The Deal Closers Podcast

What does it look like to build a seven-figure business by accident and then use those lessons to build a $40 million company on purpose? Meet Dan Demsky, CEO of Unbound Merino. After building a successful service agency that left him feeling like a prisoner, Dan started over with a new vision - to create a profitable, scalable business that truly supported his freedom and lifestyle. In this episo...

What does it look like to prepare a company for sale when you've just bought it? And what do buyers really care about when they’re looking to acquire? That’s what Michael Haase and his brother, through their firm Think Global, do. And after preparing countless businesses for acquisition, they had the opportunity to put their own advice into practice when they bought - and then recently sold (with...

From a childhood business selling painted buckeyes to a multi-million dollar loungewear brand, Kelly Degnan has always been a creative entrepreneur. She built Skivys Femme from a simple idea during the pandemic into a seven-figure success story, only to face a domain hack and an inventory crisis that threatened to derail it all. In this episode, Kelly shares her rollercoaster journey, from bootstr...

If you're thinking about investing beyond the stock market, where do you even begin? What does it truly take to identify promising companies and founders? In this episode of Deal Closers, host Jason Gillikin welcomes Mahati Sridhar, Partner at Revolution's Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. With extensive experience in the venture capital ecosystem, Mahati shares invaluable insights for both aspiring ang...

Many Ecommerce brands believe their customer journey is optimized, but are they leaving significant revenue and trust on the table without even knowing it? From a clunky checkout to hidden technical debt, seemingly small issues can quietly erode profits and customer loyalty. In this episode of Deal Closers, we chat with Sarah Gallagher, CEO and Head of Strategy at Gamma Waves. Sarah has helped maj...

The world of AI is moving fast, and for Ecommerce founders, it’s easy to get lost in the hype or paralyzed by the possibilities. How do you cut through the noise and leverage AI to drive actual results for your business? In this episode of Deal Closers, we sit down with Ashley Gross, a leading AI consultant who has been helping companies implement practical AI solutions long before it was a mainst...

What does it look like to build a business over two decades—with no outside investment, no years in the red, and no shortcuts? That's what Daniel Bower did, and today he shares his 23-year journey of growing a web development side hustle into a thriving digital marketing agency—and ultimately, selling it on his own terms. You’ll learn: Why steady growth and consistency can be more valuable than fa...

Selling a business is a monumental decision. There's excitement, self-reflection, and yes, uncertainty. For Adam O’Leary, founder of encite branding + marketing + creative , the journey to a successful exit was sparked by a realization - it was time for change. After nearly two decades of growing his full-service marketing agency from a one-man operation to a thriving business, Adam partnered with...

Building a business is an incredible journey, but what happens when your passion for that business starts to fade? For Ellis Achim, founder of Paddie Nails , success in the D2C e-commerce space wasn’t enough—he wanted to build something he truly loved working on every day. After years of growing Paddie Nails into a thriving, profitable brand, Ellis realized that while the business was doing well,...

Between shifting trade policies, escalating tariffs, and unpredictable port delays, the political landscape is creating chaos for e-commerce businesses shipping internationally. What you could ship profitably yesterday might leave you stuck with massive unexpected fees today. In this episode of Deal Closers , we welcome Jason Brown, founder and CEO of Deliveri, a soon-to-launch platform aiming to...

Pitching to investors isn’t just about having the next billion-dollar idea. It’s about energy, authenticity, preparation—and knowing your numbers. Today's episode of Deal Closers comes to you from recorded live at CED’s Venture Connect, where host Jason Gillikin sits down with two seasoned investors: Zakiya Alta Lee-Hill , Principal at Idea Fund Partners Nikin Shah , General Partner at Front Porch...

Selling a business is more than a financial transaction—it’s a major life shift, filled with tough decisions, unexpected opportunities, and a lot of reflection. After 20+ years in the connectivity and physical cybersecurity space, Jeff Clark recognized that the industry was evolving faster than he could keep up. His company had pioneered a niche market with physical security locks that prevent ins...

