Raise & Exit

Why Most Business Owners Get Bad Exit De What really happens when you sell a company? In this episode of the Raise and Exit Podcast , we sit down with Holli Moeini to unpack the realities behind EBITDA, deal structures, private equity, working capital, earn-outs, and the hidden “missing millions” that founders often overlook during an exit. This isn’t the polished version of M&A you usually he...

🚀 Building a startup to sell into enterprise sounds exciting… until you realize how hard it actually is. In this episode of Raise and Exit , we sit down with Ganesh (CEO) and Jonathan Taylor (CBO) from Fiducia AI—two operators who have built inside enterprise and are now building startups for it.  💥 What they share is real, practical insight most founders miss:  ✨ Why having a great product is...

In this episode of Raise and Exit , we sit down with Girish Muckai, a seasoned operator with decades of experience across telecom, AI startups, and enterprise tech, to unpack what’s really changing in the world of fundraising — and what hasn’t. If you think raising capital today is just about having a great idea, think again. From the rise of AI and faster product cycles to shifting investor expec...

 Not just being in the top 1%… but in the top 2% of the top 1% 🚀 In this episode, we sit down with Gabriel Jarrosson , founder of Lobster Capital, to break down how elite investors think, how founders should approach failure, and why saying no might be your biggest competitive advantage.  💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:   🔥 Why failure isn’t optional—and how the best founders use it as a s...

 In this episode of Raise & Exit , Alan Giles and Alex Ma from Fractional Execs break down how founders can scale companies smarter using fractional leadership, better sales strategy, and clearer positioning. Building a startup today isn’t just about hiring bigger teams or raising more venture capital. The most effective founders are focusing on expertise, impact-driven sales, and strategic ex...

In this episode of the Raise & Exit Podcast, we sit down with Lally Rementilla to explore how intellectual property really drives business value. IP doesn’t generate revenue by itself ; it enables you to generate it. Your patent may not account for 100% of your revenue, but without it, your business might not exist. A 20-year exclusive right means nothing without execution.  We break down how...

🚀Protecting Product-Market Fit | Raise & Exit What if your customers are the reason you’re losing focus?  🤯 In this episode, we unpack a hard truth every founder needs to hear:  👉 Customer requests don’t always mean you should change your product. When you start adding features just to satisfy isolated demands, your product can slowly lose its essence. And when users don’t deeply value what...

🚀Fundraising Is a System, Not a Milestone | Sebastián Gallo  In this episode, we sit down with Sebastián Gallo, serial founder, operator, angel investor, and global builder with cross-cultural and cross-sector experience 🌍.  Sebastián shares a raw and honest perspective on what it really takes to build meaningful companies and raise capital in today's market. From underestimating timelines...

🚀 Why Patents Matter in Deep Tech 🧠📜 | Erik Braund | Raise & Exit Podcast Ep 29  🎙️ In this episode of the Raise & Exit Podcast, we go deep into a conversation most founders avoid: patents and intellectual property and why that’s a mistake.  For the first time on the show, a former client steps out from under NDA to share the real, unfiltered journey of building a deep tech company wher...

Most founders don't fail at raising capital because their idea is bad, they fail because they approach the wrong people in the wrong way; when it comes to family offices, fundraising isn't about sending the same pitch to hundreds of email inboxes, it's about understanding who's on the other side of the table, what matters to them, and how they actually make decisions. 🎙️ In thi...

Referrals are often treated as a transactional growth lever, set a commission, wait for leads, and scale. But in practice, that mindset is exactly what breaks most referral programs. In this episode of The Raise & Exit Podcast, we sit down with Andrew Brown to unpack why the most effective referral strategies are rooted in human relationships, not payouts. Backed by research across 600+ organi...

Most founders believe startup success is about growth, traction, and eventually… an exit. But here’s the reality: thinking about the exit too early can quietly destroy the value you’re trying to build. In this clip from The Raise & Exit Podcast, Nitin Kumar, serial entrepreneur, former M&A leader, and operator across SaaS, AI, and enterprise tech shares hard-earned lessons from 30 years of...

