Scaling, Selling & Staying Ready: The BITES Method

In this episode of ValuationPodcast.com, host Melissa Gragg sits down with financial strategist and bestselling author Monica Garcia Duggal to break down her proven Financial BITES Method. With over 30 years of experience in investment banking, M&A, and helping entrepreneurs build wealth, Monica reveals how to prepare your company for growth, exit, and legacy.

Whether you’re a baby boomer business owner planning retirement, or a high-achieving entrepreneur looking to 10X your company, this conversation will give you actionable steps to avoid leaving money on the table, systematize your operations, and future-proof your business in the age of AI.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why baby boomer business owners must plan their exit strategy 3–5 years in advance

• How the Financial BITES Method (Budgeting, Investing, Taxes, Exit, SOPs) makes scaling and selling less overwhelming

• The role of consultants in rebranding, restructuring, and maximizing valuation

• Why buyers want turnkey businesses with clean operations and strong culture

• How AI and technology can double your company’s value (or put it at risk if ignored)

Q&As

Q1: What is the Financial BITES Method?
A1: It’s Monica Garcia-Dougal’s five-step system—Budgeting, Investing, Taxes, Exit Strategy, and SOPs—that helps entrepreneurs scale and prepare their companies for sale.

Q2: Why should baby boomer business owners plan their exit early?
A2: With 2.3 million small businesses changing hands, early planning maximizes value, ensures succession, and prevents rushed decisions.

Q3: How do consultants increase business value?
A3: Consultants bring outside perspective, improve systems, and rebrand operations—often adding multiples to a company’s final sale price.

Q4: What makes a business most attractive to buyers?
A4: Buyers look for turnkey operations with clean financials, standard operating procedures, strong culture, and minimal reliance on the owner.

Q5: How can AI impact business valuation?
A5: AI helps streamline operations, cut costs, and expand growth. Companies that embrace it often boost valuation, while those that resist risk falling behind.

Connect with Monica on LinkedIn

Visit Monica’s website

Contact Melissa, CVA, MAFF:

Expert testimony for financial and valuation issues  
Bridge Valuation Partners, LLC  
Email Melissa
Bridge Valuation LLC    
MediatorPodcast.com  
ValuationMediation.com  
TheDivorceAllies.com
Cell: (314) 541-8163