Coming End of 2026
Trust the Line
A Founder's Guide to Strategic Options
By Jason G. Welz
Get Early Excerpts — Subscribe FreeAbout the Book
30+ Years of Lessons in One Playbook
This book is aimed at founders, sellers, and to a lesser extent, buyers of businesses — as a set of guideposts, examples, tools, and processes that may prove useful in the journey.
When considering exiting or buying a founder-owned business, it is important for all involved parties to be educated and prepared for creating a mutually beneficial set of outcomes and having a plan that presupposes the many things that will likely happen.
The process of selling or transitioning a business is complex, emotional, and often takes longer than anyone expects. This book gives you the playbook I wish I had when I started.
New for 2026
Why I Rewrote Major Sections of This Book
Four years ago, the playbook for founders navigating exits was relatively straightforward. Build value. Find the right partner. Execute the transaction. Protect your people.
That playbook still matters. But something fundamental shifted. AI isn't coming to the trades, services, and blue-collar industries — it's here. And it's already changing how companies are valued, how PE firms evaluate targets, and what "exit-ready" actually means.
The new Trust the Line includes chapters on AI as a valuation multiplier, practical AI readiness frameworks, and what businesses in the trades will look like in a post-AI world.
Inside the Book
Chapter Overview
Understanding the Exit Process
How we got here. Definition and importance of exit planning. Common reasons for exiting. Overview of exit options — selling, merging, passing to family, and more.
Self-Assessment and Business Valuation
Evaluating personal and business readiness. Methods for valuing a business. The mental and emotional preparation most founders skip.
Preparing the Business for Sale
Enhancing business value. Cleaning up financials. Streamlining operations. Documenting processes and systems that buyers pay a premium for.
Choosing the Right Exit Strategy
Pros and cons of each approach. Case studies from real transactions. Aligning strategy with personal and business goals.
Finding and Engaging Buyers
Identifying potential buyers. Marketing your business effectively. Working with brokers, bankers, and advisors.
Negotiating the Deal
Key negotiation tactics. Structuring the deal. Understanding LOIs, SPAs, reps and warranties, and non-competes.
Legal and Financial Considerations
Due diligence processes. Tax implications. Financial planning for life after the exit.
Transitioning the Business
Managing the handover. Ensuring business continuity. Communicating with stakeholders — employees, customers, and partners.
Life After Exit
Personal and financial adjustments. The emotional reality nobody talks about. Exploring new opportunities.
AI and Your Exit
How AI readiness impacts valuation. The AI audit framework. Low-hanging fruit every trades business should implement. Building vs. buying AI capabilities. What post-AI businesses look like.
Bonus Materials
The Tool Chest
Case Studies
- • Successful sale to a third party
- • Family succession planning
- • Employee buyout structure
Checklists & Templates
- • Exit planning checklist
- • Business valuation checklist
- • Due diligence checklist
- • NDA, LOI, and SPA templates
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