F. Dini's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfdini/
View all episodes
By Mark OsborneIn this episode of the B2B Growth Blueprint Podcast, Mark Osborne talks with John F. Dini about what is really happening in exit planning right now. John shares what the National Exit Planner Survey is, why he created it, and what it reveals about how advisors build and run exit planning practices. They dig into the long-discussed "silver tsunami" and why it has not looked like the massive wave many predicted, largely because new buyer groups like search funders and private equity have moved down market to acquire smaller businesses. John also explains how many business owners still delay planning, which leads to more distressed transitions when health or life events force a sale.
John brings his personal story into the conversation, from owning and running multiple businesses to becoming a broker and eventually realizing that selling is only one of many exit paths. He explains why exit planning is often a "gateway" service for advisors, how referral networks shape the industry, and why the advisory population is aging alongside the business owners they serve. Toward the end, he highlights a part of exit readiness that many people ignore: what happens to the owner after the deal. John argues that owners often struggle not because they did not get the money, but because they did not plan for purpose, identity, and what life looks like when the business is gone.
Quotes:
• People refer to me as a serial entrepreneur. But in reality, I'm just chronically unemployable.
• Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
• When an owner calls you up and says, I'm ready to sell my business, they're probably not.
• If you're spending all your marketing money, doing networking, and trying to find business owners, you're missing the boat.
• Exit planning is a gateway drug.
• People don't believe that the person who's managing a million dollars for them is the person who should be managing 10 million dollars for them.
• I didn't have enough advice in advance of the event.
• They met somebody whom he was introduced to, and they said, I'd like to meet Bob Smith, he used to own Smith Manufacturing. And he said, my stomach sank.
• 75% of owners are very unhappy a year later.
• It's only the most important financial transaction of your life.
Takeaways:
• The National Exit Planner Survey was created to study advisors, not just business owners, including how advisors practice, charge, and find clients.
• The "silver tsunami" is real in demographics, but the market adapted through new buyer pipelines like search funders and smaller private equity deals.
• Many owners still delay planning, and that delay increases the chance of a distressed transition when health or life events hit.
• Exit planning is often used to support an advisor's core service, and it can function as a strong way to deepen relationships and open other opportunities.
• Exit planning practices grow faster when advisors focus on referral sources and other professionals rather than only marketing directly to owners.
• The advisor workforce is aging, similar to the owner population, and the industry is feeling pressure to bring in a new generation.
• A major risk in transition is not the deal itself, but the owner's identity and purpose after the exit.
• Many owners struggle after selling because they did not plan for idleness, structure, and what comes next.
Conclusion:
This episode highlights why exit planning is not just a transaction strategy; it is a life strategy. John F. Dini explains how the exit planning market has evolved, why the predicted wave of business sales has shifted shape rather than simply exploding, and what advisors need to understand about building a sustainable practice. Most importantly, he brings attention to the part many owners ignore: what happens after the business is sold. Planning for the exit is important but planning for the owner's next chapter is what makes the transition truly successful.
Links Mentioned:
• ExitMap: https://exitmap.com/
• John F. Dini website: https://johnfdini.com/
• John F. Dini's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfdini/