EP 123: Beyond Selling: The Case for Half-Retirement with Jim Muehlhausen

Selling your business doesn’t always deliver the financial security or fulfillment you expect. So what if there was another option?

Jim Muehlhausen, founder of Half-Retire, has worked with thousands of owners facing this exact dilemma. In this episode, he shares how business owners can step back from day-to-day operations without giving up income, legacy, or control—and why it’s a viable exit option.

In this episode, you will:

• Learn the core principles of half-retirement

• Understand how to design systems that reduce owner dependency

• Learn simple steps to de-risk your business for the future

Highlights:

(00:00) Meet Jim Muehlhausen

(03:30) Why most owners don’t sell their business

(05:43) Financial fears that keep owners from retiring

(10:20) Why quality of earnings matters more than valuation

(14:12) The 44% rule of selling your business

(16:20) Delegating versus designing yourself out of work

(21:32) The six-step process for half-retirement 

(28:13) The buyer’s perspective of risk

Resources:

Take the Half-Retire Master Class: https://halfretire.com/free/ 

For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/

Follow Jim:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmuehlhausen/ 

E-Mail: jimmue@halfretire.com 

Follow Ed:

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders