A wide rule-of-thumb in business is that your company should always be ready to sell. Besides freeing you up for the "next big thing," you just never know when one of the dreadful "D's" - Death, Divorce, Disability, Debt - will rear its ugly head.

But did you know that most business owners that sell their small and medium businesses leave a lot of money on the table? Fact is, most owners don't optimize their market position to attach the "right" buyer - that buyer that will pay a premium price.