Cleaned and Recast P&L
Three years of financials categorized, reconciled, and recast, with owner add backs and one time expenses documented line by line.
AI Sale Readiness Program
Get your business ready to sell, and worth more when you do.
Messy books and no written systems are the two biggest reasons small businesses sell for less or do not sell at all. We clean up your P&L, turn what is in your head into written SOPs, and build a live KPI dashboard, using AI to do in weeks what usually takes owners years.
How do you get a small business ready to sell?
Start 12 to 36 months before you plan to sell. Clean up and recast at least three years of financials so true earnings are easy to verify. Write down how the business runs as standard operating procedures. Track the KPIs buyers ask for in a dashboard. Reduce how much the business depends on you, and organize contracts, licenses, leases, and records into one due diligence folder. The AI Sale Readiness Program from Martin AI Systems does all five for you, in about 6 to 10 weeks, for $5,000 to $15,000.
Why Businesses Sell for Less
Buyers do not pay for what they cannot verify.
- The books mix personal and business expenses, so real profit is hard to prove.
- Nothing is written down. If the owner leaves, the knowledge leaves too.
- Key customers, vendors, and employees only deal with the owner.
- There is no clean monthly reporting, so trends and margins are guesses.
- Contracts, licenses, and leases are scattered across email, drawers, and filing cabinets.
Every one of these adds risk in a buyer's eyes. Risk lowers the offer, adds earn outs, or kills the deal in due diligence. The fix is the same work that makes the business easier to run today.
What You Get
Everything a buyer will ask for, built and organized.
AI Drafted SOP Library
We record you and your team walking through the work. AI turns it into written, step by step SOPs for sales, scheduling, service, billing, and hiring.
Live KPI Dashboard
Revenue, gross margin, owner adjusted earnings, customer concentration, recurring revenue, and pipeline, updated automatically.
Owner Dependency Plan
A clear plan to move relationships, decisions, and daily tasks off your plate and onto your team and your systems.
Due Diligence Folder
Contracts, licenses, leases, insurance, tax returns, and employee records gathered and indexed in one secure place.
Before and After Readiness Score
Scored across 8 categories at the start and the finish, so you can see exactly what improved and what is left.
Readiness Checklist
Is your business ready to sell? Check these 8 areas.
These are the same 8 categories we score in every project.
- Financial readinessThree years of clean, reconciled P&Ls and tax returns that match, with add backs documented.
- Owner dependencyThe business can run for a month without you making daily decisions.
- SOPs and documented processesCore work is written down well enough that a new hire could follow it.
- Customer concentration and pipelineNo single customer is more than about 10% to 15% of revenue, and the pipeline is tracked.
- Systems and technologyScheduling, CRM, and accounting live in software, not in notebooks or memory.
- Contracts, licensing, and complianceLicenses are current, leases are assignable, and key contracts are signed and on file.
- Workforce and HRRoles, pay, and employee records are documented, and key people are likely to stay.
- Organization and asset inventoryEquipment, vehicles, and inventory are listed with condition and value.
How It Works
About 6 to 10 weeks from kickoff to sale ready.
- Readiness score (week 1)We score the business across 8 categories and agree on the plan and the price.
- Books cleanup (weeks 1 to 4)We gather statements, categorize transactions, and recast the P&L with your CPA or bookkeeper.
- SOP capture (weeks 2 to 6)Short recorded walkthroughs with you and your team, turned into written SOPs by AI and reviewed by you.
- Dashboard and diligence folder (weeks 4 to 8)Your KPI dashboard goes live and the document folder is built and indexed.
- Final score and handoff (weeks 8 to 10)A second readiness score, a walkthrough of everything delivered, and a list of anything left to do.
Pricing
A one time project. An optional retainer to stay ready.
AI Sale Readiness Program
Cleaned and recast P&L, SOP library, KPI dashboard, owner dependency plan, due diligence folder, and before and after readiness scores.
$5,000 to $15,000, quoted up front based on business size and the condition of the books.
Book a CallStay Ready Retainer
Monthly books review, dashboard upkeep, SOP updates as the business changes, and a quarterly readiness check, so you are ready the day an offer shows up.
Monthly, scoped at the end of your project.
Ask About the RetainerNot sure where you stand? Start with the $2,999.99 Business Value Optimization Audit. It includes an estimated business value and credits in full toward this program if you move forward within 30 days.
Questions
Getting ready to sell: FAQ
How do I get my business ready to sell?
Start 12 to 36 months before you want to sell. Clean up and recast at least three years of financials, write down your processes as SOPs, track the KPIs buyers ask about, reduce how much the business depends on you, and organize contracts, licenses, and records into one due diligence folder. Businesses that run without the owner are easier to sell and usually attract stronger offers.
How long does it take to prepare a business for sale?
The core cleanup takes about 6 to 10 weeks. Showing a buyer a year or more of clean, consistent numbers and a team that runs without you takes longer, which is why owners should start one to three years before a planned sale.
What do buyers look for when buying a small business?
Buyers want reliable earnings they can verify, documented systems, a team that can operate without the owner, a spread out customer base, clean contracts and licenses, and clear reporting. Each gap adds risk in the buyer's eyes, and risk lowers the price or kills the deal in due diligence.
How does AI help get a business ready to sell?
AI speeds up the slow parts. It turns recorded walkthroughs and interviews into written SOPs, categorizes years of transactions for a cleaner P&L, and keeps a KPI dashboard updated automatically. Work that used to take months of the owner's time gets done in weeks.
How much does the AI Sale Readiness Program cost?
Projects run $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the size of the business and the condition of the books and records. An optional monthly Stay Ready retainer keeps the books, dashboard, and SOPs current until you sell. If you start with the $2,999.99 Business Value Optimization Audit, it credits toward the project within 30 days.
Do I need this if I am not selling for a few years?
That is the best time to do it. A business that is ready to sell is also easier to run, more profitable, and less stressful for the owner. You get the benefit every month you keep it, and you are ready if an unexpected offer shows up.
Are you a CPA firm?
No. We organize, categorize, and present your financials and work alongside your CPA or bookkeeper, who remains responsible for tax filings and any reviewed or audited statements.
Martin AI Systems provides operations, systems, and financial organization services. We do not provide tax, legal, or investment advice, and an estimated business value is not a formal appraisal.
Free Sale Readiness Call
Find out how ready your business is today.
A short call to walk through the 8 categories and see if the program is a fit. Everything you share stays confidential.