Allen Terrell Gregory

My team and I worked with a client to help her sell her business, but she sold it to someone else.

Here's why I'm happy for her...

First, this woman is an absolute dynamo. She built her business from scratch, hired everybody, worked 16 hour days and 100+ hour weeks.

I'm not big on this level of hustle, but this woman refused to be denied and it paid off huge for her. The respect that I have for her is immense.

Second, when I first talked to her almost a year ago she poured her heart out to me and trusted me to bring on the right partners. I did exactly that and we had regular meetings regarding motivation and deal structure.

During our talks, she mentioned that she was talking with another buyer that was there before us, but she would have preferred working with us. The timing didn't work out in our favor and she went with the other team.

Lastly, the way that she notified us that she went with the other team was respectful, delightful, and heart-warming. The message she sent us was classy, elegant, and genuine.

Even though she didn't go with us, I was truly happy for her. She found her peace. She didn't have to run the business anymore. She was free to pursue other opportunities.

And now she's going to build something even more amazing on the heels of her recent exit.

Deals don't always go how you want them or expect them to go. That's okay. The goal isn't to do every deal. It's to highlight the path to freedom for an entrepreneur that's ready to take the next step.

This started out as a hobby for me. Then, it turned to a passion. Now, it's an obsession. It's not about me. It's not about deals. It's not even about money.

It's about ensuring that every business owner achieves a successful exit; even if I'm not part of the deal.

I had someone reach out to me and ask this question...

HIM: I'm curious to hear how business owners sacrifice their health for wealth specifically in the context of a business exit

Here's my response...

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Unfortunately, the biggest problem for an owner pre-exit is that they are working too many hours, don't have any systems in place, have the wrong people in the wrong seats, and their books are a mess.

The best case scenario is that they deal with this by hiding behind a brave face. The worst case scenario is that they succumb to the pressure and reach for other vices to escape.

The post-exit conundrum is that they don't have anything to do with themselves because their entire identity was wrapped up in the business.

They don't know who they are when they aren't in charge of the business that they've built from the ground up and aren't running anymore.

This affects their mental health which usually leads to overeating which then leads right back into other vices.

My team and I address the pre-exit stuff with tools, training, and consulting.

We address the post-exit stuff with a deal structure that allows them to retain some equity so they can participate in the growth of the business and still have something to live for.

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HIM: Wow!! I’m so happy I asked. That was an incredible answer. I know someone whose experienced some of those issues you’ve discussed. They sold their business over 15 years ago, but their identity is still wrapped in owning the business.

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Most people that want to buy your business are not concerned with YOUR life post-acquisition. All they care about is getting the deal done so they can move on with THEIR life.

Fortunately, there's another group of people that think differently and want to partner with you on the sale so that you can move on to your next phase of life with dignity, respect, and peace of mind.

Today is my birthday. 44 laps around the sun.

When most people think of loyalty, they are thinking about someone else.

What if I told you that loyalty isn't about them; it's about YOU!

Here's what I mean...

Most of us have a vision of how we want things to be.

Unfortunately, we are often fighting against circumstances and asking ourselves why things aren't how we want them to be.

The reason is simple... It's an old saying from my childhood.

"You're hustling backwards."

The truth is you can't control circumstances. Deep down, you know that, but yet you keep fighting anyway.

Back up a bit.

Think about what you want, why you want it, and who you have to become to get it.

When you zoom out like this, circumstances get smaller and your vision gets bigger.

Let me land the plane here and get back to the original topic of loyalty with this...

"Have more loyalty to your vision than your circumstances and watch how things change around you."