If there’s one thing I’ve learned after more than 30 years as a business owner and advising dozens of sellers through M&A transactions, it’s this:
Most leaders are not struggling because they’re “bad” at something.
They’re struggling because they’re working outside their natural wiring.
And in the M&A world, where the stakes are sky-high and the demands are endless, that mismatch can cost a founder time, energy, opportunities, and sometimes millions of dollars.
That’s why I finally took the Working Genius Assessment* last week and recommend you do the same.
And I’ll tell you…it was both affirming and uncomfortably accurate. As we roll into this upcoming Thanksgiving week where the US takes off a couple of days to eat turkey and watch football, take this time to find out a little more about yourself. It will help in not only building your company to sell, but help you pick the “right” buyer when you do.
Let me start first with my own results, so you can decide if you want to spend 10 – 15 minutes taking this assessment. Plus, you can get to know me better if you ever want an M&A advisor by your side.
My Working Geniuses: Invention + Discernment
The model identifies two “genius zones,” or the things that give you energy and joy.
Mine?
🧩 Invention
Coming up with original ideas, creating new solutions, and solving problems from scratch.
(If you’ve ever wondered why I wrote a book, write frameworks, build tools, design courses, and invent new processes…this is why.)
🧩 Discernment
Using intuition and pattern recognition to evaluate whether an idea is good or not, or if a buyer/seller fit is good or not.
This is the part of me that walks into a client’s financials or deal structure and instantly sees the puzzle pieces that do or don’t work and if there truly is a good cultural fit between the buyer and seller.
Together, this pairing is called “The Discriminating Ideator.”
Which, honestly, is a perfect description of how I operate:
- I love solving complex problems (e.g., how to get even MORE money for your company and avoid leaving excess money on the table in the form of net working capital).
- I trust my gut when it’s screaming that something is off, especially when I don’t see a good long-term fit between a buyer and seller, regardless of how large the purchase price is.
- I don’t need a thousand data points; I see patterns quickly. I just need to look at your last TTM and I get how you run your business.
- And once the big challenge is solved, I’m ready to move to the next mountain or seller transaction. I don’t like to hang around for integration, etc. Others are better qualified for that.
My Working Competencies: Tenacity + Wonder
These are things I can do…but don’t want to do all day.
Tenacity: I can push things across the finish line.
Which is why I love closing date deadlines. It means my seller and I see an end in sight, which is key for seller burnout. Plus, you know the expression I live by: time kills all deals – including M&A.
Wonder: I can ask the big “What if?” questions.
These don’t drain me, but they don’t give me energy either. If I lived here too long, I’d burn out, and the quality of my work would suffer. So, I really don’t want to speculate how you moving from one system to another will save everyone money.
My Working Frustrations: Galvanizing + Enablement
Now here’s where I nodded the hardest.
These are the areas that drain me:
Galvanizing: rallying people, cheerleading, getting everyone moving.
I hate hurding cats, so I like it when my sellers get their due diligence list completed without me constantly prodding them along. After all, I am trying to make you millions, so “help me help you,” as the expression goes.
Enablement: providing hands-on support and step-by-step assistance.
I will do this, but in the form of a book, course, checklist, or spreadsheet. That way, I can say it once but you can review it multiples times to make sure you understand it. Plus, this allows me to teach the masses that cannot or don’t want to work with me for whatever reason.
If you’ve ever watched me avoid “rah-rah” tasks or resist micromanaging people, this is why.
This also explains why I structure my business the way I do: why I rely on process, why I hire great people (Katie), and why I build tools instead of doing everything live and hands-on.
Why This Matters for You, the Seller
Especially owners/founders preparing for a sale.
1. Because your genius determines what drains you
And selling a company requires operating in every genius at some point.
2. Because the deal process exposes your blind spots
Buyers will absolutely notice where you shine and where you’re forcing it.
3. Because the right team around you multiplies enterprise value
A business is most valuable when it’s not overdependent on the founder.
