”When you sell a business without representation, you're not walking away clean—you're walking into a minefield.” – Peter ChatelIn this episode of the Power Exit Podcast, John Marsh welcomes Peter Chatel, a seasoned business coach and former Coca-Cola executive with over 200 companies observed across his career. Peter shares the critical blind spot most business owners face: they believe selling a business works like selling a house—list it, show it to anyone, get offers, walk away. The reality is far more complex and costly.The uncomfortable truth: business owners who attempt for-sale-by-owner transactions consistently undervalue their assets and expose themselves to unforeseen risks. Unlike real estate, business sales demand strategic gating, rigorous buyer qualification, and professional representation—or you'll leave millions on the table.You'll Learn:🔹 The proven cost of DIY business sales: sellers who work alone achieve 6-11% less than those with professional representation🔹 Why confidentiality in business sales is everything (and how for-sale-by-owner deals destroy it)🔹 The critical difference between showing a business and showing a house to unqualified prospects🔹 How professional vetting and proof-of-funds requirements protect your valuation🔹 Why 75% of unrepresented real estate transactions end in litigation (and what this teaches about business sales)🔹 How professional representation scales value across your organizationPeter's perspective is grounded in a unique vantage point: he's seen corporate leadership at scale, built successful companies, and now applies those insights to real estate and business advisory. His conclusion: just as you wouldn't sell a luxury home without representation, you shouldn't sell your business alone.Connect With JohnLinkedIn –   / marshcreek  Connect With PeterLinkedIn –   / peterchatel  🔸 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#ExitStrategy#DiySaleMistake#BusinessValuation#MergersAndAcquisitions#ExitPlanning#BusinessSale#ProfessionalRepresentation#ConfidentialitySale#DueDiligence