Poised for Exit
Welcome to the Poised for Exit podcast! Poised for Exit is an under 30-minute strategic planning guidance podcast for busy small business owners. Each week you’ll hear certified exit planning advisor, Julie Keyes, talk with a range of entrepreneurs and professionals about preparing your business for a future transition. Guests at every stage of company ownership will share their personal stories and lessons learned about topics such as the anatomy of the exit planning process, developing a growth strategy, how to sell on your terms, exit planning for women small business owners, handling business diversity, and how to sell a family business. Whether you’re planning an exit in the near future or not, this show will provide you with the same action-oriented content that Julie utilizes while consulting with Keyestrategies clients. Building an exit strategy can be overwhelming, especially with all the decisions and details you have to consider. “Poised for Exit” will simplify the process and help you unwrap the unknowns, giving you more confidence in your planning process. Previous episodes are available for download, so if you are new to our show, you can listen to them in any order that suits you. Join us each week for timely, relevant content that will surely impact your business exit outcome! Subscribe to our newsletter below to receive your weekly episode link and stay updated on new strategic planning content. Find “Poised for Exit” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and others. Thank you to our Sponsors: Sunbelt Business Advisers and JAK CPA's. A special note of thanks to Tyler Keyes who produced the music for the “Poised for Exit” show.
Poised for Exit
How Buyers Value Businesses in 2026 and Why Preparation Matters More Than Timing
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we speak with Andy Kocemba, President and CEO of Calhoun Companies, about how buyers are evaluating businesses as we head into 2026. Andy shares his perspective from decades of working with buyers and sellers, and explains why preparation consistently matters more than trying to time the market when it comes to achieving a strong outcome.
Andy walks through the key drivers of valuation, including the outsized role of cash flow, business performance, and risk. He discusses common red flags buyers notice quickly, such as customer or salesperson concentration, and explains how deal structure often reflects the level of trust a buyer has in the business. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes that simpler deal structures and stronger cash at closing are often the result of thoughtful preparation well before going to market.
Throughout the episode, Andy discusses broader market trends, including which industries are seeing the strongest demand and how acquisition strategies may shift in the coming year. Andy also shares how Calhoun Companies works with sellers, the importance of engaging advisors early, and why many business owners wait too long to start planning. The conversation offers practical insight for owners and advisors looking to better understand buyer expectations and valuation drivers.
Connect with Andy Kocemba here
Learn more about Calhoun Companies here
Connect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLC
Founder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor