Founder dependency doesn’t look dangerous at $5M.
At $50M, buyers call it key-person risk.
If the company can’t run without you, the multiple reflects it.
New episode: Your Culture Can Make You Unsellable: The $50M Warning Sign
ceosalesstrategies.com/key-person-risk-ebitda-valu…
Most CEOs assume their cost structure is stable.
Private equity assumes it isn’t.
In diligence, effective rates are recalculated transaction by transaction.
If a margin gap is uncovered, it’s capitalized.
There’s an 82% Certainty Your Company Is Worth $1M Less.
ceosalesstrategies.com/credit-card-processing-fees…
Revenue can rise while enterprise value declines.
In 80%+ of $5M companies, effective processing costs drift upward — quietly compressing EBITDA.
At a 5x multiple, $200K in erosion equals $1M in valuation.
New episode live.
ceosalesstrategies.com/credit-card-processing-fees…
They fall behind quietly — while revenue still looks fine.
This week’s episode breaks down why pressure inside the business often shows up before the numbers do, and what that means for leverage, margins, and long-term valuation.
Why Growing Businesses Are Falling Behind Without Noticing
This week on the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown talks with CPA and advisor Mike Sibley about how founder-led companies can be hitting their revenue goals while:
- Margins thin
- Cash feels tighter
- Decisions get riskier
If you are wondering whether your growth is actually increasing enterprise value—or just adding complexity—this episode is for you.
New episode: Tuesday at 12 PM ET
Title: The $400K Leak: Is your revenue rotting?
If your team is working hard but results feel harder to achieve, your strategy may need attention.
In this episode, Rich Horwath explains how simplifying strategy and reallocating resources improves execution and accelerates growth.
Full episode now live.
Doug C. Brown
Founder dependency doesn’t look dangerous at $5M.
At $50M, buyers call it key-person risk.
If the company can’t run without you, the multiple reflects it.
New episode: Your Culture Can Make You Unsellable: The $50M Warning Sign
ceosalesstrategies.com/key-person-risk-ebitda-valu…
22 hours ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Founder dependency doesn’t look dangerous at $5M.
At $50M, buyers call it key-person risk.
If the company can’t run without you, the multiple reflects it.
New episode: The Silent Killer: Is Your Culture Eating Your EBITDA?
1 day ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Revenue can be growing while execution is slipping.
Follow-up slows.
Decisions drag.
Margins thin quietly.
That’s not “growth stress.”
It’s operational drag.
Episode 228 is live.
3 days ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Revenue can be growing while execution is slipping.
Follow-up slows.
Decisions drag.
Margins thin quietly.
That’s not “growth stress.”
It’s operational drag.
Episode 228 is live.
ceosalesstrategies.com/key-person-risk-ebitda-valu…
3 days ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Most CEOs assume their cost structure is stable.
Private equity assumes it isn’t.
In diligence, effective rates are recalculated transaction by transaction.
If a margin gap is uncovered, it’s capitalized.
There’s an 82% Certainty Your Company Is Worth $1M Less.
ceosalesstrategies.com/credit-card-processing-fees…
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Revenue can rise while enterprise value declines.
In 80%+ of $5M companies, effective processing costs drift upward — quietly compressing EBITDA.
At a 5x multiple, $200K in erosion equals $1M in valuation.
New episode live.
ceosalesstrategies.com/credit-card-processing-fees…
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Automation isn’t about tools.
It’s about whether your operating model can move, decide, and execute fast enough as demand increases.
That’s the real risk most leaders miss until options start disappearing.
New episode is live.
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Most businesses don’t fail loudly.
They fall behind quietly — while revenue still looks fine.
This week’s episode breaks down why pressure inside the business often shows up before the numbers do, and what that means for leverage, margins, and long-term valuation.
Why Growing Businesses Are Falling Behind Without Noticing
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 2
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
Revenue can grow while valuation quietly erodes.
This week on the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown talks with CPA and advisor Mike Sibley about how founder-led companies can be hitting their revenue goals while:
- Margins thin
- Cash feels tighter
- Decisions get riskier
If you are wondering whether your growth is actually increasing enterprise value—or just adding complexity—this episode is for you.
New episode: Tuesday at 12 PM ET
Title: The $400K Leak: Is your revenue rotting?
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Doug C. Brown
If your team is working hard but results feel harder to achieve, your strategy may need attention.
In this episode, Rich Horwath explains how simplifying strategy and reallocating resources improves execution and accelerates growth.
Full episode now live.
#StrategicThinking #RevenueGrowth #BusinessStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #ResourceAllocation #Execution #B2BSales #SalesLeadership
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
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