The Exit Teams Podcast with Bob Tankesley

Is your business truly ready to sell, or are you waiting until you're emotionally ready to walk away? Many business owners spend decades building successful companies but overlook the preparation needed to attract serious buyers, maximize value, and achieve financial freedom.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Guy Bartlett, founder of Fidelis Advisory and an experienced M&A advisor, to discuss the realities of buying and selling businesses, exit planning, and preparing for a successful ownership transition.

Guy explains why being for sale doesn't necessarily mean being sellable, how owner dependence reduces business value, and why owners should begin preparing 18–36 months before an exit. They explore his MSOFT framework, the importance of strong management teams, and how financial independence can give sellers more negotiating flexibility.

They also discuss fractional M&A advisory, seller financing, earnouts, creative deal structures, and avoiding costly acquisition mistakes.

Discover how early preparation, realistic expectations, and the right advisory team can create a more valuable business and a smoother, more rewarding exit.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Buying a business can be a tremendous growth opportunity, but what happens when hidden financial problems turn a promising acquisition into an expensive mistake? Weak cash flow, overstated earnings, and overlooked liabilities can destroy business value long after the deal closes.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Ken Maggi, a turnaround and restructuring expert at Fortis Business Advisers with over 30 years of experience, to discuss how buyers can identify acquisition risks before committing to a transaction.

Ken explains why Quality of Earnings, accounts receivable aging, inventory valuation, and working capital requirements deserve careful examination during buy-side due diligence. They explore hidden operational problems, SBA financing risks, troubled vendor relationships, employee retention, and the challenges of acquiring distressed businesses.

Ken also shares lessons from failed acquisitions, including what buyers should understand about bankruptcy sales and post-closing operations.

Discover how thorough financial due diligence, realistic cash flow planning, and identifying hidden liabilities can protect your investment and position an acquisition for long-term success.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Is your business profitable on paper but constantly struggling with cash flow? Many business owners receive financial statements every month without truly understanding their company's financial health, hidden risks, or what sophisticated buyers will uncover during due diligence.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Lane Phillips, an experienced financial advisor and fractional CFO, to discuss how financial clarity, strategic forecasting, and stronger financial systems can improve business performance and exit readiness.

Lane explains why 13-week cash flow forecasts, accurate EBITDA calculations, and working capital management are essential for making better financial decisions. They explore customer profitability, margin leakage, realistic growth projections, and the dangers of expanding faster than cash flow can support.

They also discuss Quality of Earnings, the importance of reliable financial reporting, and how fractional CFO services help growing businesses prepare for buyer scrutiny.

Discover how proactive financial leadership, improved forecasting, and reducing owner dependence can strengthen buyer confidence and increase business value before a sale.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Is your business generating impressive revenue but leaving you with little actual profit? Many business owners focus on growing sales while overlooking the cash flow problems, unnecessary expenses, and financial habits that prevent them from building real wealth.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Rocky Lalvani, founder of Profit Comes First and a profit advisor to seven- and eight-figure business owners, to discuss how prioritizing profitability can strengthen financial performance and increase business value.

Rocky explains the Profit First approach, including why owners should allocate money for profit, taxes, and compensation before spending on operations. They explore common cash flow mistakes, the dangers of rapid growth, ineffective reinvestment strategies, and why traditional financial statements don't always reveal a company's financial health.

Discover how improving gross profit margins, managing working capital, building repeatable systems, and reducing owner dependence can create a more profitable, scalable, and sellable business.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Could your business be missing out on thousands of dollars in tax savings? Many business owners invest in equipment, technology, employee training, and commercial property without realizing those expenses may qualify for valuable tax credits and deductions.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Jonathan Warner, President of Tax Savings Partners, to uncover overlooked tax incentives that can improve cash flow, support business growth, and strengthen exit readiness.

Jonathan explains how engineering-based cost segregation studies, accelerated depreciation, and R&D tax credits can help businesses capture tax benefits from investments they're already making. They also explore Georgia's retraining, jobs, and investment tax credits, including potential opportunities involving AI development and customized employee training.

Discover why proper documentation, proactive tax planning, and collaboration between tax specialists, CPAs, and M&A advisors are essential for maximizing available incentives.

