Hi everyone,
31 years old, no kids.
I own a small business, and have received offers in the region of £750k. Plus cash in the business would give me a total equity value of around £900k on exit.
I started it 5 years ago now, with the dream that one day it could be sold. Well that day has come and I’m in a very fortunate position of having 3 companies submitting offers.
But, instead of feeling excitement, I feel a sense of dread that I’m doing the wrong thing. This business has been everything for me for 5 years. At points I have genuinely thought it would end up killing me and through the toughest days and weeks the thought of the end goal was often what kept me going. So not to be feeling a huge rush of excitement and relief right now is a surprise to me.
I have 2 options.
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Exit the business and take the money. in this situation I would invest the profits in property and lead a considerably lower stress, yet comfortable lifestyle.
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The second option is reinvest our profits and try and take it to the next level. This would invoicing recruiting, advertisement and investment in our general operations. I’d be committing to another 2 - 5 years and going back in balls deep. Obviously the risk here is we dramatically lower our profitability by doing so and fail to scale any further. I worry we may then miss what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to sell a business for decent money.
Not really sure what I’m expecting to get by posting this, but if anyone has thoughts or has sold a business themselves, did you experience this? Did you regret it post sale? All advice appreciated.
I would sell it. I know the feeling is not great, but money is money, and it seems you encountered exactly what you were looking for with this business. Don’t change your long-term plan because of emotions.
Appreciate your advice and experience in this. Relieved you haven’t looked back since.
I’d say take the money and start a new chapter! You have so much time left.
Never take the money, always gamble.
If you’re still contemplating OP, take the money and exit! Or altenatively, you could try asking if you could still stay on board for a period of time, to provide feedback etc.
I promise you, the relief will come. Mental health is important and I think you’ve slogged enough for a well deserved break.
Use that money, to start multiple passive income saas business. I’m just sitting on amazing domains waiting for some of my equity from previous companies to sell, so I go full steam ahead of my saas and amazing business.
Or start an Amazon business with that 100k of that and make way more.
Obviously you cie still have some potential to grow and you are not the only one to see it……
The real question is : does it still make you proud and happy to operate it? If the answer is yes then it is a no brainer …. Just keep it and reassess in a few years.
If the answer is no then…. Still a no brainer just different decision to make.
Once an entrepreneur always an entrepreneur. Where is your heart at this point? Head in that direction. Seems like you might be feeling an itch beyond your current business. If you sold now and put some distance between yourself and this venture I’m pretty sure you will have ideas for your next potential exit. Congrats!
Often some people are builders and some people are expanders. My advice - when you build the second time, you won’t have the financial worries that keep you up at night and you will be much more robust.
Sell, build something else, sell again. Repeat.
It’s a completely different skillset to make the next leap. It’s way easier to build again.