By: Jake Smiths
In the early days of building a business, momentum can feel like progress. Sales come in, customers grow, and opportunities pile up. But according to Yali Saar, CEO and Founder of Tailor Brands, momentum without direction is not a strategy; it’s a risk.
Saar recently shared that “going big is not a strategy,” pointing instead to the importance of making a clear decision about the kind of business you are building. That idea is at the center of an upcoming Tailor Brands webinar, “How Smart Business Formation Leads to Better Exits,” taking place on Monday, January 5th, 2026, at 3 p.m. EST. Saar will be joined by Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, for a discussion tailored to small and medium-sized business owners navigating the realities of growth and long-term planning.
Choosing the Outcome Before the Path
Saar argues that one overlooked decision founders face is deciding what success actually looks like. Is the business meant to provide stability and job security? Is it something to build a personal or family legacy around? Or is it being created with a future sale in mind?
Once that choice is made, Saar explains, it becomes the goal. From there, founders can work backwards to determine which decisions make sense and which do not. Without that clarity, strategy becomes reactive, and progress becomes difficult to measure.
What Experience Reveals Over Time
Drawing from his experience working with entrepreneurs at different stages, Saar highlights a consistent difference between first-time founders and serial entrepreneurs. Those who have built companies before tend to understand the toll that building a business can take, personally and professionally.
As a result, they invest time early in defining a clear goal. Some do this intentionally, while others arrive there after enough trial and error. In both cases, experience leads to alignment between effort and outcome, rather than growth for growth’s sake.
Reverse Engineering as a Practical Tool
Working backwards from a goal does not guarantee success, Saar acknowledges. Plans may not unfold exactly as expected, and obstacles are inevitable. But with a defined goal in place, founders gain a way to measure progress and recognize when they’ve drifted off course.
Without that reference point, everything is left to chance. With it, founders can make adjustments without losing sight of their objectives. This way of thinking underpins the webinar’s focus on smart business formation and its connection to long-term value.
Insight from Both Sides of the Business Lifecycle
Tailor Brands helps a significant portion of new U.S. business owners launch their businesses, giving Saar a front-row view of how companies are formed. Flippa, which has facilitated numerous online acquisitions globally, offers insight into what happens when founders decide to exit.
Together, Saar and Hutchison plan to explore how intentionally starting a business can influence outcomes throughout its lifecycle, including building something that is attractive to buyers, even if an exit is not the immediate goal.
An Opportunity to Step Back and Reframe
The webinar is aimed at SMB founders who want to think more deliberately about where their businesses are heading. Rather than prescribing a single path, the session focuses on helping entrepreneurs define their own destination and understand how early decisions shape future options.
“How Smart Business Formation Leads to Better Exits” will be held on January 5th, 2026, at 3 p.m. EST. For founders caught between daily execution and long-term uncertainty, the conversation offers a chance to pause, reflect, and build with clarity rather than momentum alone. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how strategic planning can shape their businesses’ future success.
Saar’s message is timely but straightforward: when founders know what they’re building toward, they’re no longer relying on luck; they’re building with purpose.
