Episode 288: The Exit That Didn’t Happen - What I Got Wrong Trying to Sell My Business the First Time

In this week’s episode of Female Empowered, host Christa Gurka is sharing a story she's never told publicly before - the story of the time she almost sold her business, Pilates in the Grove.

This is part one of a two-part series where she'll walk you through the emotional, strategic, and operational journey behind trying to sell the business she built from the ground up. From a modest $2,400 investment in 2008 to a multi-location, seven-figure business, Christa poured everything into building something that could eventually operate — and be sold — without her.

After being inspired by a panel of business brokers, Christa started prepping intentionally for a sale: systematizing operations, cleaning up financials, and evaluating business valuation. She even got to the point where she was under contract and this close to finalizing the sale. But at the very last moment, a surprise clause from the buyer’s lender brought everything to a screeching halt.

This episode is a candid look at what it takes to get a business ready for sale, what Christa learned from the due diligence process, and how she navigated the emotional fallout when the deal didn’t go through. 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Christa grew Pilates in the Grove into a sale-ready business
• The operational and financial prep that goes into a potential sale
• Why having systems and SOPs is essential — even if you’re not planning to sell
• What it felt like to have a deal fall apart last-minute
• The mindset shifts and resilience I had to tap into after the fallout

Make sure you’re subscribed to the Female Empowered podcast so you don’t miss Part 2 next week, where Christa will share what happened after the deal fell through — and what she's doing differently now.

• Follow Christa on Instagram @ChristaGurka
• Check out past episodes and business resources at www.christagurka.com

If this episode resonates with you, share it with a fellow business owner who’s thinking about selling — or simply trying to build a business that doesn’t depend on them every minute of the day.