Book · 2012 · Business & Economics
Built to Sell
Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You
Why people recommend it
Built to Sell by John Warrillow is a business guide designed to help entrepreneurs structure their companies so they can eventually exit and sell them successfully. On an episode of The The Tim Ferriss Show titled #861: 4-Hour Workweek Success Story Brian Dean — From Dad's Basement to Selling, released on April 16, 2026, the host brought up the book during the conversation. Tim Ferriss noted that he remembered coming across the title and considered it to be a very good, foundational primer for anyone interested in building a company with the explicit option to sell it down the line. Although he mentioned he had not read it in a long time, he praised its clarity and usefulness as an introductory resource for business owners. The text provides practical steps to remove the founder as the daily bottleneck of the operation, making the enterprise far more attractive to potential buyers. Ferriss's brief discussion underscored the enduring value of clear, actionable business literature for modern entrepreneurs looking to scale effectively. The mention offered listeners a trusted recommendation for structuring their ventures with long-term liquidity and operational independence in mind, reinforcing the podcast's focus on smart, strategic business growth and successful exit planning methodologies.
Who recommended it
- Tim Ferriss Recommended
Tim Ferriss — 1 mention
“I remember coming across, and I haven't read it in a long time, but a book by John Warlow called Built to Sell, which talks a bit about this, and I thought it was actually very good, like a very I don't want to say basic, but pretty sort of foundational primer for some of this stuff.”