Question 1

Is this the same as exit planning or working with a business broker?

Accepted Answer

No. Brokers and exit planners handle the transaction — the valuation, the buyer search, the deal structure. Clean Canvas happens before that. It's the work of deciding whether to sell at all, and getting clear on what you want before you enter any process. Many Clean Canvas clients go on to work with a broker. They just show up to that conversation ready.

Question 2

What if I'm not sure I want to sell — I might want to keep the business?

Accepted Answer

That's exactly who this is for. Clean Canvas doesn't presuppose an exit. It ends with one of two outcomes: a clear decision to sell, or a concrete plan to transform the business and re-engage with it on different terms. Both are legitimate. The goal is a decision, not a particular direction.

Question 3

How is this different from working with a business coach or consultant?

Accepted Answer

Most coaches and consultants help you run your business better. Clean Canvas is specifically for founders at a crossroads — people who are questioning whether they want to keep running it at all. It's a defined engagement with a defined deliverable: a decision and a plan. Not an ongoing coaching relationship.

Question 4

How long does Clean Canvas take?

Accepted Answer

Clean Canvas is a focused intensive, not an open-ended engagement. The timeline is structured and bounded — this is not a months-long retainer. The specifics are discussed on the discovery call, where Kathleen can tailor the scope to where you are and what you need.

Question 5

Is Clean Canvas right for me if my business is still performing well?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and often this is the best time to do it. Founders who wait until the business is struggling have fewer options and less leverage. The crossroads question isn't about performance; it's about whether you still want to be the person running this. Many of the founders who get the most from Clean Canvas are running profitable businesses. They're just exhausted, or no longer sure it's what they want.

Question 6

What happens after Clean Canvas — what's the actual next step?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the decision you make. If you're selling, Kathleen can introduce you to the right advisors — brokers, attorneys, wealth managers — at the right time, with a clear brief on what you're looking for. If you're transforming, you leave with a concrete restructuring plan and accountability for the first phase of executing it. Either way, you don't leave with a set of options to think about. You leave with a direction.

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