There's a common belief that selling a business is the ultimate jackpot—a one-time windfall that guarantees wealth and success. But is that the reality?

David C. Barnett, Business Valuation Specialist at Advantage Liquidity Partners Ltd., has spent over a decade helping buyers and sellers navigate the real challenges of business transactions. He brings clarity to what makes a business sellable, how market dynamics really work, and why selling may sometimes be a bonus rather than a necessity.

In this episode, you'll hear honest, actionable advice about exit planning, risk, leverage, and the evolving role of technology in deal-making. If you're a business owner, buyer, or advisor, this conversation will reshape how you think about buying, selling, and preserving value.

In this episode, you will:

• Learn how AI tools can speed up deal sourcing and buyer profiling

• Understand how to assess and manage risk when financing a business purchase

• Hear the limitations of exit planning and the importance of execution

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet David C. Barnett

(02:18) Exit planning reality check

(09:57) AI and valuation

(18:32) Overpriced listings & unrealistic expectations

(20:48) Shifting buyer demographics

(26:38) SBA leverage: low defaults, big hidden risks

(35:56) Seller financing, internal successors, and trust-based deals

Resources:
For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbarnettmoncton/

Explore his website: www.DavidCBarnett.com
Subscribe to his YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidCBarnett

Learn more about Advantage Liquidity Partners Ltd.: https://www.businessandassetvalues.com/

Follow Ed:
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

The small business market is stabilizing, but the story beneath the surface is complex.

In this episode, host Ed Mysogland breaks down the Q1 2026 data from BizBuySell and DealStats, revealing trends in transaction volumes, valuations, and buyer behavior. From the rise of new buyers to the influence of AI, Ed explains what these numbers mean for business owners considering a sale and how size, industry, and financing influence value.

In this episode, you will:

• Understand how small business transactions are trending in 2026

• See which industries and deal sizes are commanding premiums

• Identify financing and buyer trends that affect sale strategies

Highlights:
(00:00) Overview of Q1 2026 market data and trends
(01:16) What stabilization in the market means for owners
(04:09) The impact of AI and "corporate refugees"
(05:48) Interest rates, private equity, and big money in small business
(11:50) Key insights on valuation and market opportunities
(13:58) Next steps for owners preparing to sell

Resources:
For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Explore the BizBuySell Insight Report 2026: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WMKmrgmwzl4il2wVcRTbsxXw-CotSPjq/view?usp=sharing

Explore the DealStats Value Index Q1 2026: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fPT-Hdzs9DMlb701IJ9FSv_8p1Y8w-S-/view?usp=sharing

Follow Ed:
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Being a hands-on business owner is not the humble brag you think it is. To buyers, it signals a red flag: decisions bottlenecked at the owner, undocumented processes, fragile customer relationships, and a business that struggles to function without constant oversight.

John Seiffer, founder of CEO Boot Camp and author of Output Thinking, explains why owner dependency drastically limits growth, transferability, and exit value. After decades of coaching founders across industries, he shares how many businesses run well day to day but break down during a transition. He introduces output thinking as a way to define results instead of tasks, replacing intuition-driven execution with repeatable outcomes.

In this episode, you will:

• Understand why hands-on ownership reduces value and complicates exits

• Learn how output thinking helps businesses scale and transfer

• See how systems and defined outcomes make a business more attractive to buyers

Highlights:
(00:00) Meet John Seiffer
(05:43) Stages of business growth
(15:35) Output Thinking: a new approach
(17:33) What to look for when hiring employees
(19:13) Defining quality and documenting operating procedures
(24:48) Building trust and transitioning leadership
(29:58) Preparations to make your business exit-ready
(33:33) Division of labor in sales
(35:18) Evolving business ownership

Resources:
For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow John:
Connect via email: john@ceobootcamp.com
Learn more about CEO Boot Camp: https://ceobootcamp.com/
Learn more about Output Thinking by John Seiffer: https://a.co/d/am77udg
Learn about the Exit-Ready Intensive program: https://rgahub.samcart.com/referral/zw7Z7UJK/b23xiwJ0paFyeSlt

Follow Ed:
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders