How to Sell a Small Business in 8 Weeks (If You Really Had To)

Selling a Business Fast Isn’t Ideal. But Sometimes, It’s Necessary.

Let me be clear up front:
Truly preparing a business for sale takes time.

The best exits start years in advance—with systemization, financial cleanup, and strategic planning. But life happens.

Maybe something changed.
Maybe you’re burned out.
Maybe you just can’t wait.

So let’s say the clock’s ticking and you’ve got just 8 weeks.
Not to close the deal—but to get the business ready for market.

Here’s exactly what I’d do.

Weeks 1–2: Clean Up the Financials

Nothing scares off a buyer faster than disorganized books.

If I had two weeks, I’d focus hard on:

• Making sure P&Ls and balance sheets are accurate
• Reconciling past 3 years of tax returns
• Identifying add-backs like owner salary and one-time expenses
• Cleaning up Chart of Accounts for clarity

You don’t need perfection—but you do need clarity.

Weeks 3–4: Get a Realistic Valuation

Next, I’d want to understand what the business is actually worth—not what I think it’s worth.

At this stage, I’d:

• Benchmark against similar businesses sold recently
• Look at earnings, cash flow, and any owner add-backs
• Identify red flags that could impact valuation (customer concentration, etc.)
• Talk to a business broker for a sanity check

No guesswork here. Price too high and no one bites. Price too low and you leave money on the table.

Weeks 4–6: Build a Professional Info Packet

Now that I know what the business is worth and the books are clean, it’s time to package the story.

If I had to do this fast, I’d create:

• A 5–10 page Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM)
• Key stats, trends, and operations overview
• Narrative that tells the “why now” behind the sale
• Something that looks like it came from a private equity shop

You want buyers to feel like they’re buying a real company, not just a job or a mess to clean up.

Weeks 6–8: Quietly Go to Market

With the foundation built, I’d start getting the word out—but strategically and confidentially.

Here’s how I’d do it:

• Reach out to qualified buyers or brokers with an NDA in place
• Leverage professional networks and targeted marketing
• Avoid blasting it out publicly or putting it on low-quality sites
• Vet inbound interest and start conversations

This is where things get real. You want interest—but you also want fit.

But Let’s Not Kid Ourselves…

If I had 8 weeks, this is what I’d do.
But 8 weeks is not the ideal runway.

Real exit prep often starts 2–3 years before the sale.

That’s when you:

• Reduce dependency on you (the owner)
• Develop middle management or hire a GM
• Lock in key contracts
• Clean up recurring revenue streams
• Address any operational or legal liabilities

If you wait until you’re ready to sell before thinking about these things, you’re already behind.

Resilient Businesses Sell Faster (and for More)

Here’s the good news:

If your business is already resilient—clean books, strong ops, not overly dependent on you—you can go to market in 8 weeks.

Resilient businesses:

• Attract more buyers
• Command higher valuations
• Move faster through due diligence
• Give you more options (sell vs. hire a GM and step back)

So yes—you can prep fast if you have to.
But the best exits? They’re built long before that.

Ready to Talk Strategy?

Whether you’re thinking about selling now or just want to know what you’d need to get ready, let’s have the conversation before the clock starts ticking.

📩 joe@legacy-eta.com

📞 615-240-7901

I help small business owners sell smart—or step back with confidence.