In this episode, Erik breaks down how the way you operate your franchise today determines what it's worth tomorrow. Whether you're planning to exit in 2 years or 20, buyers are already doing the math on you — and if you're still the most important person in the building, they're going to use it against you. Here's what Erik covers: → The $200K salary trick buyers use to slash your valuation → Why "semi-absentee" isn't just a buzzword — it's your exit strategy → The $50K hire that added over $1M to one owner's sale price → How to identify your highest and best use inside your business → When to sell (hint: not at the peak) → How much of a franchise exit is luck — and how much is strategy Timestamps: 0:14:48 — Why Buyers Ding Franchise Valuations 0:15:25 — The Buyer Came Out Of Nowhere 0:16:55 — EBITDA Reduced During Negotiations 0:17:50 — The $1.2 Million Valuation Mistake 0:18:42 — Could The Business Survive Without You? 0:19:43 — Owners Doing Low-Value Work 0:22:04 — "You're Holding Everything Together" 0:23:33 — What Semi-Absentee Really Means 0:24:29 — How Sola Was Built For Enterprise Value 0:31:50 — Selling One Month Before COVID Connect with Erik Van Horn: 🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/ 📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/ 👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/ 💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/ Best Franchise Starter Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMlgRgsBAo4LWNCMSOthnK0r&si=TD1z25-ie2d23rGm https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5_OUXiuLbc_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMk2Kw07KwZGWgF8UTx9N5_T&si=ZldjBOqFanGE-JUL #franchise #franchisebusiness #buildtosell #entrepreneurship #passiveincome