Episode #403

What every seller needs to know before selling their practice

July 20, 2026

A practice sale that should have been the easiest transition imaginable ended before negotiations even began—and the lessons could save you from making the same costly mistake.

In this episode, I shares the story of an anonymized internal succession plan that unraveled despite all the ingredients for success: a trusted associate, established patient relationships, and a seller committed to staying through the transition. So what went wrong?

Using this real-world case study, I’ll share the psychology of selling a practice, why valuations are opinions—not verdicts—and how misunderstanding business value can derail even the most promising transition.

Start Planning Today

Don’t miss out on exclusive access to financial tips, strategies, and expert-led webinars. Subscribe to the “Planning Life, On Purpose” newsletter today and stay ahead of the planning curve!

Along the way, I’ll also tackle one of the most misunderstood metrics in business valuation—EBITDA—and explain why practice owners should be cautious about relying on it when estimating what their practice is worth.

Have a podcast-related question? Contact our team here!

Resources:

Berkshire YouTube clip: Every time you hear EBITDA, substitute it with “bull***” earnings

Book a Triage call with Adam

Download the Practice Owner’s Financial Toolkit

20/20 Money Ultimate Financial Success Masterclass

OD Mastermind Interest Form

Check out Adam’s book: How to Buy an Optometry Practice

—————————————————————————————
Please rate and subscribe to 20/20 Money on these platforms

Apple Podcasts

Spotify
—————————————————————————————

For past episodes of 20/20 Money with full companion show notes, please check out our episode archive here!

Check out Adam’s other podcast!

The Optometry Success Podcast 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4tttng6

Subscribe on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4tuf0YM 

Episode Transcript

No transcript available yet.

Enjoy our content? Subscribe for regular updates!

Related Podcasts

  • Practice Management
What every seller needs to know before selling their practice

A practice sale that should have been the easiest transition imaginable ended before negotiations even began—and the lessons could save…

  • Practice Management
Your Practice Doesn’t Need More of Your Time — It Needs Better Use of It with Nathan Hayes

What if the next level of your practice requires less time in the lane — not more? In this episode…

  • Practice Management
A simple introduction to AI for optometry practice owners: a practical conversation with Dr. Mick Kling

AI can feel overwhelming, overhyped, and impossible to keep up with — especially when every conversation seems to swing between…

  • Practice Management
Optical isn’t dead – but the way you are running it is with Dr. Jennifer Stewart

What if the biggest reason patients aren’t buying glasses from your practice… is the experience you’ve unintentionally created around optical?…

  • Practice Management
Why some dry eye practices thrive-and others quietly fail with Dr. Chris Wolfe

What if the biggest mistake practice owners make with dry eye isn’t buying the wrong technology… but building their entire…

  • Practice Management
Implementing a profitable Medicaid practice into your local school district: a convo with Dr. Ryan Hansen

What if serving Medicaid patients wasn’t a drain on your practice… but one of the most efficient and fulfilling business…