You built the business.
Now learn how to cash out right.
You have spent years, maybe decades, pouring everything into your company. You have survived the lean seasons, scaled through the chaos, and built something real. But now you are staring down the biggest question of your professional life: What is it all actually worth, and how do you walk away without leaving millions on the table? Too many owners stumble into this moment unprepared, losing deals to messy financials, buyer red flags, or the sheer emotional weight of letting go.
From CEO to Exit: The Ultimate Payday for Pest Control & Lawn Care Owners picks up the fictional journey of father-son duo Michael and Peter Hall in From Technician to CEO as they face the most critical juncture of their business lives. Guided by their trusted advisor, Stan, the Halls navigate valuation, buyer negotiations, due diligence, family dynamics, and the deeply personal calculus of selling a life’s work. The story is a fable, but the strategies are real, drawn from the authors’ direct experience as CPAs and M&A specialists who have closed over $2 billion in pest control and lawn care transactions.
Readers will discover:
- How to objectively assess your company’s transferable value and bridge the gaps before going to market
- How to assemble an advisory “A-Team,” run a competitive auction, and defend your story to sophisticated buyers
- How to evaluate offers, survive due diligence, and negotiate definitive agreements that protect your legacy
Whether you are years away from a sale or weighing your options today, this book is your roadmap to the ultimate payday.
Praise for From CEO to Exit
“From CEO to Exit is genuinely excellent—a practical, entertaining roadmap for turning years of hard work into a business buyers will fight over, without losing your sanity, your legacy, or a few million dollars along the way. If you own a pest or lawn company, read this book—because ‘I’ll figure it out when I’m ready to sell’ is not an exit strategy.”
Donnie Shelton, Owner, Triangle Home Services, Co-Host & PMP Industry Insiders Podcast
“From CEO to Exit reinforces a truth I learned firsthand as a pest control company owner: The best exit outcomes—and true owner freedom—are created by building a business that can thrive without you. Dan gives pest control and lawn care owners a practical roadmap for understanding what buyers value and preparing long before it is time to sell.”
Sheri Spencer Bachman, Former Owner, Spencer Pest Services & Pest Control Business Coach
“Building a great company and successfully exiting one are two very different skill sets. From CEO to Exit provides a practical roadmap for owners who want to maximize the value of what they’ve spent a lifetime creating. If you own a pest control or lawn care company and hope to sell it someday, this book belongs on your shelf.”
David Billingsly, Founder & Principal, The Billingsly Group & Former President, American Pest