Exitwise Productions

Andrew Lassise tried to sell his IT company in 2019, and got rejected. Revenue was down, there were no contracts, no recurring revenue, no clean story. So he rebuilt. Then COVID gave him free money, the IRS handed him a monopoly, and a 700-person company came knocking for his 12-person firm. In this episode, Andrew shares the full arc with Exitwise’s Stephanie Horwitz Reuveni & Todd Sullivan:...

Dan Bauer spent 20 years building The MBA Exchange into a global firm with 100 consultants across 11 countries, then walked away from the traditional M&A process when the buyers across the table couldn't be trusted with his legacy. The deal he ultimately made wasn't with a strategic acquirer or a PE firm. It was a management buyout with a former client who had become a trusted colleague, someo...

Tommaso Trionfi has sold five companies across SaaS, EdTech, and ecommerce, including Wimba to Blackboard and Merchantry to Tradeshift in an all-stock deal that landed him a stake in what's now a $3.2 billion company. He's done it from every angle: founder-CEO, hired-gun CEO, and operator running divestitures inside a private equity firm. In this episode, Tommaso sits down with Exitwise Managing P...

In 1999, Dan Cornell sold his first company in an all-stock deal and watched the shares ride from 8 15/16 to nearly $94 — and then, contractually barred from selling or hedging, watched the same stock crash all the way back down. He ultimately sold his shares in chunks at 32 cents, 18 cents, and 9 cents. Twenty-two years later, he sold his second company. Dan walks Exitwise Managing Partner Todd S...

Sathvik "Vik" Tantry and his co-founder built FormSwift from a freelance frustration into a 10-million-document platform without raising a single venture dollar. Ten years in, they ran a process, went out to 400 potential buyers, and closed a $95 million all-cash deal with Dropbox in December 2022. In this episode, Vik walks Exitwise Managing Partner Todd Sullivan and Brian Dukes through the full...

Colin Hodge built a dating app so viral it hit one million users in three and a half months — then got sued, kicked off the App Store, acquired by a company in Asia, and sold off in a fire sale when his acquirer panicked mid-IPO. So Colin bought it back. Then he 10X'd it. In this episode, Colin shares the full story with Exitwise Managing Partner Todd Sullivan: from fixing computers at 15 in Penns...

Andrew Kirpalani co-founded WorkHound in 2015 after being pitched the idea over a beer in exchange for putting his name on an accelerator application. What he agreed to that night became a platform serving 75,000 frontline workers, and a successful acquisition by WorkStep a decade later. In this episode, Andrew shares the full story with Exitwise's Todd Sullivan and Stephanie Horwitz Reuveni: how...

Rachel Murphy has been an entrepreneur since she was 12 years old, when she hired her mates to wash cars and kept a cut for herself. That early instinct for building things led her to launch an e-learning systems training academy in her 20s. Then she did it again, building a consulting firm that led large-scale digital transformation for the UK's National Health Service, including standing up the...

Shannon Wilburn started Just Between Friends in her living room, a marketplace for families to buy and sell gently used children's clothes, toys, and baby gear. Over 20 years, she grew it into a nationwide franchise spanning 33 states and doing $60 million in system-wide sales. When her largest franchisee came to her and said "if you ever think about selling, I might want to buy this," Shannon had...

Sean McKenna launched DataFuZion HCM in the middle of a pandemic with a new baby at home, and just nine months later, Ceridian (now Dayforce) called with an offer to buy. Sean turned it down. Then the offer doubled. Then it tripled. In this episode, Sean shares the full story with Exitwise Managing Partner Todd Sullivan: why he tried (and failed) to buy his former employer first, how he built an M...

Welcome to The Exited Founder Podcast , a production of Exitwise! This show is built on one simple idea: founders helping founders. Every episode features a successful Exited Founder who has been through the highs, the lows, and the life-changing moment of selling their business, and is now paying it forward by sharing everything they learned along the way. You'll hear first-hand exit stories from...

Summary: Nathan Hirsch , a serial entrepreneur, shares his journey of building and selling his company, FreeUp, which utilized remote workforces. He discusses the importance of having clean books and financials, as well as the value of virtual assistants and outsourced labor. Nathan emphasizes the need to hire the right level of talent, whether they are followers, doers, or experts. He also highli...