As a startup founder, you need to wear all the hats. But according to Celi Arias, "You don't actually know how to wear all the hats. You don't know if you are a natural operator. You don't know what a good CMO would do. You don't know what a good marketer would do. You probably suck at sales." So what can you do? Celi is the CEO and founder of The Grown Ass Business , and she joins us to share her...

Selling a business can be a thrilling yet complex journey, and for Michael Zung, founder of Bloomist , it was a path filled with determination, challenges, and a commitment to sustainability. When Michael connected with WebsiteClosers' Jeff Hanson, buyers immediately had interest. Jeff sent out over 100 NDAs and had about a dozen serious discussions. Ultimately, they found the right buyer and Mich...

According to TJ Hudak, "It is an emotional roller coaster when you're selling a business." Recently, he worked with WebsiteClosers.com to sell his company, Paper Box SEO. Selling can be a tumultuous experience, filled with ups and downs that need to be managed skillfully. Emotions run high, but with the right approach, the process can be navigated successfully. So how did TJ and the WebsiteClosers...

The way we handle payments is crucial to the success of any E-commerce businesses. The payment solutions market is pretty fragmented, and sometimes we hear about potentially groundbreaking innovations like instant direct payments. But you've got a million things on your mind, so the 3% cost of processing isn't all that concerning. Except if you do $2M in sales, that's $60,000 to your payment proce...

The B2B E-commerce landscape is evolving rapidly with new trends and technology shaping how businesses interact and transact with one another. From advanced digital tools to shifting buyer expectations, staying ahead of B2B E-commerce requires understanding these changes and adapting effectively. Let's shed some light on the latest trends and strategies. With Jason Greenwood, we discuss: (00:04) -...

One of the most annoying parts of running an Ecommerce business is paying taxes. It's not so much that you have to pay the taxes (ok, that's not very fun). But oftentimes the bigger problem is making sure you're doing it the right way. And you're doing it on time. And you're paying enough taxes. But... Are you paying too much in taxes? As an Ecommerce business owner, how are you collecting the tax...

Alex Bieker has successfully grown several businesses, such as Spiral Bible and Lume Cube , by emphasizing profitability, lean operations, and effective return on investment. Today, Alex shares actionable strategies for building scalable, sellable, and profitable e-commerce businesses, highlighting the importance of understanding financial metrics, maintaining a strategic approach to marketing, an...

Today we're talking about the power of targeted messaging and offers, and the secret to driving successful digital marketing and lead conversion. Davey Jones understands buyer personas, and why it's critical to address the question, "Can you really do that for someone like me?"—a query that reassures customers about the product's relevance to their needs. By effectively leveraging tools such as di...

It can be tricky to grow your company while trying to sell it, because growing and selling are both full time jobs and then some. So how can a founder be expected to do all the things to maximize the offer? Today, “entrepreneurologist” Robbie Hardy joins us to answer this question. She and host Izach Porter discuss: The importance of maintaining operational excellence and long-term growth to attra...

Many founders who are building up their businesses want to sell one day. It sounds like a dream, and it certainly can be. But the reality is it can also be very complicated, and not everyone is ready for the mental gymnastics and identity crisis of not leading your own company any more. So how can we best prepare for the exit and train the next owners as well, so the company's next phase is set up...

One of the KPIs buyers are looking for when analyzing a business is its conversion rate - the number of users who converted as a percentage of the total number of users that visit your site. A steadily increasing conversion rate can mean that your brand is becoming better known or your messaging is more attractive - and that’s something that’s attractive to the buyer as well.   A decreas...

Louie Torres is a first-generation American whose family comes from Ecuador. His mom had Louie when she was 18, and he didn't have another sibling until he was 10. So he had a lot of time to himself where he would script up his own movies or set up his Star Wars collection or just dream. And part of that dream was to find a way to make some cash. Today we share Louie's story of how he built and so...

Today we hear from a founder who has built and sold four very different companies - a t-shirt business before ecommerce existed, a pest control service, a gas station, and most recently, an informational website with an adsense revenue model. How did he do it? Let's find out! Previous How I Built and Sold This Episodes How Cristina Van Osten Revolutionized and Exited the Pigments Industry How a Do...