Optimizing Your Business Exit: Valuation, Timing, and Wealth Management with Tim Golas

Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- Are you a business owner thinking about the next chapter? Too many entrepreneurs focus entirely on building their company but fail to prepare themselves, and their finances, for the exit. In this episode, Steve sits down with Tim Golas, Partner and Co-Founder at Spurstone, to discuss the tactical realities of selling a business. From the dangers of concentration risk to the "Fish and Chip" method of negotiation, Tim breaks down how to run two parallel paths: optimizing the business for sale and preparing your personal wealth for the liquidity event. Whether you are looking to sell in 2026 or just want to de-risk your current operations, this episode provides a roadmap for maximizing your deal terms and protecting your legacy. -- Timothy Golas is an exit planning advisor, fiduciary, and Partner at Spurstone who serves as a trusted confidant to eight- and nine-figure business owners navigating major financial transitions. A founder himself, he understands the pressure and complexity of building a business and the risks of exiting without the right strategy or support. With more than 20 years of experience advising successful families, executives, and stakeholders across the U.S., Timothy helps founders and multi-owner teams protect what they’ve built, maximize value, and move forward with clarity and confidence. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), he specializes in value acceleration, tax-efficient exits, and guiding entrepreneurs through Spurstone’s Grind to Good Life framework, from exit preparation to post-exit fulfillment, bringing both expertise and empathy to a deeply personal transition. Website - https://www.spurstone.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothygolas/ Timestamps: (00:22) From Wall Street to Main Street: Tim shares his background at UBS during the financial collapse and why he founded Spurstone to better serve entrepreneurs and business owners. [02:00) The 2-3 Year Window: Why you need to start planning years before the sale. The concept of "Parallel Paths" - preparing the business entity and the personal financials simultaneously. (04:12) Combating Concentration Risk: How to identify if your business is too reliant on one client. Tactical Tip: Tim discusses the strategy of acquiring smaller companies to dilute client concentration before going to market. (08:12) When is the Right Time to Sell?: Navigating age, market conditions, and avoiding "forced" exits (Death, Disability, Divorce). (13:54) Maximizing Valuation: Moving beyond the top-line number. Understanding the difference between EBITDA and Normalized EBITDA, and why "de-risking" (e.g., settling litigation, owning real estate) drives multiples higher. (15:32) The Biggest Mistake Sellers Make: Why you should never wait for an LOI (Letter of Intent) to land on your desk before you start planning. (19:30) The "Fish and Chip" Method: A warning on how buyers use high valuations to hook sellers, only to chip away at the price during due diligence. (21:14) M&A Trends for 2026: What’s happening with Baby Boomers, the trades, and manufacturing sectors. The rise of Private Equity roll-ups. -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/