Summary: In this episode, Todd Sullivan interviews Meighan Newhouse , the co-founder and former CEO of Inspirant Group, a management consulting firm that was acquired by 10 Pearls. Meighan shares her journey as an entrepreneur and the decision-making process behind selling her business. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the why and the end goal of the sale, as well as finding a buyer...

George Sandmann shares his thoughts on:  Creating business engines that deliver predictable profits, cash flow, and sustainable growth Driving predictable, transferable value and a more lucrative M&A transaction GUEST BIO: George Sandmann is an entrepreneur turned growth advisor.  An attorney by training, George is an entrepreneur with almost 30 years experience starting and growing companies....

Mike Finger highlights the three elements all small business owners should focus on when building a company for a future M&A exit: Are your business results desirable?  Will an acquirer see value and opportunity in what you have built? Can a buyer duplicate your results?  Can the buyer run the business without you? Can you document your results?  Is there a playbook written that can be followe...

EPISODE 64: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - CHRIS WISE In this episode, Chris talks about: Asking for help when building your company for the future Coaching founders on how to remove themselves from their businesses to create transferable value How taking care of yourself as a founder or business owner can significantly increase productivity and prevent burnout GUEST BIO: Chris Wise is a seasoned business ad...

EPISODE 63: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - ROBB GREEN In this episode, Robb talks about: His evaluation criteria for starting eCommerce brands How he decides when it's time to sell a business How he brings his teenage kids into these companies and exposes them to the highs and lows of the life of an entrepreneur GUEST BIO: Robb Green is the owner and visionary behind the formulation and execution of strategi...

EPISODE 62: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - WAYNE PARRISH In this episode, Wayne talks about: His early beginnings as a student journalist at the University of British Columbia Becoming the CEO of Canada Basketball and his relationship with Jerry Colangelo A history lesson of SPORT Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Sports Insider, and ESPN The Magazine How he purchased the most significant collection of images re...

EPISODE 61: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - CHRISTINE NICHOLSON In this episode, Christine talks about: The three things that every founder needs to focus on when building their business The difference between exit planning and succession planning What a perfect succession plan look like GUEST BIO: Christine Nicholson is a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits under her belt, who has now turned her attentio...

EPISODE 60: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - EDIN BASIC In this episode, Exitwise Co-Founder & CEO Todd Sullivan speaks to Edin about: The importance of understanding market trends to know when to invest and when to sell  Understanding your exit strategy to make the right decisions while you're building your business, and; How to be ready when your ideal buyer comes knocking GUEST BIO: Edin Basic began his...

EPISODE 59: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - SARAH GREIFENBERGER In this episode, Sarah talks about: The various reasons that a business owner considers a business valuation The difference between fair market value, and valuing a business for sale Becoming an Exitwise Ambassador and referring Fathead.com for sale in October, 2023 GUEST BIO: Sarah has been a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) for over 10 years a...

EPISODE 58: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - JEAN ANNE BOOTH In this episode, Jean Anne talks about: Having multiple strategic investors on your cap table Being prepared for your buyer to change the terms of your exit days before signing Knowing what you should say no to when raising capital or selling your company GUEST BIO: Jean Anne Booth is a serial entrepreneur with a number of successful exits, including...

EPISODE 57: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - RALEIGH WILLIAMS In this episode, Raleigh talks about: Why business owners should trust their intuition when deciding when to sell their companies How to renegotiate business contracts to make them transferable in an acquisition  When you're at the goal line, how you should focus on your why you are selling and not quibbling over every last dollar. GUEST BIO: Raleig...

EPISODE 56: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - ANDY PAI In this episode, Andy talks about:  His entrepreneurial journey of leaving his job as an investment banker and moving to San Francisco with a dream of building a company with several college friends Managing the expectations and attraction of multiple M&A "off-ramps" along the entrepreneurial journey How he identified the buyer intent that helped the Fi...

EPISODE 55: THIS WEEK'S GUEST - AUSTIN OGILVIE In this episode, Austin talks about:  Turning a Series A Term Sheet into multiple growth and exit options for the business The value of seeking guidance from seasoned CEOs and professionals who have gone through the M&A process in order to structure the right agreements when it came time to sell his business Being critically organized with your st...