Ep 553 Why 17.5% of Owners Are Burnt Out and Want to Sell

Ep 553 Why 17.5% of Owners Are Burnt Out and Want to Sell

Author: John Warrillow July 3, 2026 Duration: 41:39

More owners than ever say they are simply tired. A look at 10,255 PREScore™ assessments over six years found that 17.5% pointed to burnout, not retirement, as the number one reason they want out. 

So the question went to two people who spend their days on the buy side, valuing companies and deciding what to pay. Lee McCabe is a private equity veteran who advises PE firms on the businesses they acquire. Jason Swenk built marketing agencies and spent time acquiring them. In this episode, you discover how to tell whether burnout is a signal to sell or a problem worth fixing first, and how a buyer prices the difference either way.


For any entrepreneur, the idea of selling the company they've built is both a daunting prospect and a potential pinnacle of success. Built to Sell Radio, hosted by John Warrillow, steps into that complex space with a clear, practical focus. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a weekly conversation grounded in real experience. Every episode features a different founder who has recently navigated the sale of their business. The discussion goes straight to the heart of the matter: understanding the personal and strategic reasons behind the decision to sell. Listeners get an honest breakdown of what worked, from preparation and valuation to negotiation, and perhaps more importantly, the unforeseen pitfalls and mistakes made along the way. It’s that candid post-mortem, the lessons learned in the trenches of a transaction, that provides unparalleled value. By compiling these firsthand accounts, the podcast builds a comprehensive library of exit strategies and cautionary tales. Tuning in feels like gaining access to a private mastermind, where seasoned entrepreneurs share the unvarnished truth about cashing in their life's work. If you're contemplating your own eventual exit, this series offers the nuanced, peer-to-peer insights you need to think like a buyer, protect your interests, and ultimately, build a business that is truly desirable. Built to Sell Radio serves as an essential guide, transforming the opaque process of selling a business into a clearer, more manageable journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Built to Sell Radio
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Ep 562 Selling 20 Companies at 4x ARR, With Stuart Faught [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:49
Broadly speaking, there are two ways to build a company. Some entrepreneurs swing for the fences, spending decades building one big business. Others play for singles, building a series of smaller companies they can sell…