New Study of 200+ Business Owners Finds a Wide Performance Gap Between Those Who Strategically Take Time Away and Those Who Don’t

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NAVIX Consultants, a leading exit planning advisory firm, today released findings from an original research study examining what business owners actually do when they take time away from their companies and how their teams perform as a result.

Owner independence, the degree to which a business can operate and grow without its owner's constant involvement, is one of the most significant drivers of company value at exit. Businesses that depend heavily on their owners are harder to sell, command lower valuations, and require longer post-sale commitments from the seller. Yet building that independence is something most owners struggle to prioritize in practice. The Unplugged Study set out to measure exactly how owners feel about taking time off from their business and what happens when they truly step away.

The study surveyed more than 200 business owners and CEOs and asked them to describe their actual practices over the prior twelve months, including how often they took time away, how connected they stayed during those periods, and what happened as a result.

The findings reveal a significant gap between perception and reality. While more than five out of six owners reported intentionally taking at least one week away from their companies in the past year, fewer than one in twelve fully unplugged during that time. The overwhelming majority, approximately 75%, continued reading and responding to emails and taking calls throughout, effectively working remotely rather than stepping away.

"Over the course of more than six hundred workshops and keynote presentations to business owner audiences, no topic generates a stronger reaction than when I tell owners they should completely unplug from their companies for at least two weeks, multiple times per year," said Patrick Ungashick, Founder and CEO of NAVIX Consultants. "The most common reactions are disbelief, rejection, and even alarm at the harm it might cause. Only a small portion of the room responds with relief, saying they didn't realize they were allowed to do that or that they assumed it would be irresponsible. Those reactions are so strong and so consistent that we decided to find out what the data actually shows."

Among the study's key findings:

The biggest barrier to unplugging is the owner themselves. When asked why they stayed connected while away, more than 56% of owners cited personal preference. Only about 11% said the company would actually suffer without them.

Those owners who did fully unplug reported dramatically better outcomes. Among those who completely disconnected, 90% reported that employees made sound decisions without their input, 80% said projects and operations continued without interruption, and zero percent reported customer issues being mishandled. Every owner who fully unplugged said they would do it again.

One week is not enough. More than three out of four owners who took time away limited themselves to just one week, which the research suggests is insufficient to meaningfully test or develop owner independence. The study recommends a minimum of two consecutive weeks, at least twice per year.

Owners planning to exit soon are not unplugging more frequently. Business owners who indicated they intended to exit within one to three years were not unplugging with any greater frequency than those with no near-term exit on the horizon, despite owner independence being one of the most significant drivers of business value at exit.

Unplugging is available to every owner. The research found no correlation between the ability to fully unplug and company size, owner age, founder status, or any other demographic variable.

"The data is clear: unplugging is not a reward for having already built a high-performing company," Ungashick added. "It is a tool for building one. The owners who do it regularly are operating with stronger teams, more confidence, and businesses that are worth more when the time comes to exit."

The full report is available at https://www.navixconsultants.com/white-paper-unplugged-what-actually-happens-when-owners-step-away.

About NAVIX Consultants

Since 2009, NAVIX Consultants has helped more than 500 business owners plan and execute successful exits across virtually every industry. Their clients' exits represent a combined business value in excess of $3.5 billion. NAVIX works exclusively with closely held, privately owned companies, typically with EBITDA between $2 million and $50 million, where the owner's eventual exit is one of the most consequential events of their professional life. NAVIX helps business owners define their unique goals, align stakeholders, maximize company value, and plan for life after the transaction.

For more information, visit navixconsultants.com.

Media Contact:

Sandy Fisher
Marketing Coordinator
NAVIX Consultants
[email protected]