Perfect episode for any entrepreneur who knows they’ll eventually sell but hasn’t yet faced the question: “What then?”

In this week’s Wealthiest episode, host Anthony Mlachnik sits down with Andy Oliver, a 30-year finance veteran, two-time business founder/exiter, and partner at Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm that helps lower-middle and middle-market owners dramatically increase enterprise value and prepare for a successful exit.

Key highlights and takeaways:

1. Andy’s Unusual Journey
   • Survived 9/11 (was half a block from the South Tower), which prompted him and his wife to leave NYC and return to Milwaukee.
   • First exit: Co-created the first municipal-bond primary-market pricing system in the 1990s (sold to a UK firm).
   • Second exit: Founded Gear Wash, a firefighter-gear cleaning/disinfection company born from post-9/11 safety research (sold in 2020 right as COVID began).
2. The Biggest Blind Spot for Business Owners
   • Most owners are great at building the business but terrible at building a personal post-exit plan (financial, lifestyle, purpose).
   • More than 50% have never calculated how much capital they actually need to replace their salary with passive income or what they’ll do with their time after the sale.
3. What Actually Drives Enterprise Value & Exit Price
   • The business must be transferable: owner must decentralize themselves (strong COO/GM, documented SOPs, job descriptions, integrated data systems).
   • Lack of these = heavy valuation discounts during due diligence.
   • Clean, real-time data and KPIs are non-negotiable in today’s market.
4. Execution & Accountability
   • Traction/EOS praised as a simple, proven system to create cadence and accountability.
   • Without disciplined execution, enterprise value stalls regardless of a great product.
5. Exit Planning Framework Andy Uses
   • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) via the Exit Planning Institute.
   • “Value Acceleration Methodology”: Start with a rough valuation → align personal + financial + business plans → de-risk and grow → decide whether to exit or keep growing.
6. Personal Advice from Andy
   • Start entrepreneurial ventures earlier if possible.
   • Understand compounding: save and invest early, take calculated risks.
   • Prioritize health (he works out 6 days a week) and social connections (he jokes about starting a “ROMEO Club” – Retired Old Men Eating Out – when he retires).