By: Manuel Lorenzo – President – CONAZUL
In the business world, few experiences generate as much uncertainty as the question that arrives without warning: “How much is your company worth?” For many founders and owners, this simple phrase opens an abyss. Not because the company lacks value, but because after years of effort, sacrifice, and difficult decisions, they have not had the time—or the habit—to measure it, understand it, or optimize it. And then, when the opportunity appears, it comes with a bitter feeling: being unprepared.
Throughout my career, I have seen this pattern repeat itself dozens of times. Entrepreneurs who have spent many years building successful companies, yet have never conducted a formal valuation. Not out of disinterest, but because they have been busy operating, solving problems, growing, firefighting, keeping the company moving, and generating income. Until one day someone knocks on the door with a purchase offer—sometimes unexpected, sometimes tempting—and that is when the rush, the doubt, and in many cases, regret, begin.
The reality is that opportunities do not wait. Neither does the market. When you do not know what your company is worth, you are likely to miss the opportunity—or worse, leave money on the table out of ignorance. A buyer always has a clear strategy, financial capacity, and price range. The seller often does not.
But there is another type of entrepreneur: those who build their company from day one with a potential exit in mind. Not because they want to sell immediately, but because they understand that every company is, at its core, an asset. And like any asset, its value can grow, deteriorate, or transform depending on the strategic decisions that are made. These founders develop what we call an exit strategy—a clear roadmap aimed at increasing company value through every micro and macro decision. From how information is documented, to how teams are structured, scalable processes are built, revenues are diversified, and risks are mitigated.
This approach is not only for startups or technology companies. It applies to any business that aspires to outlast its founders, to grow, attract investors, merge, or eventually be sold. And above all, to any entrepreneur who understands that cycles exist. Just as people go through life stages, so do companies. There are periods of expansion and periods of maturity; moments of succession and, at times, closure. There are owners without heirs interested in operating the business, family companies without generational succession, or entrepreneurs who simply want to realize the value they have built over many years.
Planning for these scenarios is not a luxury. It is a responsibility.
This is not only about legal, estate, or family matters—important as they are—but also about financial and strategic factors: the quality of accounting information, the true profitability of the business, customer concentration, dependence on founders, robust processes, scalability, market competitiveness, and clarity of future strategy. All of these elements directly influence a company’s value. And all of them can be worked on, optimized, and strengthened—if you start in time.
It is never too early to value your company. But it is also true that it is never too late to begin. Many companies start this process midway, once they have a more solid structure or finally realize that valuation is not a document, but a compass—a decision-making tool, a way to prioritize, and a means to understand where value is being created and where it is being destroyed.
Knowing your company’s value allows you to see your business with new eyes. It forces you to step away from daily operations and look at the bigger picture. It helps you anticipate scenarios, prepare for difficult conversations, and seize opportunities that may only come once. And above all, it allows you to stop reacting and start planning.
At CONAZUL, we support entrepreneurs through this process every day. Yes, we value companies—but we also build strategies to increase that value over time. Whether you are thinking about selling, merging, seeking investors, or simply understanding the financial health of your business, the important thing is to start. Because when the next opportunity arrives—and believe me, it always does—you should be ready, informed, and confident that every decision you made contributed to maximizing the value of your effort.
Your company’s value is not improvised. It is built. And it starts with deciding to understand it today, not tomorrow.