Jared Johnson sits down with Paige Wiese, founder of Tree Ring Digital, a 16-year full-service digital marketing and web agency, to unpack the part of buying or selling a business that almost nobody plans for: digital asset transfer. Paige explains why domains, hosting, email, social accounts, analytics, third-party tools, brand files, and even AI/GPT logins often sit in personal inboxes or with old vendors—and how that can stall or even devalue a transaction. She walks through her two-step approach (digital asset assessment, then a 300+ point audit), why buyers should ask earlier for logins and proof of marketing performance, how sellers can show up more prepared, and what can go wrong when a domain expires or the recovery email is deleted. They also get into the new issue of employees training GPTs on company data under personal accounts, and why companies need standards now: one company-owned AI account, clear rules on what data can go in, and a plan for what happens when an employee leaves.
Main Takeaways:
- Most businesses cannot produce logins on demand and access is scattered across staff, vendors, and old emails
- Digital assets (domains, hosting, email, website, social, analytics, third-party tools) are business assets and should be part of the deal
- A two-step process works best: identify gaps, then audit and recover everything before close
- There are far more digital data points in a modern business than owners realize, often 300+
- Expired domains, deleted recovery emails, and vendor deaths can take 1–2 weeks to unwind
- Sellers who package digital assets cleanly reduce friction and protect valuation
- Buyers should ask early for proof of marketing performance and actual ownership of key platforms
- Key employees should not be single points of failure for website SOPs, renewals, or platform access
- Use a single company-controlled email (webmaster@ / marketing@ / info@) for all third-party tools and renewals
- AI/GPT tools introduce new risk when staff train models with company data under personal accounts
- Companies should provide the AI account, define what can be uploaded, and make it portable on exit
- Auditing tools also surfaces unused SaaS/AI expenses and can save money while organizing assets
Episode Highlights:
[00:00:21] Why digital asset transfer is an overlooked part of ETA and small business deals
[00:02:05] Paige’s background, 16 years running Truing Digital
[00:04:12] “Do you have the login?” and why clients rarely have everything in one place
[00:08:17] Preparing to sell in 6–12 months: start with a digital asset assessment
[00:10:43] The 300+ digital data points behind a business
[00:15:48] Extreme case: developer dies, everything was on reseller accounts, legal recovery required
[00:20:22] Standards of practice: one shared email for renewals and third-party tools
[00:26:14] Post-transaction integration: re-running the checklist once the buyer owns the business
[00:28:32] The “website is down six months after close” call and why it happens
[00:31:40] AI complication: personal GPTs trained on company data
[00:33:27] Policy solution: company-provided AI accounts and data rules
[00:37:25] Document everything before IT wipes a departing employee’s machine
Connect with Paige:
Website: https://www.treeringdigital.com/beforeyoubuyorsellabusiness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigewiese/
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.