The Intent
You are worried that years of work will be split mechanically, without regard to how the business actually functions or whether value is transferable.
How I Solve It
I use the 25 Factors to clarify what portion of the business represents transferable enterprise value versus personal effort. Factor #13: Management Capability, Factor #14: Client Base, Factor #5: Liquidity, and Factor #21: Minority Interest are particularly relevant.
The 5 Senses Inspection Report establishes whether clients, staff, and systems would remain if the owner stepped away, which directly affects what portion of value is divisible.
Experience
It is vital because "Does my spouse get half my business?" is not a mechanical calculation. It is a real-world judgment about risk, control, sustainability, and transferability — and that judgment is where 10–15 years of owner-operator and valuation experience, your gut–brain axis, does the heavy lifting.
Why It Is Not Mechanical
On paper, valuation appears formula-driven. In reality, governance rights, risk concentration, growth durability, market conditions, and stakeholder dynamics materially affect value.
Where Experience Changes the Number
Decisions around normalization, premiums, discounts, projections, and defensibility require judgment formed through lived ownership, negotiation, and financial accountability.
Why the Gut–Brain Axis Matters
The brain performs disciplined financial analysis. The gut recognizes unrealistic narratives, hidden leverage, emotional distortions, and deal risk. Together they produce conclusions that withstand scrutiny.
Protecting Financial Lives
The final number affects wealth, control, solvency, tax exposure, and long-term relationships. Requiring 10–15 years of serious hands-on business and valuation experience ensures the answer is fair, defensible, and durable. See my Experience page.
The Result
You get clarity on what portion of the business is truly divisible and what portion is personal, reducing unrealistic expectations and legal escalation.