Do You Know Your Number?

Trevor Stevenson-Platt

25 Sep 2025 — 2 min read

Most business owners chase the wrong number when they sell.

They focus on the price. The big figure on the cheque. The “bragging rights” number.

But here’s the truth: the sale price means nothing if it doesn’t fund the life you want.

Your number isn’t what a buyer is willing to pay. It’s what you need to walk away, after tax and fees, and never look back.

The Power of Knowing Your Number

When you know your number, two things happen:

Negotiation becomes simple. You won’t waste time chasing fantasy valuations. You’ll know the exact point at which the deal works for you.
Confidence replaces doubt. You stop second-guessing yourself and the buyer senses it. That confidence often gets deals done faster, and on better terms.

Without this clarity, owners fall into the trap of chasing “just a little bit more” and often end up with less.

How to Work It Out

This isn’t complicated. Here’s the process:

Decide the life you want after exit. Be specific. Travel, family, hobbies, whatever matters to you.
Work out what that life costs each year. Essentials plus extras. Let’s say it’s £50,000.
Multiply by the years you’ll need it. Retiring at 60? Plan for 35–40 years. That’s £1.75m–£2m.
Adjust for inflation and investment returns. In practice, a £1.25m–£1.6m pot can usually deliver £50k a year safely.

That’s your number. Not someone else’s. Yours.

Why It Matters

The right offer isn’t the highest offer. It’s the one that meets your number.

If your number is £1.5m and a buyer offers £1.8m, take it. Don’t gamble the future chasing £2.2m. That £700k difference won’t change your life. But losing the deal might.

This is where so many owners go wrong. They fight for the last pound, and miss the pound that really matters.

The Bottom Line

Selling your business is the biggest financial decision of your life.

Don’t walk into it blind. Don’t let the buyer dictate your future.

Know your number.

And when you do, every decision becomes easier. The negotiation, the timing, the exit itself.

So let me ask you: Do you know yours?

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