David Prowse interviews Joe Graci, CEPA, Managing Director, Ontario at M&A Club Canada, on the most expensive habit in privately held Canadian business: owner dependency. A founder-led company is a riskier asset, and buyers price that risk into the offer. Joe and David cover where dependency hides, how it compresses valuation, and the steps that move a company from founder-led to transferable. Nearly 70 to 80 per cent of businesses put on the market fail to sell. In the inaugural episode of the Expert Interview Series, host David Prow sits down with exit planning advisor Joe Grouchy to break down why so many business transitions collapse and how owners can successfully build transferable value. They explore the value acceleration methodology, the three legs of the exit planning stool (business, personal, and financial readiness), how to overcome high owner dependency, and why planning three to five years in advance is crucial for surviving rigorous buyer due diligence. About the guest: Joe Grouchy is a certified exit planning advisor, former business owner, and the managing director for the M&A Club in Ontario. With experience across scale-ups, turnarounds, and startups, Joe specializes in scale-up growth planning and helping owners maximize enterprise value for a successful transition.