The business has more futures than the obvious one
Founders often think about their business in terms of one trajectory. Grow it. Make it bigger. Keep going.
There are usually more options than that. You could continue building. You could step back into a smaller role while it runs. You could sell the business. You could merge with another. You could license parts of it. You could turn it into something else. You could close it down deliberately if it stops serving its purpose.
Each of these is a legitimate option. The earlier you’re aware of them, the more deliberately you can shape the business in ways that keep your options open — and the better your eventual decision will be, whatever it ends up being.
Why options matter
Founders without options end up making decisions under pressure. ...
