Founders who are holding their business together are the reason it will not sell.
Buyers are not looking for you.
They are looking for what works without you.
In most cases, you are gone after the deal.
Maybe you stay for a short transition.
Maybe a few months.
Maybe not at all.
But the goal is always the same.
Replace the founder.
So if the business only runs because of you, it becomes a risk.
Revenue depends on you.
Decisions depend on you.
Growth depends on you.
That is not an asset.
That is a liability.
Strong businesses are built differently.
Systems handle the work.
Processes drive decisions.
Teams execute without constant oversight.
That is what buyers pay for.
Build something that runs without you, or accept a lower valuation.
Share this with a founder who is still the glue holding everything together.