🎙️ Episode 25 is live! This time we sit down with Dan Sperring, founder and CEO of Align ICP, to explore how companies can scale revenue predictably by focusing on the right customers. If you’re building or scaling a SaaS or tech company, this episode is packed with actionable insights on aligning your go-to-market strategy with your ideal customer profile (ICP) and avoiding common pitfalls that c...

🎙️ Episode 24 is live! This week, we sit down with Steven Valentor of Polynomial VC to unpack what it takes for startups to raise money, defend valuations, and position themselves for successful exits. If you’re building or backing a tech venture, this episode is packed with actionable insights on strategy, finance, and growth. What do we cover? Raising capital is harder than it looks. Steven shar...

🎙️ Episode 23 is live! This week, we sit down with Jalak Jobanputra, founder and managing partner of Future Perfect Ventures, to unpack how she identifies opportunities in emerging technologies and backs companies shaping the next internet. If you’re building or investing in crypto, AI, IoT, or other deep tech, this episode is packed with actionable insights on spotting potential, navigating uncer...

🎙️ Episode 22 is live! This time, we sit down with Bob Gillespie, a three-time founder, accelerator veteran, and “cap table expert,” to unpack the critical but often overlooked mechanics of equity, ownership, and investment structures. If you’re building or backing an early-stage company, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you avoid costly mistakes, structure your cap table pr...

🎙️ Episode 21 is live! This time we sit down with Anthony Ronga, startup founder, advisor, and pitch deck strategist, to talk about what really happens behind the curtain when preparing for a successful raise — and why your vendor ecosystem is your secret fundraising weapon. Anthony shares how to shift from selling your product to selling an investment opportunity, what most founders get wrong in...

🎙️ Episode 20 is live! This time we sit down with Paige Wiese, founder of Tree Ring Digital, to unpack how digital assets are reshaping M&A and what business owners need to know to protect—and maximize—their value. If you’re preparing your business for an exit, this episode is packed with actionable insights on the critical—but often overlooked—role of digital profiles, social presence, and te...

🎙️ Episode 9 is live! This time we sit down with Anay Shah, co-founder of Stepchange, to talk about building venture-scale climate and energy solutions. If you’re raising capital in climate tech — or considering whether venture funding is the right fit at all — this episode is a must-listen. What do we cover? 1. Impact + scalability go hand in hand. A solution isn’t enough if it can’t scale commer...

🎙️ Episode 10 is live! This time we sit down with Kristina Montague — Managing Partner at The JumpFund and Board Chair of the Angel Capital Association — to talk about what early-stage founders need to know before raising their first checks. If you’re thinking about approaching angels or early-stage investors, this episode is full of practical, no-nonsense advice. What do we cover? 1. Social media...

🎙️ Episode 11 is live! This time we sit down with Nuno Gonçalves Pedro, founder of Chameleon Venture Capital, to talk about what separates good founders from great ones — and what VCs should really be doing to support them. If you’re raising at seed or Series A, this episode is packed with lessons on how to scale yourself as a founder while scaling your company. What do we cover? 1. Know your gaps...

🎙️ Episode 12 is live! This time we sit down with Saydeah Howard, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Cherryrock Capital, to talk about how founders should think about leadership, hiring, and scaling from Series A onward. If you’re preparing to raise or building out your first leadership team, this episode is full of practical insights you can apply right away. What do we cover? 1. Hiring mistake...

🎙️ Episode 13 is live! This time we sit down with Brandon Duensing, CEO of Acquire Online, to talk about scaling remote-first businesses, breaking through plateaus, and why buy-and-hold models are an overlooked path to long-term value. If you’re building a business that has grown past the early hustle and now faces the challenge of scaling, this episode is packed with lessons on how to structure f...

🎙️ Episode 14 is live! This time we sit down with Kurt Winter and Kevin Salquist, co-founders of Big 7 Ventures, to talk about why essential industrial businesses remain the backbone of the economy — and how continuity-focused investing differs from traditional private equity. If you’re a founder or owner thinking about succession, this episode offers a clear-eyed perspective on what really drives...

🎙️ Episode 15 is live! This time we sit down with Steve Little, CEO & Managing Director at Zero Limits Ventures, to talk about why every founder should start with the end in mind — and how to design a company that commands premium valuations. If you’re building with an exit in sight — whether that’s acquisition, IPO, or succession — this episode is packed with insights on how to maximize enter...