EP 29 | Ready to Sell? Your Business Valuation Says Otherwise

Paloma Goggins, host of Merger She Wrote and the owner of Nocturnal Legal, a business law firm serving buyers, sellers and business operators, interviews Wes Towers, a Melbourne-based digital agency owner, about getting a deep-dive business valuation and how it reshaped how he runs his company. Wes first became interested in sellable businesses after an early acquisition inquiry, but ultimately obtained a valuation due to a divorce separation; the results came in lower than expected and highlighted measurable drivers of value, including systems, founder dependency, recurring revenue, and perceived industry risk (especially AI). The conversation covers why valuations can differ by provider and context, how undocumented processes and lack of contingency planning create operational and exit risk, and why choices like avoiding long-term client contracts may reduce valuation but align with business values. Wes shares that tightening SOPs and streamlining operations led to his most profitable year yet and emphasizes improving brand presentation, databases, and systemization well before any sale.