Defenders of Business Value

Owners fixate on the purchase price of their exit, but the bigger loss to long-term income can come from how Social Security is handled. Get it wrong, and you can quietly lose six figures. Thomas Drapala, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Registered Social Security Analysts (RSSA), explains why 96% of Americans leave money on the table when they treat Social Security as an afterthought. Drawing from his client work, he discusses how self-employment tax, entity structure, and "reasonable compensation" influence Social Security benefits. Thomas also walks through how RSSA's analysis helps owners save thousands of dollars a year in taxes, protect future benefits, and make Social Security a strategic part of their exit plan so it isn't ignored. In this episode, you will: Understand why every owner should check their SSA earnings record and run an independent analysis before selling Learn what younger owners should do now to avoid losing benefits later See how RSSA analysis ties Social Security into your full exit and retirement plan Highlights: (00:00) Meet Thomas Drapala (01:42) The shocking statistics on Social Security optimization (03:32) Understanding Social Security rules and benefits (05:49) Strategies for business owners to maximize Social Security (13:37) Case study: The bagel store owner's Social Security optimization (16:52) When it makes sense to bring in a Social Security expert (24:12) How a full Social Security review is done Follow Thomas: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-drapala-rssa%C2%AE-878611207/ Email: [email protected] Learn more about Registered Social Security Analysts: https://rssa.com/ Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Many business owners still feel trapped in the day-to-day because their companies rely too heavily on them. The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) changes that by helping leadership teams build structure and accountability so businesses can run smoothly without the owner. Ashley Walters, Professional EOS Implementer at EOS Worldwide, explains how to align EOS with exit planning to build efficiency, long-term growth, and transferable value. She shares how she guides leadership teams through tough structure conversations, puts the right people in the right seats, and helps owners build companies that run independently. In this episode, you will: Understand the difference between business value and transferable value Learn how to identify your business priorities within a 90-day frame Hear why buyers prefer businesses running on EOS Highlights: (00:00) Meet Ashley Walters (03:05) How EOS and exit planning work together to grow value (05:50) The structure-first, people-second approach (10:15) What a company running on EOS looks like to a buyer (12:40) The rocks system: setting priorities that move the needle (16:28) Why EOS reveals owner dependence and how to fix it (21:16) Where AI fits in EOS (23:59) The EOS implementation process (29:54) EOS increases the rates of a successful exit (31:39) Why an operating system is always beneficial Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow Ashley: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyklinewalters/ Email: [email protected] Website: https://accelerateadvising.com/ Learn more about EOS: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Building a business is challenging, but truly understanding its value and how to maximize it is where many entrepreneurs fall short. TK Herman, entrepreneur, four-time exit veteran, and Curator at The Halcyon Forum, breaks down what it actually takes to build and sell a business at maximum value. Learn why most founders leave money on the table, what TK would do differently across his four exits, and why working on yourself may be the highest-return investment you make in your business. If you're building to sell, this is a look at what separates the deals that close well from the ones that don't. In this episode, you will: Hear valuable lessons from multiple business exits Find out how head trash is an entrepreneur's biggest constraint Understand how culture and people directly impact value Highlights: (00:00) Meet TK Herman (02:00) Getting fired and discovering entrepreneurship (08:27) Breaking down TK's four exits (14:47) Losing $2.3M on a pickleball business (18:09) Why sellers leave money on the table (22:39) When companies outgrow their people (27:41) The business owner sets the ceiling for the company Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow TK: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tkherman/ Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Getting access to deals is one thing. Getting taken seriously is another. George Wellmer, Founder of Tupelo SMB, shares what it takes to get noticed by brokers and win deals. With hundreds of buyers competing for the same opportunities, the process has shifted. Systems, speed, and credibility now determine who moves forward and who gets ignored. Learn how preferred buyer status works, why most buyers fall short, and how technology is reshaping the way deals are sourced, screened, and closed. If you're serious about buying a business, this is a look at how the process works behind the scenes. In this episode, you will: Hear what helps buyers rise above the noise in competitive deals Find out how brokers decide which buyers move forward See how AI is changing buyer screening and deal flow Highlights: (00:00) Meet George Wellmer (02:32) What the preferred buyer status means (06:18) How SMB deal processes work (08:56) Challenges working with smaller broker shops (17:53) How AI is changing buyer screening (22:20) Fast-tracking serious buyers in a crowded process (27:16) Why brokers spend most of their time vetting buyers (28:52) What helps buyers stand out to brokers (31:16) How to handle your first meeting with a business owner Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow George: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgewellmer/ Learn more about Tupelo SMB: http://tupelosmb.com/ Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders

Most professionals in the M&A space have been closing deals for decades. But being young doesn't mean you can't bring value to the table. Morgan Tate, founder of Breakwater M&A, has built a reputation as one of the younger voices in the industry. He has helped facilitate over $250 million worth of deals and is now using automation to make the process faster and more efficient. From the lessons learned in those transactions, he created the Breakwater Blueprint to keep deals from falling apart. Morgan offers a glimpse at the future of exits, where human connection and technology go hand in hand. In this episode, you will: Hear how younger advisors are closing more transactions Learn how AI is speeding up the deal process Understand why advisory fees are declining and how brokers can protect their value Highlights: (00:00) Meet Morgan Tate (02:36) The Breakwater Blueprint (04:29) Earning trust as a younger advisor (10:42) Will AI lower advisory fees for business owners? (15:47) Let AI be your junior broker (19:06) Where human judgment matters most in business sales (21:30) The future of M&A (26:18) AI can solve this mistake that hurts deals Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow Morgan: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgantate Learn more about Morgan's company: Breakwater M&A: https://www.breakwatermna.com Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders