Built to Sell Radio

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Built to Sell Radio is a weekly podcast for business owners interested in selling a business. Each week, we ask an entrepreneur who has recently sold a business why they decided to sell their business, what they did right and what mistakes they made through the process of exiting their business. B…

John Warrillow author of Built to Sell and The Automatic Customer and the founder of The Value Builder System™.


    • Jun 20, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 503 EPISODES

    4.8 from 169 ratings Listeners of Built to Sell Radio that love the show mention: valuation, manda, john is a great, sale, exit, building a business, john's, selling, preparation, math, built, business owners, businesses, entrepreneurs, company, real world, great questions, lessons, interviewer, asks.


    Ivy Insights

    The Built to Sell Radio podcast is an excellent resource for entrepreneurs and business owners seeking insights, strategies, and inspiration to take their ventures to the next level with an exit in mind. Each episode introduces a different industry and showcases the unique challenges and triumphs faced by the guests in building their businesses. The host, John Warrillow, delves deep into their stories to uncover valuable lessons that entrepreneurs can apply to the sale of their own businesses.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the wealth of knowledge and wisdom shared by the guests. Every episode provides a nugget of wisdom that listeners can write down and use later on. Whether it's advice on building recurring revenue, learning how to talk about your business, or preparing for an exit, there are invaluable insights for all entrepreneurs. The guests come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, providing a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.

    Another great aspect of this podcast is its practicality. The episodes offer actionable tips and strategies that listeners can implement in their own businesses. From training teams to write proposals in order to step back from certain tasks to rethinking business models for increased value, there is something for every entrepreneur looking to grow their business with an exit strategy in mind.

    In terms of drawbacks, one potential downside is that not all episodes may be relevant or applicable to every listener. Since each episode focuses on a specific industry or guest, some topics may not resonate with every entrepreneur or business owner. However, given the wide range of industries covered in the podcast, there is still plenty of valuable content available.

    In conclusion, The Built to Sell Radio podcast is a gem for entrepreneurs and business owners looking for insights into building a successful company with an eventual exit strategy in mind. With its diverse range of guests and practical advice, this podcast offers invaluable knowledge that can be applied both in preparing a company for sale and navigating life after exiting a business.



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    Latest episodes from Built to Sell Radio

    Ep 499 After the Deal: The Hidden Cost of Generational Wealth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2025 49:54


    You've built a valuable company. Maybe you're even thinking about selling. But what happens after the wire hits?  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Alex Bean, co-founder of Divvy, shares what it felt like to sell his company for $2.5 billion—and why the real challenges began after the deal closed.  This conversation will help you think more strategically about what you're really building—and how to avoid the regrets that often follow a big payday.

    Ep 498 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Understanding the Buyer Who Pays 100% at Close

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2025 47:41


    Most acquirers want you to stick around. Roll equity. Hit targets. Train your replacement.  But there's a different kind of buyer out there. One who wires 100% of the money at closing—and lets you walk.  Dan Mytels represents this type of buyer. Through his firm, Salt Creek, he's acquired 100 businesses—most of them mature, profitable, niche companies where the owner was ready to move on. They don't always offer the highest multiple, but they do offer something many founders value more: a clean break. 

    Ep 497 Exit Story: How $1M in Profit Changed Doug Lowenthal's Life Forever

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2025 66:18


    When Doug Lowenthal discovered that $1 million in EBITDA was the minimum threshold acquirers looked for in his industry, he had a goal. Then he learned that managed service providers—businesses that offer outsourced IT support—were trading for 6–8× EBITDA. That's when he realized he was building something truly valuable.  But getting there required more than just strong financials. Doug had to rethink how he led his team, structured his business, and prepared for life after the deal. 

    Ep 496 After the Deal: CK on Selling for $510M, Taking a Sabbatical, and Redefining Success

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 55:53


    Chang Kim—friends call him CK—sold his company Tapas for more than $500 million and walked away without an earn-out. Instead of jumping into his next venture, he did something few founders have the nerve to do: he took a year off.  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, CK opens up about what life looks like when work becomes a choice, not a requirement. From cross-continental travel to difficult conversations with his kids about wealth, this is a rare, candid look at what happens after the wire hits. 

    Ep 495 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Brent Beshore on the Private Equity Trap and Being Long-Term Greedy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 56:12


    Private equity firms are the most likely buyers for your business—and some do a fine job preserving what makes a company great. But many are financial engineers. They offer a generous multiple, then lever up the business, cut costs, and flip it within a few years. Longtime employees get let go. Culture erodes. You walk away with a check, but it can feel like selling out. 

