The Gap Between Where You Are & What You Think You’re Waiting For

By Diwakar Sinha

Some founders say the same thing:

“Let’s just wait and see what 2027 looks like.”

Okay… but let’s be honest for a second.

What exactly do you think is going to magically happen in 2027? Higher multiples? Cheaper debt? More aggressive buyers? A friendlier economy? A perfect window?

Because none of that is guaranteed. And more importantly, you don’t need to wait.

The current state is already better than what founders think they’re waiting for.

THE CURRENT STATE (Reality Today)

SOFR is lower than it was in 2025. Debt is cheaper. Capital markets are open. Private equity is active again. Strategics are buying. DSOs/MSOs are expanding. Competition is back. Multiples are stabilizing.

This is the healthiest environment we’ve seen in years.

This is the market founders said they were waiting for.

And yet… many are still waiting.

THE FUTURE STATE (What Founders Think 2027 Will Bring)

Here’s the fantasy:

“Multiples will be higher.” “Debt will be cheaper.” “Buyers will be more aggressive.” “The economy will be more stable.” “I’ll be more ready.”

But here’s the truth:

Waiting doesn’t fix anything. Waiting doesn’t improve anything. Waiting doesn’t create value.

Waiting just gives buyers more time to see:

Provider dependency Payor concentration Margin volatility Documentation gaps Operational inconsistency Leadership bandwidth issues Narrative misalignment

These don’t magically disappear in 2027. They get baked in.

THE GAP (Where Founders Lose Millions)

The gap between today’s market and the fantasy of 2027 is where founders lose the most money.

And the gap gets even bigger when founders make the second mistake:

Selling directly to a DSO/MSO or strategic.

Let’s call that what it is:

A shortcut that costs you leverage. And leverage is the only thing that moves valuation.

One buyer = no competition No competition = no tension No tension = no premium No premium = you’re leaving chips on the table

Founders don’t lose money because their business is weak. They lose money because their process is weak.

THE REAL QUESTION: Why Sell Direct? Why Wait? Why Limit Yourself?

If you’re going to sell the business, you spent 10-20 years building…

Why would you:

Wait for a year that may not help you Sell direct to a buyer who benefits from your lack of leverage Avoid the full market where competition drives multiples Ignore the fact that capital markets are open now Hope for a better future instead of preparing for a better outcome

This isn’t about timing. This is about strategy.

And right now, the strategy is simple:

The market is open. Debt is cheaper. Buyers are active. Competition is real. Leverage is available.

Why wait for 2027 when the conditions you wanted are already here?

THE FOUNDERS WHO WIN CLOSE THE GAP; THEY DON’T WAIT FOR IT TO CLOSE ITSELF

They don’t hope for a better year. They build a better process. They don’t sell direct. They create competition. They don’t limit their buyer pool. They open the entire market. They don’t leave chips on the table. They take all of them.

Because they understand something most founders don’t:

You don’t get paid for waiting. You get paid for leverage. And leverage exists right now.