Learn how identifying hidden tax savings today can free up capital for reinvestment, improve financial performance, and help build a more valuable business before a sale.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Could your business be heading toward financial distress without you realizing it? Declining cash flow, mounting debt, and delayed vendor payments can quietly erode financial stability, leaving business owners with fewer options when trouble finally becomes impossible to ignore.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Ben Nicholson, founder of Fortis Business Advisers, to discuss business turnarounds, financial restructuring, and how owners can regain control before a cash flow crisis forces difficult decisions.

Ben explains why profitability doesn't always mean financial health, how 13-week cash flow forecasts reveal looming liquidity problems, and why borrowing more money can sometimes accelerate a company's decline. They explore merchant cash advances, SBA loans, working capital management, asset liquidation, and the dangers of poorly structured debt.

Discover how identifying financial warning signs early, improving your capital structure, and preserving strategic options can help protect business value, avoid distressed sales, and create a more controlled exit.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

What happens when you sell your business, achieve financial freedom, and realize money alone isn't enough? For many business owners, a successful exit brings unexpected challenges involving identity, purpose, family, and the responsibility of managing newfound wealth.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Chris Gardner, a wealth advisor specializing in helping business owners and families align their finances with purpose, generosity, and long-term legacy.

Chris explains why selling a business should fund your purpose rather than become your purpose. They explore lifestyle inflation, defining how much wealth is enough, preparing family members for a liquidity event, and avoiding regret after selling a company.

Chris also discusses donor-advised funds, charitable giving strategies, tax-efficient exit planning, and why financial advisors should collaborate with an owner's broader advisory team.

Discover how intentional wealth management, thoughtful family planning, and purpose-driven generosity can help business owners turn a successful exit into a meaningful and lasting legacy.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Is your leadership team helping your business grow, or is the owner still making every important decision? Founder dependence, unclear responsibilities, and ineffective leadership systems can limit scalability and make a business less attractive to potential buyers.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with Brent Stromwall, Certified EOS Implementer and leadership coach with 30 years of executive experience, to discuss how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helps businesses build stronger teams, improve accountability, and prepare for a successful exit.

Brent explains how accountability charts, clearly defined leadership roles, and documented processes reduce owner dependence. They explore the importance of shared vision, 90-day priorities known as Rocks, weekly Level 10 meetings, and scorecards that keep teams focused on measurable results.

Brent also discusses emotional maturity, healthy conflict, and why rapid growth often creates organizational chaos.

Discover how implementing EOS, developing accountable leaders, and strengthening company culture can create a more scalable, profitable, and transferable business.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Why do so many business owners struggle to sell their companies, even when they believe they've built something valuable? The answer often comes down to unrealistic valuations, buyer financing challenges, and a misunderstanding of what makes a business truly transferable.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with David C. Barnett, business acquisition consultant, author, and expert in buying and selling small businesses with over 25 years of experience, to explore how buyers evaluate businesses and what sellers frequently overlook.

David explains why goodwill isn't an additional asset owners can simply add to their asking price, how cash flow and debt obligations influence business valuation, and why seller financing can increase buyer confidence. They also discuss earnouts, SBA loans, M&A due diligence, and the costly mistakes that cause business acquisitions to fall apart.

Discover how realistic valuation expectations, proper buyer qualification, and early exit planning can help owners avoid deal fatigue, negotiate smarter, and position their businesses for a successful sale.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.

Could poor communication be quietly reducing your company's value? Even successful business owners can struggle to communicate their vision, develop future leaders, and build the trust necessary to grow a business that thrives without them.

In this episode of the Exit Teams Podcast, host Bob Tankesley sits down with David Doerrier, founder of Present Your Way to Success and a communication strategist with over 30 years of experience, to discuss how effective business communication strengthens leadership, customer relationships, and exit readiness.

David explains why listening and asking better questions are often more powerful than simply sharing information. They explore common public speaking mistakes, the importance of understanding your audience, and how communication training can improve employee engagement, knowledge transfer, and organizational performance.

David also discusses DISC communication styles, the dangers of founder dependence, and why developing confident leaders requires consistent practice and accountability.

Discover how stronger communication skills, clearer messaging, and better leadership development can build trust, reduce owner dependence, and create a more valuable, transferable business.

Thinking about selling your business or planning your next chapter?

Visit https://www.exitteams.com to learn how Exit Teams helps business owners prepare for and navigate a successful business exit.