Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe

The ExitEngine™ Podcast

Business EN ↓ 84 episodes

How do I sell my business? How can I make my business more valuable? When should I plan to exit my business? All these questions and more are covered on The ExitEngine™ Podcast. Join M&A and Exit Planning experts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe, the co-founders of ExitEngine™, as they introduce you to Exit Planning as the most important business planning exercise that you can do to ensure that you control your business destiny.

Author

Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe

Episodes

Ep 85 | Don’t Sell Your Business For The Wrong Reasons with Micah Fraim 27.03.2026 1:09:14

Most founders don’t sell their business because it’s the best financial decision. They sell because they’re exhausted. And that mistake can cost them millions in lost value, future income, and long-term freedom. In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with CPA and Certified Exit Planning Advisor Micah Fraim to unpack one of the most misunderstood dynamics...

Ep 84 | The Power of PEOs for Growing Companies with Pete Samson 20.03.2026 52:47

As companies grow, managing HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance becomes increasingly complex. Many founders eventually encounter the world of PEOs (Professional Employer Organizations) — companies like ADP, Insperity, and TriNet that provide outsourced HR infrastructure through a co-employment model. But understanding when a PEO makes sense, how they work, and how to choose the right one can be...

EP 83 | Why Founder-Led Companies Struggle to Scale — The Brain Science Behind Better Teams with John Myers and Duncan Austin 13.03.2026 1:35:45

Most founder-led companies eventually hit a ceiling. Revenue grows. The team expands. But decision-making, culture, and performance still revolve around the founder. In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, hosts Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with John Myers and Duncan Austin to explore how brain science, group dynamics, and neuroplasticity influence leadership, culture, and company pe...

EP 82 | Financial Clarity = Exit Power: Why Every Founder Must Know Their Financial Truth with Cody Price 06.03.2026 1:06:22

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-pricefamilybookkeeping/ https://pricefamilybookkeeping.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 81 | Frozen Founders: The Psychology Behind Exit Decisions w/ Jeff Munn 27.02.2026 1:13:26

The biggest exits fall apart long before the deal table — inside the founder’s mind. In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with executive coach and Pick Now podcast host Jeff Munn to explore the emotional and psychological side of building, scaling, and eventually selling a business. Together they unpack: ✔ Why decision paralysis keeps founders stuck ✔...

Ep 80 | The Private Equity Playbook for Exiting Founders with Aaron Alpeter 20.02.2026 1:12:44

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-alpeter/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 79 | Designing Your Business for Exit with Christie Kaplan 13.02.2026 1:21:00

Most founders build products. Very few intentionally design companies. Even few design their exits. In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with Christie Kaplan, founder of Startup Design Partners and architect of the design-led venture philosophy. Christie breaks down why: • Product-market fit (PMF) is only the beginning • Founders must design their busi...

Ep 77 | What Can the CIA Teach Us About Exit Planning? 31.01.2026 1:07:52

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynsotolov/ https://www.rjleadershipcoaching.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep76 | Building Exit-Worthy Growth Engines with AI 24.01.2026 57:18

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisanz19/ www.nextlm.ai Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 75 | AI, M&A, and the New Rules of Exit Planning with Jeff Willinger 16.01.2026 1:05:36

Jeff's phone: 312-622-2300 Jeff's email: jeffwillinger@outlook.com linkedin.com/in/jeffwillinger Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 74 | You’re Not Ready to Sell (Even If You Think You Are) with Stefania Arca 09.01.2026 1:19:58

linkedin.com/in/stefania-arca Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 73 | Anatomy of a Sellable Business: The Total Exit Value System™ - (Encore Presentation) 02.01.2026 1:05:24

Most business owners think exit planning is about timing the market or finding the right buyer. Buyers see it very differently. In this episode, we break down the Total Exit Value System™ —our 10-part framework designed to help founders understand how buyers actually evaluate, price, and de-risk an acquisition. This isn’t theory. It’s the same lens strategic and financial buyers use every time the...

Ep 72 | 10 Exit Planning Moves That Instantly Increase Business Value - (Encore Presentation) 26.12.2025 1:05:22

78% of business owners plan to fund their retirement by selling their company — yet only about 20% actually succeed. Why? Because most founders think exit planning is something you do at the end, not something you build into the business every day. In this episode, we break that myth wide open. Instead of theory or generic advice, we walk through 10 concrete, actionable items you can start address...

Ep 71 | The Trust Lever: How Founder Visibility Builds Exit Value 19.12.2025 1:13:42

Most founders think exit planning is about financials, operations, and timing. But buyers look for something deeper first: trust. In this episode of the ExitEngine™ Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with Christopher Thiede, storytelling strategist and creator of Visibility Brief, to explore how founder visibility and narrative control directly impact business value, buyer confidence...

Ep 70 | Sabotage! How You're Instinctively Killing Your Own Exit 12.12.2025 1:07:36

linkedin.com/in/jürgen-wiehn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 69| The IP Playbook Every Founder Needs to Learn Now! 05.12.2025 1:12:40

linkedin.com/in/brenna-legaard https://inveniolaw.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 68: Your Systems Are Costing You Millions 28.11.2025 1:08:34

linkedin.com/in/frank-piuck https://organization-renovation.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 67: Common Legal Traps That Will Kill Your Exit Deal 21.11.2025 1:06:18

linkedin.com/in/hallamstanton 7thstreetlegal.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 66 | The 7 Deadly Assumptions That Will Kill Your Business Sale 14.11.2025 1:01:05

linkedin.com/in/kevonsaber legacyoutcomes.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 65: The ESG Mindset Shift Every Founder Needs Before Exit 07.11.2025 1:08:25

linkedin.com/in/jtneumann23 jt23impactlabs.framer.website/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 64 | Is Your Business Leaking Profit? 31.10.2025 1:05:52

linkedin.com/in/ddcampbell yourproductivitypros.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

EP 63: Is Your Lack of Self-Awareness Holding You Back? 24.10.2025 1:04:05

https://lescsorba.com/ linkedin.com/in/lestcsorba https://www.amazon.com/Aware-Power-Seeing-Yourself-Clearly-ebook/dp/B0FLQKMG3H Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 62 | Will Your TECH Stack Destroy or Multiply Your Company’s Value? 17.10.2025 1:14:25

linkedin.com/in/joeinfante compassleft.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 61: How HR is Killing Your Overall Business Value 10.10.2025 1:07:02

linkedin.com/in/brianmvogel sundogcoaching.com sensiblehr.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep 60: Family Business Chaos: Turning Dysfunction Into a Sellable Company 02.10.2025 1:10:20

linkedin.com/in/scottgingold Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.