Can’t afford to retire, but want to work less? This strategy may be for you.

Congratulations to Dave Watson, who after more than 25 years building Custom Advertising, recently hired us to sell his business. The transaction closed on April 30th and allows Dave to begin the next chapter of retirement. Booker Promo Acquires Custom Advertising

But the reality is that most distributor owners who approach us about selling their business aren’t truly ready to retire yet.

In fact, many owners discover during the valuation process that selling today would not generate enough proceeds to support the retirement lifestyle they envision. Too often, there has been little personal financial planning alongside the years spent building the business.

That’s why understanding your “retirement number” is critical. Retirement is not determined by age — it’s determined by whether your invested assets can support the lifestyle you want long term. If you don’t know your retirement number, this is a good time to engage a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

For owners who want to exit in the next several years, we often help prepare the business for a future sale by implementing strategies designed to maximize value. This process forces owners to answer important questions:

Where is the business going?

Why are you building it?

What is your long-term exit strategy?

However, many owners face another challenge: they’re financially unable to retire today, but personally ready to work less.

A spouse may want to travel more. Health concerns may emerge. Or after decades of hard work, you may simply want to slow down.

This is where the “exit without selling” strategy can become extremely valuable.

For Smaller Distributors

If your business generates approximately $3M–$5M in annual sales, one effective strategy is hiring additional operational support to reduce your day-to-day workload.

For owners still managing accounts and selling products directly, hiring and developing a younger Account Manager can be an ideal first step. Over time, client relationships can gradually transition to the new hire.

Not only does this reduce owner dependency and workload, but it can also increase the value of the business.

For Larger Distributors

If your business generates $10M+ in annual sales, you may be able to hire an executive leader to assume many of your management responsibilities.

While this approach may reduce short-term personal income, it can dramatically improve quality of life while still allowing you to build wealth toward your retirement goals. In many cases, owners transition into a Chairman of the Board style role — remaining involved strategically while stepping away from the daily grind.

One Important Reality

There is no such thing as being completely hands-off when you own a business.

Even if you step back significantly, you still need oversight, accountability, and financial controls in place. Staff turnover can happen, and unexpected operational issues may require you to re-engage temporarily.

Until the business is sold, ultimate responsibility still rests with the owner.

For many distributor owners, the best first step toward retirement isn’t selling the business — it’s redesigning their role inside it.