

#457
Mentioned in 38 episodes
Built to sell
Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You
Book • 2011
In 'Built to Sell', John Warrillow provides practical advice on creating a business that can operate independently of its owner.
The book is structured around a story where a business owner, Alex, is guided by his mentor Ted to transform his marketing agency into a sellable business.
Key lessons include running the company as if it will last forever but being ready to sell at any moment, focusing on a specific, non-customizable product or service, creating a positive cash flow cycle, and hiring a sales team to remove the owner from the sales process.
The book emphasizes the importance of making the business repeatable, valuable, and teachable to attract potential buyers.
The book is structured around a story where a business owner, Alex, is guided by his mentor Ted to transform his marketing agency into a sellable business.
Key lessons include running the company as if it will last forever but being ready to sell at any moment, focusing on a specific, non-customizable product or service, creating a positive cash flow cycle, and hiring a sales team to remove the owner from the sales process.
The book emphasizes the importance of making the business repeatable, valuable, and teachable to attract potential buyers.
Mentioned by



























Mentioned in 38 episodes
Mentioned by 

as a book that can help improve business.


Tim Ferriss

507 snips
#607: Luis von Ahn, Co-Founder and CEO of Duolingo — How to Be (Truly) Mission-Driven, Monetization Experiments, 10x Growth, Org Chart Iterations for Impacting Metrics, The Intricate Path to an IPO, Best Hiring Practices, Catching Exam Cheaters, The Allure of Toto Toilets, The Future of Duolingo, and How to Stand Out in Your Career
Mentioned by 

as a book that explains how to build a business to sell.


Tim Ferriss

499 snips
#594: Cal Newport and Tim Ferriss Revisit "The 4-Hour Workweek" (Plus: The Allure and The Void of Remote Work, Unsustainable Behaviors, Burning Out, The Cult of Productivity, and More)
Recommended by 

as a guide to building sellable businesses.


Shaan Puri

437 snips
You Have 70 Days to Win the Year
Mentioned by 

for advice on selling a business.


Tim Ferriss

430 snips
#628: Q&A with Tim — Revisiting 15+ Years of PR and Marketing Lessons, Time Dilation for Deep Relaxation, The Art of Setting Ultra-High Prices, The Low-Information Diet, Studying Animal Communication, My 3-Day Fasting Protocol, Tools for Handling Adversity, Selling to the Affluent, My Current Coffee and Alcohol Rules, Risk Mitigation, and Much More
Mentioned by 

as a book that helps build a better business if you follow its mindset.


Nathan Barry

124 snips
$100K Passive Income Strategy for 2025 (Full Guide) | 069
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

to illustrate the benefits of packaging services for design agencies.

Joana Galvao

123 snips
202 - Making a marketing strategy from scratch — with Joana Galvao
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

, who was on Built to Sell Radio with John Warlow.

Kevin Wagstaff

102 snips
Episode 776 | How Bootstrapping Led to a Life-Changing $90M SaaS Exit
Recommended by 

for building a business independent of the owner.


Tim Ferriss

94 snips
Tim Ferriss | Rituals, Reinventing Success & the Power of Failure
Mentioned by 

as a book about building a business that can run without you.


Tommy Mello

74 snips
Building a Business That Thrives Without You with Mike Andes
Mentioned by 

in the context of his book, "Built to Sell."


Jenny Blake

67 snips
Ep. 157: JENNY BLAKE: Help Me Do Less!
Mentioned by 

as a book that influenced his business knowledge.


Arvid Kahl

36 snips
#101: Arvid Kahl – From SaaS founder to full-time creator
Recommended by ![undefined]()

as her favorite obscure business book about creating a business that can thrive without you.

Libby Greiwe

32 snips
142: Transform Your Onboarding Process with Libby Greiwe
Mentioned by 

as a book that totally changed his life, even though he only read the title.


Sean Cannell

31 snips
419: The CEO's Guide to YouTube: How Business Leaders Are Using Video Content to Build Media Empires and Drive Revenue Growth
Recommended by 

for its insights on building sellable businesses.


Arvid Kahl

27 snips
What's underneath brand building for creators
Mentioned by 

as a book about creating a business that is easy to sell.


Will Smith

25 snips
When Buying a Retail Business Makes Sense
Recommended by 

as a book containing best practices for building a business to sell, regardless of whether you actually sell it.


Chris Koerner

25 snips
Q&A: Real Estate Scraping, Selling Spreadsheets On Etsy, Bookkeeping Basics & More⏐Ep. #115
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a book he read while building his business.

Garren Hilow

22 snips
Ep 488 Exit Story: Garren Hilow on Selling for $190M, Taking Stock, and Missing His Earn-Out
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as the author of the foreword.

Rob Walling

21 snips
Episode 743 | How to Sell Your Business Without Regret
Recommended by 

to learn how to build a business that you can separate yourself from.


Jaspreet Singh

21 snips
WEALTH BLUEPRINT: How to Actually Build Wealth - Two Proven Strategies
Mentioned by 

as a book that explores the challenges of business growth.


Mike Andes

18 snips
235 - Real Planning for Growth: What It Actually Takes to Grow Your Construction Business with Mike Andes