🚀 7 Hard-Earned Lessons on How to Sell a Business Successfully from Roochii Cleaning's Exit

Introduction

Selling a business—especially a service-based one like a cleaning company—is a nightmare if you’ve never done it before. Naturally, turning to experts seems like the smart move, but that usually means brokers and their maze of confusing contracts. That’s where a lack of knowledge can really hurt your exit, especially when you're just trying to find a way to sell without getting locked into long agreements or giving up control.

After several interviews with different brokers, something just didn’t sit right. Over the years—whether in business or just life—we develop a kind of sixth sense for when something’s off. That instinct kept pushing me to find the right advisor. Then, out of the blue, we discovered Acquire Scale and Exit (ASE), a company that’s changing how businesses get sold quickly and fairly. They reached out to me through a cold email.

In this case study, I’ll walk you through my journey with Roochii Cleaning’s Denver branch, as I prepared to sell my business—how ASE supported me every step of the way—and the invaluable lessons I gained throughout the process.

Proven Strategies on How to Sell a Business from Our Roochii Cleaning Experience

When doing anything, knowing the process is paramount to not getting ripped off. This is where good relationships and open communication play a role.

When we decided to sell Roochii Cleaning, we knew we wanted it done right. We didn’t just want to sell—we wanted to understand the process and maximize the value of everything we had built. Here's what we learned.

Understanding the Process of Selling a Business

One of the first things ASE laid out for us was pretty eye-opening: most business owners don’t actually know how to sell a business. It’s not just about finding a buyer—it’s about making sure your business shines, both in the books and in day-to-day operations. The process itself? It’s a grind—meeting after meeting, pitching your story, breaking down the numbers, signing NDAs, pulling together clean financials, and opening your books and reputation up for deep due diligence. ASE didn’t just walk us through the steps—they helped us shape our story, too. Because in the end, people don’t just buy businesses—they buy the story behind them. No fluff, no false promises.

What Makes a Service Business Valuable to Buyers?

We came to realize that clean financials, dependable systems, and a solid leadership team are absolute gold. Buyers are looking for something they can step into with ease. While we already had strong client relationships, ASE helped us take things further—sharpening how we documented hiring, training, and retention so the business felt not just appealing, but built to last.

ASE’s Unique Approach to Help You Sell Your Business Fast

We initially hesitated to work with a firm—every interview gave me bad vibes, like there was something a bit off. Maybe even something a little more sinister. But like I said, ASE isn’t your typical broker—no boilerplate contracts, and that really stood out to me.

Why Flexible, No-Lock-In Contracts Matter

Most brokers try to lock you into 12–24-month contracts and take a hefty cut. imagine if they turn out to be bad guys, what do you do? You're stuck without a divorce. ASE came at it from a whole different angle—no binding agreements, no pressure. From day one, we felt like we were in control, not cornered.

Leveraging Systems and Clean Books to Maximize Value

ASE showed us how to properly value our business—starting with clean financials, solid SOPs, and smart automation. After putting their advice into action, our value shot up—and we had the numbers to back it up. That made the sale feel not just easy, but credible from every angle.

For a more detailed framework, see ASE’s full 14-step guide on how to sell your business for maximum value.

Key Takeaways on How to Sell a Business Without a Broker

We used to wonder, can you really sell a business online without a broker? The answer is yes—when you're working with someone who prioritizes education and empowerment.

The Importance of Recurring Clients and Marketing Systems

When we sat down with ASE, they took a deep dive into our client list and pointed out something we hadn’t fully realized—our recurring revenue wasn’t just strong, it was the backbone of our value. We already had loyal clients, but once we layered in automated Facebook ads and brought on an SEO team, serious buyers really started to take notice. Our marketing channels didn’t just scale—they painted a clear picture of where the business could go next.

Employee Strength and Stability:

One of the biggest things ASE helped us see was just how valuable our team really was. It wasn’t just about what roles people filled—it was their experience, loyalty, and the skills they brought day in and day out. ASE made it clear how much that stability mattered, especially our ability to train new hires fast and keep things running smoothly. When you sell a business, you’re not just passing off systems—you’re passing off people. And in a service business like ours, your team isn’t just part of the value—they are the value.

A Unique Buyer Network That Worked

What really stood out? ASE had this tight-knit network of serious, well-matched buyers. No time-wasters or low offers—just people genuinely looking for what we had built. They didn’t just connect us with someone—they helped us land the right fit.

How Much Can You Sell a Business For?

This is the million-dollar question—literally.

When we first asked ourselves how much can you sell a business for, we had no clue what the real answer was. Most brokers toss around vague multipliers, and sometimes low ball your business in order to make a quick sale for themselves. But ASE sat down with us and really worked on our portfolio to maximize our selling price. He was fair by industry standards.

Here’s what they helped us examine:

• Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE): We learned to isolate owner perks, personal expenses, and non-essential costs from true profitability.

• Recurring Revenue: Our monthly recurring customers became one of our most powerful selling points.

• Growth Systems: With our SEO and ads producing consistent leads, our growth wasn’t tied to us—it was scalable.

In the end, we got a valuation that not only felt fair—it felt earned.

Sell My Business Online? Here’s What Worked

At one point, we literally Googled, how to sell my business online. It felt desperate—but we didn’t want to wait 2 years tied up in a contract. ASE changed the game.

They gave us access to vetted online buyer networks—places we didn’t even know existed. Because they weren’t using traditional listing sites flooded with time-wasters, the buyers we talked to were serious and qualified.

What made the biggest difference?

• Prepared Pitch Decks

• Clear Financial Data

• Growth Potential Slides

• Marketing Performance Insights

These tools didn’t just help us pitch—they gave us the confidence to walk into every meeting feeling prepared.

What to Avoid When You Want to Sell Your Business Fast

We almost made a few rookie mistakes—until ASE stepped in. Here’s what we learned to avoid when trying to sell a business fast:

• Don’t Fake Growth: Temporary spikes don’t fool savvy buyers.

• Don’t Hide Problems: Full transparency built trust and actually improved offers.

• Don’t Overcomplicate: The simpler and cleaner your structure, the higher your value.

By focusing on clarity and clean systems, we accelerated the deal and made our business far more appealing.

Conclusion: You Deserve to Exit On Your Terms

We started this journey thinking we were preparing to sell—but as we worked closely with Acquire Scale and Exit, our perspective completely changed. The more we uncovered about our own business, the more we saw how strong it really was—and how much stronger it could be.

What began as an exit strategy turned into something unexpected: a deeper appreciation for what we’d built and a clearer path to grow it even further. ASE didn’t just help us get ready to sell—they helped us see why we weren’t ready to let go.

In the end, we chose not to sell our Colorado cleaning business. Not because we had to stay, but because we wanted to. We walked away from the process with a better business, a sharper vision, and the confidence to keep building on our terms.

If you’re at that same crossroads, don’t assume selling is your only win. With the right support, you might realize the biggest value is still ahead of you.