Founders often delay exit decisions for understandable reasons:

• they want one more strong year,
• they want clearer macro signals,
• they want certainty on AI’s actual impact.

The problem is that certainty usually arrives after repricing.

The timing trap

By the time disruption is obvious in headline metrics, buyers have already adjusted assumptions. That can show up as:

• lower headline multiples,
• heavier earn-outs,
• stricter warranties and downside protection.

In other words, the market does not pay a premium for waiting to be convinced.

Better decision logic

Instead of waiting for certainty, focus on asymmetry:

• What is the upside of waiting one more year?
• What is the downside if AI-driven pressure accelerates faster than expected?

If downside dominates and your current performance is still attractive, preparing for an earlier exit can be the rational capital-preservation move.

A balanced stance

This is not an argument that every consultancy should sell immediately. It is an argument that timing risk is now strategic.

For many owners, the highest-value move is to build a real exit option while they still negotiate from strength.