The goal is the exit. Prepare 12 months in advance.
1. Understanding SDE
Seller Discretionary Earnings. This is your net profit + add-backs (your salary, one-time expenses). Multipliers in 2026 are averaging 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.
2. Clean Books
If you don't have accrual basis accounting, you will lose 20% of your valuation instantly. Switch to accrual now.