We only started running on EOS this year. Should we delay selling until we have a longer track record?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Do not delay a sale simply to accumulate time on EOS. Assess whether your operating improvements are established enough to support the claims you will make to buyers. Introducing EOS tools and demonstrating sustained execution are different milestones.

The distinction between a well-run EOS company and an EOS company operating with an exit lens matters here. Internal progress shows that the business is improving. Exit readiness requires evidence that those improvements are durable and transferable to a new owner.

Review three areas before deciding when to approach the market:

- Consistency: Does the leadership team maintain its operating cadence without repeated resets?
- Execution: Are quarterly Rocks completed, recurring issues addressed, and core processes followed rather than merely documented?
- Evidence: Can you show operating results across relevant business cycles, including seasonal pressure or a difficult quarter?

There is no universal EOS waiting period that establishes readiness. A recently implemented system with credible results may support a stronger sale story than a longstanding system used inconsistently.

Keep earlier performance visible. Explain what changed, when it changed, and which results are still too recent to treat as established. Avoid presenting a short improvement streak as the business's normal performance.

The recommendation is to base timing on demonstrated readiness, personal objectives, and market conditions, not an EOS anniversary. If material improvements remain unproven, consider allowing more operating history to develop before asking buyers to underwrite them.