Fun fact: The #1 thing buyers care about isn’t your brand, logo, or social media.

It’s your profit — and how predictable it is.

Most owners pour time and money into shiny stuff (new website, office upgrades, rebranding), thinking it will impress buyers. But buyers aren’t looking for flash — they’re looking for cash flow.

The Trap: Chasing Pretty Instead of Profitable

When you’re thinking about selling, it’s tempting to “polish things up” — and that’s smart. But if you’re polishing the wrong things, you’re wasting time.

Here’s the truth:

Buyers don’t care what your website looks like if your margins are thin.

They don’t care about your Instagram following if your profits go up and down like a rollercoaster.

They don’t care about your story — until they’re convinced the numbers work.

It’s not personal. It’s math.

The Buyer’s Priority List

Here’s a quick cheat sheet of what buyers really look at — and what they usually ignore:

What Buyers Want:

• Consistent, growing profit over the past 2–3 years
• Clean books with clear expenses and no surprises
• A team or systems that keep things running without you
• Recurring or repeatable revenue they can count on

What Buyers Often Ignore:

• Fancy branding and logos
• Huge social media followings (unless they drive revenue)
• Awards and press
• Your personal “blood, sweat, and tears”

If you want a great exit, focus where it matters most: stable, growing profit that doesn’t depend on you.

Quick Win: Check Your Revenue Mix

Open your revenue report from last year. Answer this:

How much came from repeat customers or subscriptions?

If it’s less than 50%, start thinking about how to lock in repeat business — that’s what buyers love.

Want more tools to build a business buyers fight over?

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