The 12-month window

Founders are advised to capture generational returns by identifying the peak value of their business, which often occurs within a 12-month period before it crashes out. Companies that foresee this moment and exit at the top, like Lotus, AOL, and Broadcast.com, are held up as examples. To prepare for this, investors suggest pre-scheduling board meetings to discuss exits, making it a standing calendar item to drain emotion from the equation.