After The Exit

No more Zooms, 1-on-1 meetings, and monthly catchup calls. The feeling of being “the founder” is gone, and the identity you created in your industry has worn off. You've sold your business and are left with your thoughts and a boatload of money.No one will feel sorry for you, so don't even try asking them “What should I spend time on?” or “I don't feel fulfilled; what do I do?”. You could ask a high-net-worth community as a start. Or you could listen to this episode of the After The Exit Pod! We dive into the different stages of finding fulfillment again. Stage 1 - Wtf does this money mean?You just made a LOT of money. Even if it's just $1m, consider how many years of saving a normal job post-tax income you'd need to get $1m.Whatever the windfall amount, congratulations! What does this mean for you? What's the life you're supposed to live? What should you buy? Should I be an investor now?Lots of questions will crop up. Pause, breathe. Just know you can let your mind settle for a year, and you'll be fine. No rush.Step 2 - ResearchI started to talk to anyone I could who sold a business. I'd interview them like a 60-minute episode. What I found, though, is everyone invests differently. Everyone spends differently. And because of this, it's difficult to use others as a model. You can take bits and pieces from each story. But for the most part, look for foundations. Are you in wealth preservation or growth mode? Do you need more money?Those are foundations to build on. Less so, exact portfolio allocations or relocation plans for lower income taxes.Stage 3 - DiscoveryWhat drives you now? I'd say I'm in this stage. This has been more difficult as, by default, you may knee-jerk back into wanting to run a big business. I'd challenge you, though. Were those times really that great? When a key employee puts in their 2 weeks. An important customer churns. The application is down at 2am. Skipping out on friend and family get-togethers to be at a trade show.It's easy to romanticize running a business. We're entrepreneurs, we're overly optimistic! Try looking at the full picture, though. What's working for me? Create a routine. Book your calendar with time slots for activities:* Gym* WSJ reading* Surfing* Lunch* Project* KidsWhatever it is, create structure. Then use those slots to figure out which gives you positive energy and which is a drag. Adjust accordingly. Step 4 - Settling with new purposeMy guest on this episode has reached this stage. He felt 70% fulfilled again, creating a new routine around mentoring companies, more family time, and investing. It appears most have created a better balance here. Gone are the 90% of your hours spent on the business, and hello to an equal pie of time spent. Probably a healthier way to live.I'll report back when I get there! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.aftertheexitpod.com

YouTube - iTunes - SpotifyPost Exit, do you go bigger? Do you enjoy life? What's next?Our guest today explains his thought process. We went through a bunch of topics around:* Alternative & angel investing* Portfolio allocations* Using a wealth manager or not * How to spend an earnout (time-wise)* Getting mentally motivated againYou sold your business, and have liquidity.. now what? We dive deep to make the process easier. Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.aftertheexitpod.com

My guest today started his career in cyber security working for the government. Can you believe he was cracking codes? After leaving, he had an idea that turned into a large 8-figure exit. Listen to how it changed his life, how he balanced his family through the process, and what's next. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.aftertheexitpod.com

Our guest immigrated to Germany and took odd jobs until he landed in his passion, e-commerce. After years of selling vinyl records on Amazon, he was able to sell the business for 7 figures. Listen to what his life is like now and how he manages his money. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.aftertheexitpod.com