Not One-Size-Fits-All

There I am, sitting on the floor of the children’s department like a protest.

My mom loved to tell the story of buying doll socks because I was such a tiny baby. But now I’m 10 and wishing I was anywhere but here on this cold, hard floor.

I feel my face getting hot and wonder if steam is coming out of my ears, like some angry cartoon character.

The racks of clothes are towering above me, mocking me with their gaudy outfits...

Today’s BlockbustHER BrainteasHER:

Are you crafting an exit—or waiting until illness or exhaustion decide for you?

Patty’s Perspective . . .

I hate all those pink bows and frilly dresses that are the prescribed costume for all little girls.

I want the elegant, tailored look my mom and her mother wear. I dream of how I would feel wearing ‘grown up’ clothes.

So, my wise mom—at wits end with my silent protest—kneels next to me, looks me square in the eye, and says “then learn to sew!”

Within the year, I am making all my own clothes, scaling down adult patterns, and happily creating my own designs.

Practical, versatile, and classic, the little black dress became the favorite thing in my closet. I could add pearls or a splash of color, stylish shoes and a matching belt.

And that experience inspired me to develop the Elegant Exit™, bringing the simplicity, elegance, and choices of the little black dress to a life-changing transition like your business exit.

Just as your fashion style is unique to you, there is no one-size-fits-all pattern for your exit.

The Elegant Exit™ provides two viable paths: Latent Capital™ or Living Capital™.

Both create freedom. Both build wealth. Both reduce stress. But they require different truths, different emotional muscles, and different definitions of ‘enough’.

My research and decades of experience lead me to these conclusions:

1. Latent Capital™: selling, merging, or creating a deal that moves you out of the business.

The math can work IF you’re generating upwards of $5M annually, with consistent, predictable revenue. You have a strong leadership team. You’ve actively built real business value. And you have the patience and commitment to handle the emotional rollercoaster of the sales process.

  2. Living Capital™: extracting value from the business while you still own it.

This is not about passive income—it’s about portable power. Generally, this is a better fit for businesses generating less than $5M annually. Women who choose this path tend to be deeply loyal—to clients, teams, and the identities they’ve worn for decades. Their exit comes in the form of evolving and extracting.

An exit is elegant only if it increases your personal wealth while decreasing the stress required to maintain it.

Anything else is just endurance with better branding.

In my experience, the most successful transitions are achieved by stripping stuff away—like creating that little black dress. When you’ve taken the time to design, measure, cut, and carefully craft your transition, you’re on the path to a classic.

Now What?

Feeling stuck is a signal you’re ready for change—and the best time to design your exit is when you’re successful and stuck.

Have you built a profitable and valuable business but instead of feeling energized and hopeful, you’re feeling quietly exhausted?

In my experience, women don't retire; they transition into a new stage of purpose and impact. Whether you are 40 or 60, the idea of retirement may not appeal to you. Just because you can retire doesn’t mean you’ll want to.

Since 2006, I’ve seen too many women get bad advice, pushing them to exits that leave them feeling demoralized and angry. The exit process is filled with pitfalls and complex issues—especially for women.

That’s why I help women founders achieve an Elegant Exit™—because you deserve better.

In fact, for women running companies under $5M in annual revenue, I’ve come to believe that you have more control, better focus on your real priorities, and better odds of building wealth when you build Living Capital™, instead of trying to sell your business to a stranger (what I call Latent Capital™).

The Elegant Exit™ is how you convert business success into real wealth—without sacrificing your nervous system to get there.

As your advocate, I’m looking out for your your best interests, guiding you to discover right-fit options, execute critical decisions, and cultivate personal wealth.

Contact me to learn more.

What are your biggest blind spots in crafting an exit? Find out at: http://she-exits.com/