Finish Strong · A fireside chat for business owners
Scott Bushkie and Garrett D’Alessandro talk through when to sell, the mistakes that cost owners value, who belongs on your team, and what life looks like after closing.
Thursday, December 10, 2026
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3:00 pm ET · 12:00 pm PT
Online
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Complimentary
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Included with registration
Register and receive The Business Owner Journey, Sandro’s playbook for the five phases of an owner’s transition, from the first honest look at what the business is worth to what you do with the proceeds.
The five phases owners move through, laid out end to end
The questions to put to your deal team before you sign anything
Sent to every registrant, whether or not you attend.
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Who should attend
No deal experience needed, and you don’t have to be planning a sale. If a couple of these describe you, sign up.
If you advise owners rather than own the company, you’re welcome to join. Choose Advisor or professional when you register so we send you the right follow-up.
You own and run a company with more than $5M in revenue
You’re thinking about selling or handing off the company, whether that’s a year away or ten
You’d like to know what you’d keep, and what life looks like after the deal closes
You’d rather build your team early than assemble one under pressure
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Why this session
There’s no practice run. You get one chance to do it right.
Scott Bushkie
Each one sees a different part of the sale.
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What the conversation covers
I.
You only get one chance
Why so many owners underestimate how complex a sale is, how much timing affects the outcome, and what it means to be financially ready before there’s an offer on the table.
II.
The mistakes that can cost owners millions
Accepting an unsolicited offer, not creating competition among buyers, waiting too long to prepare, and relying on incomplete information. Plus why comparing offers on price alone misleads, and how to compare what you’d keep.
III.
Why the right team matters
Who belongs on your team (the M&A advisor, accountant, attorney and wealth advisor), what each one does, and how coordinated planning closes the gaps between them. What to look for when you choose.
IV.
Defining success beyond the sale
A successful transaction should create both financial security and personal freedom. How the deal terms shape the years after closing, and what the day after the sale looks like for you and your family.
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Your presenters
Garrett D’Alessandro
Garrett runs Sandro Wealth Management. He takes the owner’s side of the conversation: what the family needs the sale to fund, what’s left after taxes and fees, and how the money gets used once the deal closes.
Scott Bushkie
Scott is the managing partner and founder of Cornerstone Business Services and the author of Finish Strong, the book this session is named for. He sees the sale from the transaction side: how buyers set value, why competition among buyers matters, and what owners can do years ahead so the timing stays their decision.