”The more valuable you are to the business, the less valuable it is to other people.” – Colin BowmanIn this episode of the Power Exit Podcast, John Marsh welcomes Colin Bowman, partner at Cultivate Advisors, who specializes in enterprise value acceleration for business owners preparing for exit. Colin shares a powerful insight from speaking to rooms of 100+ business owners across the country: almost everyone can tell you their home's value, but 90% have no idea what their business is worth—despite it being their most valuable asset.Colin reveals why only 3% of businesses that go to market actually get the value owners think they deserve. The discussion dives deep into the concept of enterprise value as the North Star—more important than revenue or profit alone. You'll discover Colin's powerful mentor story about leadership. When he complained ”I wish I could just clone myself,” his mentor responded: ”What I hear you say is, I wish I was a better leader.” That moment transformed how he built teams and what changed his entire approach to recruiting company builders versus loyal workers.You'll Learn:🔹Why the ”three stars” framework (sales, operations, finance) is the bare minimum leadership team before exit🔹How to get your business running on 10 hours per week or less of owner time🔹The Shackleton expedition recruiting strategy: ”Superstars Only” and why listing challenges attracts top talent🔹The ”core four” external team every owner needs 2+ years before exit: wealth manager, tax strategist, legal counsel, and M&A advisor🔹Why making yourself irrelevant is the key to maximizing business value (even though it's emotionally hard)🔹When to exit: at peak performance when you're most excited, not after the business has crested downWhether you're planning an exit or want to build a business that doesn't depend on you, Colin's insights show exactly why enterprise value acceleration isn't just exit planning—it's better business planning.Connect With JohnLinkedIn –   / marshcreek  Connect With ColinLinkedIn –   / colinbbowman  🔸 Get a Complimentary Business Valuation:https://www.mcreek.com/what-is-my-bus…📌 Subscribe To The PowerExit™ Insights Newsletter:https://www.mcreek.com/newsletter/🌐 More resources ➝ https://www.mcreek.com/About John Marsh:John Marsh is the Founder and Managing Partner of Marsh Creek Advisors, a boutique M&A advisory firm that helps business owners navigate the sale of their companies with confidence and clarity. Since founding the firm, John has closed hundreds of millions in transactions and earned national recognition as Top Global Producer by the International Business Brokers Association and part of the Firm of the Year by M&A Source — the highest honors in the industry.Before launching Marsh Creek, John served as CFO and later General Manager of a high-growth medical device company, where he led over $300 million in M&A activity, including a $161 million sale to private equity. Earlier in his career, he worked at Ernst & Young and Frazier & Deeter, where he focused on financial reporting and audit services for both Fortune 100 companies and privately held businesses. John holds a BA from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Kennesaw State University. He lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with his wife and two daughters.#BusinessExit#EnterpriseValue#MAAdvisory#ExitPlanning#BusinessValuation#OwnerDependency#LeadershipTeam#ExitStrategy#BusinessGrowth