Feb. 17, 2026

What Buyers See That You Don't

What Buyers See That You Don't

80% of businesses that go to market will NEVER sell. In this duo episode, Caleb and Aaron get brutally honest about what makes your business unsellable—even if it’s profitable.


They break down the silent killer of most exits: key man risk. If your company depends on you, you don’t own a business—you own a job. And jobs don’t sell for 8 figures.


TAKEAWAYS

  • Why private equity passes on profitable businesses
  • The hidden trap of “owner dependency” and how it discounts your valuation
  • Why your success might be masking a fragile company
  • How systems, leadership, and ego collide in your exit strategy
  • The first step to making your business sellable this week


FOLLOWS

⁠⁠Oak IQ Investments⁠⁠

⁠Own The Exit⁠

⁠Aaron Investing⁠

⁠Caleb Investing⁠


CHAPTERS

00:00 - Why 80% of Businesses Don’t Sell

01:25 - Owner Dependency Is Killing Your Exit

05:57 - Building a Job vs. Building a Business

08:28 - Fragile Companies Hide Behind Great Founders

12:15 - What Buyers REALLY Look For

17:46 - Leadership Can’t Be Systemized (But It Can Be Taught)

22:06 - Start Here: Document Everything

25:47 - Hiring Before It Hurts

29:03 - Buffett’s “Wonderfully Simple” Test

32:00 - The Boring Business Exit Blueprint


KEYWORDS

business exits, private equity, selling a business, business valuation, owner dependency, key man risk, systems and processes, leadership development, scalable business model, SOPs, team building, entrepreneur mindset, ego in business, business strategy, operational risk, business transferability, business growth, exit planning, business readiness, recurring revenue


WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Join us on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, dive into our enriching content on ⁠YouTube⁠, and explore ⁠our website⁠ to unravel how to secure your future through intelligent passive investments!


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