In this episode of The Confident Exit Podcast, Pete Bush sits down with Scott Bushkie, a 27-year veteran in business brokerage and M&A, to unpack what really drives successful business exits. Scott shares why most owners wait too long to sell, how misconceptions around valuation can cost millions, and why transferability—not just revenue—determines true business value.
The conversation explores the importance of management depth, customer diversification, and planning for life after the sale. Scott also explains the dramatic power of running a structured sale process with multiple offers—and how engaging the right advisors early can help owners exit with confidence, clarity, and zero regret.
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• Scott Bushkie has spent 27 years advising business owners through M&A transactions.
• Cornerstone Business Services prioritizes quality over quantity in business sales.
• Most business owners wait too long—and sell after peak value has passed.
• True business value is about transferability, not just revenue.
• A strong management team dramatically increases valuation multiples.
• Customer concentration is one of the biggest deal-killers in M&A.
• Over 60% of business owners have never had a valuation done.
• Planning for life after the sale is critical to avoiding seller’s remorse.
• Multiple offers can increase sale price by 20–70%+ compared to unsolicited offers.
• Early collaboration with advisors leads to better outcomes and fewer regrets.
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• “Size does matter.”
• “Why wait?”
• “You don’t have to sell today.”
• “Most owners don’t sell because of business reasons—it’s personal.”
• “The lower the risk, the higher the multiple.”
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00:00 – Introduction to Business Brokerage and M&A
Pete Bush welcomes listeners to the Confident Exit Podcast and introduces guest Scott Bushkie of Cornerstone Business Services. Scott shares his background, entrepreneurial roots, and how he entered the M&A world at just 24 years old.
02:46 – The Evolution of Business Brokerage
Scott explains why traditional business brokerage models often fail business owners, highlighting low national closing rates and the “quantity over quality” mindset that led him to found Cornerstone with a different approach.
05:59 – Understanding Business Valuation vs. Transferability
A deep dive into how businesses are actually valued in the market, why EBITDA and cash flow matter more than revenue alone, and why a business that depends too heavily on the owner may be worth far less—or even nothing.
08:45 – Management Teams, Customer Concentration, and Risk
Scott outlines the key risk factors buyers evaluate, including management depth, customer concentration, supplier diversification, and how reducing risk directly increases valuation multiples.
12:08 – Timing the Sale: Why Owners Wait Too Long
Discussion on the common “five more years” mindset among business owners and why peak business performance is often the best time to sell—not when burnout sets in.
15:08 – The Emotional Side of Selling a Business
Scott shares a powerful real-world story illustrating how emotional attachment and “one-more-year-itis” can devastate both business value and family outcomes.
17:59 – The Three Numbers Every Owner Must Know
An introduction to the three critical figures every owner should understand before selling:
1. True market value of the business
2. Net proceeds after taxes
3. Lifestyle number needed to support life after the sale
20:56 – Planning for a Successful Exit (Before Burnout)
Why exit planning should begin years in advance and how early coordination with advisors creates clarity, leverage, and confidence rather than rushed, reactive decisions.
25:07 – Seller Expectations vs. Market Reality
Scott explains why unrealistic value expectations derail deals and how real market analysis helps close the “expectation gap” before it becomes a deal-breaking problem.
26:05 – Why Selling Is Usually a Personal Decision
The group discusses why most owners don’t sell due to strategic planning—but rather due to burnout, health issues, or life events—and why waiting increases risk.
27:15 – The Power of Multiple Offers (POMO)
Scott introduces the concept of POMO—Power of Multiple Offers—and explains how structured sale processes consistently generate higher prices and better deal terms.
29:39 – Success Fees and Value Creation
A candid conversation about advisory fees, why success-based compensation aligns incentives, and how professional sale processes often generate “found money” far exceeding the cost.
31:28 – Avoiding Regret After the Sale
The three most common sources of seller’s remorse: leaving money on the table, choosing the wrong buyer, and failing to plan for life after the exit.
33:40 – Planning for Life After the Business
Why retirement isn’t just about money, how identity plays a major role for owners, and why knowing what comes next is critical to long-term satisfaction.
36:29 – Why Most Owners Have Never Had a Valuation
Scott shares eye-opening data from Cornerstone’s national study showing how few owners truly understand their business value—and the danger of planning with assumptions.
38:10 – Taking Action: “Why Wait?”
Final thoughts on why business owners don’t need to sell today—but should take the first step now to gain clarity, reduce risk, and reclaim control of their future.
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• Finish Strong: Selling Your Business on Your Terms – Scott Bushkie
• Cornerstone Business Services National Business Owner Study
• Business valuation (Real Market Analysis – RMA)
• Exit planning and wealth-gap analysis
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Scott Bushkie & Cornerstone Business Services
🌐 Website: cornerstone-business.com
📞 Phone: 920-436-9890
For introductions or coordinated planning, contact Pete Bush through Horizon Financial Group.
The views depicted in this material are for information purposes only and are not necessarily those of Cetera Advisors LLC. They should not be considered specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Pete Bush is a registered representative offering securities and advisory services through Cetera Advisors LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, a broker-dealer and registered investment advisor. Cetera Advisors LLC is under separate ownership from any other named entity. The guest on this episode is not affiliated with or registered with Cetera Advisors LLC. Any information provided by our guest is in no way related to Cetera Advisors LLC or its registered representatives.
15015 Jamestown Boulevard, Suite 100, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810.
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