4. Because burnout creates bad decisions
I’ve seen founders:
- accept the wrong buyer
- stall on due diligence
- mismanage deadlines
- drown in financial cleanup
- or abandon the sale entirely
…not because the business wasn’t great, but because they were trying to do everything in areas that weren’t their genius.
What Founders Should Do with This Insight
1. Know your genius so you stop judging yourself
You’re not “bad at details” or “not a people person.” You just have natural strengths and natural drains.
2. Build your team around your weak zones
If galvanizing or enablement aren’t your genius (like me), hire or partner with someone who loves those things. You will grow so much faster and with less stress. A lesson that took me a few too many years to learn myself when I had my own companies.
3. Delegate earlier than feels comfortable
High-performing founders offload their non-genius work sooner, not later.
4. Use your genius strategically during a sale
In my case, I’m strongest:
- when finding the right positioning
- when architecting deal strategy
- when evaluating offers
- when discerning which buyer is the best fit
That’s where I should spend my energy; not chasing people, not repeating checklists, not being the cheerleader.
5. Encourage your leadership team to take the assessment
This tool is transformative for hiring, delegation, and reducing friction.
A Personal Note
Why am I sharing all of my personal data? Because a good marriage between myself and my sellers equals more money in their pocket. Guaranteed!! Follow my guidance and I will not only find the right buyer for you, but at the highest price.
The more companies I help sell, the more convinced I become that self-awareness is an economic asset.
Knowing how you are wired (and surrounding yourself with people who complement, not duplicate, those traits) is not a luxury. It’s leverage.
And that includes stepping into an M&A transaction either alone or with an advisor.
If you haven’t taken the Working Genius Assessment* yet, it’s worth the 10 minutes. Founders who understand their genius build healthier companies, make better decisions, and navigate the sale process with far less emotional wear.
The Six Types of Working Genius (Explained Through the Lens of M&A)
Finally, I reframed the six types through the lens of M&A (you will map for which ones you are strongest in when you take the assessment). I am hoping this will convince you to consider this assessment; not only for yourself, but your entire management team:
Wonder
The ability to step back and ask, “Is our business really where it needs to be?” In M&A terms, this shows up as questioning your financial readiness, the sustainability of revenue, or whether now is the right time to go to market. Wonder identifies gaps long before buyers do, which is its own kind of deal protection.
Invention
The talent for creating new solutions once a gap or opportunity is identified. For founders preparing for a sale, this often looks like developing new reporting structures, rethinking service delivery, redesigning packaging, or crafting a cleaner financial story that will resonate with buyers.
Discernment
The intuitive ability to evaluate whether something is truly a good idea. In deals, this is the “gut check” genius, or the pattern recognition that tells you when an LOI doesn’t feel right, when a buyer is overpromising, or when your financials still need refinement before going to market. It’s the internal compass that keeps sellers out of trouble.
Galvanizing
The spark that gets people moving. In the M&A process, this looks like rallying your internal team around deadlines, motivating them through due diligence fatigue, or energizing leadership around the upcoming transition. Founders with this genius turn the sale into a coordinated effort rather than a grind.
Enablement
The ability to provide hands-on support and respond to what others need during a complex process. In a sale, that means helping team members gather data, prepping staff for buyer meetings, smoothing communication between advisors, or being the “glue” that keeps everyone aligned. Enablement makes the deal experience less stressful for everyone involved.
Tenacity
The determination to get things across the finish line, even when the process is exhausting. In M&A, Tenacity looks like staying on top of outstanding requests, cleaning up the last financial details, responding to buyer diligence promptly, and pushing through the final weeks of negotiations. All the unglamorous but absolutely essential work required to close successfully.
And if you take it, send me your results. I’d love to see where your strengths lie. The test is only $25, (the price of a bougie pumpkin pie).
BTW, I have a 20% discount for you. Just enter the word MARKETING at checkout for a discount.
Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving – you can thank me later!
* I have no association with this assessment and am not receiving any form of compensation. Just looking out for you, my reader, in case you were wondering. 😊
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