Build It to Sell—Even If You’re Not Ready to Exit Yet
- paul.franks303
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
Most MSP owners start their business to escape the 9-to-5 or to build a better life. But few think about how the business will end.
Until it’s too late.
Here’s the truth:
If you ever want to sell your MSP—or even have the option—you have to build it with that goal in mind.
And no, that doesn’t mean you have to sell tomorrow.It means every decision today either adds value to your future exit—or makes it harder.
What Buyers Want (and What They're Watching)
Buyers don’t just want your client list or your ticket history.
They’re evaluating:
Profit margins (32%+ is the gold standard)
Client diversification (no one client should be >15% of revenue)
Recurring revenue (predictable, contractual, and sticky)
Documentation (SOPs, contracts, onboarding flows)
Team structure (they want to buy a system, not your personality)
Owner involvement (the less dependent the business is on you, the more it’s worth)
And that’s just scratching the surface.
Start Now—Not Later
You don’t prepare to sell in the year you sell.You prepare 2–3 years in advance—minimum.
Why?
Because untangling owner dependencies, improving margins, and getting your team aligned takes time. But once it’s done? You unlock options:
Sell and exit
Merge with a strategic partner
Keep running it as a cash-flow machine
Raise capital and scale
The key is: Build it to be valuable whether you sell or not.
I’ve Walked This Path Myself
I’ve started three MSP companies and successfully exited them—all by staying laser-focused on building toward a business that could run without me. If you want a blueprint for how to create a company that people want to buy (and that you’ll actually enjoy running in the meantime), I can help.
Today’s Reminder:The work you put in now determines the offers you get later.Don’t wait until you’re burned out to start thinking like a seller.
Want help making sure your MSP is actually sellable—and not just busy?
👉 Let’s talk: www.MSPTherapist.com
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