What does the data tell us? What did the survey statistics show about the attitude towards AI from business owners ahead of the midterms?

Well, I think AI, it is a fundamental shift and it's changing rapidly.

And one thing that I would say is I actually think that business owners and you see surveys like this, my actual guess is some of their responses are actually delayed into the reality of where we stand right now.

So what I mean by that is on our survey, 82%, of business owners expect AI to have an impact on their business over the next 12 months.

That is a really, really strong number.

And what that tells me is now business owners are seeing AI has broken the threshold past just technology companies.

And we're seeing that actually in our day-to-day conversations with everyday business owners.

What do business owners need to be doing right now to ensure that whatever the outcomes in the midterms, they're best positioned to safeguard their business and realise their goals going forward?

Um, moving on, what's the most severe regret you see business owners have post-sale?

The deepest regret, I think, uh, Chris, is, is rarely financial.

Uh, it's identity loss.

Many business owners spend decades building a company that defines their purpose, relevance, and daily intensity.

Once that business is sold, they often discover they prepared extensively for that transaction but not so much for life afterwards.

A business often provides, I think, three things.

That's what I say to a lot to our clients, that founders, I don't think, actually fully appreciate until it's gone.

When can an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, become a game changer? And when should business owners avoid it altogether?