What Happens After the Sale?

Planning for life after crossing the goal line

Selling your business can feel like crossing a finish line: relief, celebration, and a weight is finally off your shoulders. That’s all true.

What most founders don’t expect is how quickly the question shifts from:

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴?” to “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦?”

Selling your company is a huge moment, but it’s not the end. It’s a new beginning with new questions, new rhythms, and space you haven’t had in years.

After I sold SuperSalon, I felt that shift firsthand.

A Strange Kind of Quiet

In the days after closing, I remember waking up thinking, “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺.”

It was liberating. I could enjoy my coffee. The constant pressure I had grown used to was gone.

Then, fairly quickly, the next thought came:

“𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸?”

Because at that point, I was an employee and it felt different. 

What I Tell Sellers Now

Here’s what I suggest to sellers to do after a sale:

1. Celebrate the win

   • Take a real breath. You’ve built something that mattered. Don’t rush past it.

2. Change your environment

   • Take a trip. Hit reset. A change of scenery helps your mind catch up to your new reality.

3. Do the things you said you’d do “if you had time”

   • Read the book. Play with your kids. Sleep in. Reinvest in the people who supported you along the way. They carried weight too—it’s your turn to show up for them.

4. Ask different questions

   • Instead of “What should I do next?” try “What do I want to feel?” What brings you joy? What kind of rhythm do you want now?

     
     

Avoid the Common Trap

Post-sale, your role has to evolve. When you inevitably get bored, don't jump back in.

Try becoming a mentor, not an operator. That’s where your experience becomes most valuable without disrupting the next chapter.

A Real Example

In my last deal, the seller expected to advise for two years. He ended up staying six as a board member.

He rolled a small amount of equity, and on the second exit, he almost made more from that minority stake than he did on the first. More importantly, he stayed mentally engaged, without being overwhelmed.

That kind of structure works: meaningful, flexible, and healthy for everyone.

If you’re thinking about what comes next or how to prepare for it, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.

#SaaS #FounderLife #ExitPlanning #SoftwareAcquisition #JaanCapital