Building a shop that's actually worth selling
If the shop only runs because of you, it isn't a business yet. It's a job.
Owner-dependence is the biggest valuation killer
Buyers heavily discount shops where the owner is the sales, the technical lead, and the operations. Reducing owner dependence increases multiple.
Clean books increase the price
Buyers pay more for businesses with two to three years of clean, third-party-reviewed financials. Messy books force buyers to discount for risk.
Recurring revenue commands a premium
Maintenance plans, service contracts, recurring B2B accounts. Predictable revenue is worth more per dollar than one-off project revenue.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.