Mel Abraham warns that over 60% of businesses listed for sale never actually sell, yet many owners skip paychecks betting on that future payout. If your business can't pay you now, that's a profitability problem you need to fix today.
Here's a habit I see in business owners constantly. They never actually pay themselves. They're betting that growing the business now means that they get paid later when they sell. But you know, over 60% of businesses that get listed for sale never actually sell. So if you're not taking real compensation out along the way, you're working for free on a bet that mostly doesn't pay off. So if your business can't afford to pay you, it's not a future problem. That's a profitability flaw and it needs to be fixed. It needs to be looked at right now, line by line. Make sure that you're part of the plan and that you're getting paid today, not just hoping for a payout someday.
