Episode 16

full
Published on:

19th May 2025

Stop Babysitting Your Business: Use AI Automation to Boost Valuation & Win Your Freedom

In this episode of Freedom to Exit, Lani Dickinson delivers a wake-up call for founders still stuck inside their business: buyers don’t want your hustle—they want your systems.

Lani breaks down how AI and automation directly impact your company’s value, employee retention, client satisfaction, and ultimate ability to scale—or sell. You’ll hear why burnout, dropped leads, and repetitive tasks are slowly eroding your valuation, and how small changes in automation can unlock the freedom (and exit multiple) you actually started your business for.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why most businesses that list never sell (and how to avoid being one of them)
  • How automation impacts profitability, client experience, and valuation
  • What buyers are really looking for—and why they don’t care how hard you work
  • How to hit industry benchmarks that matter in due diligence
  • Why AI improves employee retention and eliminates burnout
  • The truth about client expectations, speed-to-lead, and how automation meets them
  • Real stories of founders who stopped babysitting their business—and finally stepped away

Links Mentioned:

✅ 7 Ways AI Can Boost Your Sales and Save You Time – Free Guide

✅ The Changes Assessment – See What Buyers See in Your Business

Enjoyed this episode?

Subscribe to Freedom to Exit for more no-fluff insights on building a business that buyers chase.

Connect with Lani Dickinson:

📌 Instagram: @stealthfreedomtoexit

📌 Facebook: Lani Dickinson

📩 Email: info@stealthfreedomtoexit.com

🌐 Website: stealthfreedomtoexit.com

If this episode helped you, send it to a fellow founder—and don’t forget to leave a review. It helps more business owners find the show and take their next step toward freedom.

All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Freedom To Exit

About the Podcast

Freedom To Exit
Freedom to Exit with Lani Dickinson
Freedom to Exit helps small business owners turn buyers into beggars by building sustainable, scalable, and sellable businesses—while avoiding earn-outs, seller financing, and discounted exits.

Hosted by Lani Dickinson, this podcast is for entrepreneurs who want to build a business that runs without them and sells on their terms.

Most businesses never sell. Why? Because they weren’t built to be sellable. Whether your goal is time and location freedom or a profitable exit, the steps are the same:
- Designing a scalable, self-sustaining company
- Building predictable, repeatable revenue
- Structuring your business to attract the right buyers
- Avoiding seller financing, earn-outs, and bad deals
- Understanding how buyers structure deals so you can negotiate from strength

Each week, Lani breaks down the realities of exiting a business, shares insights from top entrepreneurs and buyers, and gives you the tools to maximize your company’s value before you even think about selling.

If you want to own a business that works for you—not the other way around—Freedom to Exit will show you exactly how to get there.

About your host

Profile picture for Lani Dickinson

Lani Dickinson

Lani Dickinson is a former Fortune 175 CEO who left the corporate world to help business owners achieve what most never do—true freedom. Through STEALTH, she helps founders scale smarter, exit richer, and reclaim their lives by transforming their businesses into sellable, high-value assets.

Most entrepreneurs are trapped in a cycle of working too much and earning too little freedom. Lani’s expertise lies in building sustainable, scalable, and sellable businesses—giving founders the ability to step back, cash out, or create a legacy that lasts. If you’re ready to stop running your business and start owning your life, you’re in the right place.