Building a new business with a four-year exit strategy is fashionable but fallacious

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” The lyrics from a John Lennon song are true for life and exits. Just a decade ago, the word “exit” did not seem to exist in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. You built a business with a vision and a set of values, and you worked hard to grow it, never really planning to leave it behind and move on. But the new, energetic entrepreneur of today is on the other end of the spectrum, building a business with a four-year exit plan and a strategy to match. But is this realistic, smart or doable? Absolutely not.

I have exited many businesses, but not one of those decisions were expected, much less planned or timed. I entered businesses that excited me, I stayed with them, built on the vision my co-founder and I had, and did what was best for the business at the time.