    Ep 494 Exit Story: Building News Sets for TV Stars—and a Business Worth Millions

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 57:13


    Ep 493 Exit Story: Selling a 20-Person Agency for 5.5x EBITDA

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 44:34


    Most stories we cover involve eye-popping multiples or headline-making exits. They're fun—but not always realistic.    Jeff DeGarmo's story is different. No private equity windfall. No tech hockey stick. Just a well-run, 20-person service business built over 16 years and sold for a solid 5.5x EBITDA. 

    Ep 492 Mastering the Deal: How Greg Alexander Got $162M for a 30-Person Firm—and What He's Learned from Watching 50 Other Exits Up Close

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 58:39


    Greg Alexander sold SBI, his 30-person consulting firm, for $162 million. Since then, he's had a front-row seat to 50 other service firm exits through his peer group, Collective 54. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Greg breaks down what separates firms that sell from those that stall.  This is a Mastering the Deal episode of Built to Sell Radio—designed to help you punch above your weight in a negotiation to sell your business. 

    Ep 491 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: The Case for Unsexy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 63:55


    What makes someone want to buy an “unsexy” business?  Jon Pole has acquired 19 traditional radio stations. On paper, it's an industry many assume is in decline. But for an experienced buyer like Pole, these deals are less about media trends and more about community, cash flow, and culture. 

    Ep 490 Exit Story: How a Middleman Built and Sold a $19M Distribution Business

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 52:12


    Sean McAuliffe didn't invent anything. He was a distributor.  If you lost your car keys and went to a locksmith to cut a new set, chances are your locksmith got the replacement key from Sean's business. He bought cheap keys from Asia and sold them to locksmiths. Nothing fancy. Like so many businesses, Sean was a middleman. He'd never really thought about selling—didn't think anyone would want to buy it—but when a private equity group offered him millions, Sean realized he was sitting on a potential goldmine. 

    Ep 489 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Sequoya Borgman on How Independent Sponsors Buy Companies, Structure Deals, and Spot Pretenders

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 66:52


    What do acquirers really want?  Sequoya Borgman has acquired 19 companies and exited two. He's raised capital on a deal-by-deal basis, working outside the traditional private equity model. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Borgman explains how “independent sponsors” operate—and why more wealthy individuals are now pooling money to buy lower middle-market businesses.  You discover how to: 

    Ep 488 Exit Story: Garren Hilow on Selling for $190M, Taking Stock, and Missing His Earn-Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 59:23


    When Garren Hilow helped start Abveris, he didn't have much—just a background in sales, a co-founder with a Harvard PhD, and a stock option representing 16% of the company.  Eight years later, he bought out his co-founder, bootstrapped the company with bank debt (collateralized by his house), and sold it in a stock deal that peaked at $190 million. 

    Ep 487 After the Deal: How the Ultra-Wealthy Invest After Selling Their Business

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 67:15


    What would you do with $20 million?  That's the minimum amount required to join Tiger 21, the exclusive network where ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs learn how to preserve and grow their wealth.  Michael Sonnenfeldt founded Tiger 21 after selling two companies and realizing that the skills that made him a successful entrepreneur didn't translate into smart investing. He built the group to help other entrepreneurs avoid costly post-exit mistakes. 

    selling invest tiger wealthy michael sonnenfeldt
    Ep 486 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: The Harvard Playbook for Buying Your Business

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 60:55 Transcription Available


    A new generation of buyers trained in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is looking for businesses like yours. Unlike private equity firms focused on roll-ups, ETA buyers are often searching for a single business to own and operate—making them a legitimate option for certain sellers. 

    Ep 485 After the Deal: The Psychology of Selling—Kill Criteria, Walkaway Mindset & Why “Telling Your Company's Story” Often Drives Up Your Multiple

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 69:30


    For the first time ever, we recorded a Built to Sell Radio episode in front of a live audience at the Value Builder Summit—a gathering of mission-driven advisors dedicated to helping founders level the playing field as they approach their exit.  Rob Walling has started, built, and sold multiple companies. As an investor and conference organizer, he's seen hundreds of founders exit—some thriving, others struggling. He teamed up with Dr. Sherry Walling, a clinical psychologist specializing in supporting entrepreneurs, to codify what separates a successful exit from one that leaves an owner adrift. Their insights culminated in their new book Exit Strategy. 

    Ep 484 How to Know When It's Time to Sell

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 70:04


    Kristie Shifflette built a 13-location Orangetheory Fitness empire from scratch—bootstrapping a capital-hungry business, personally guaranteeing leases, and taking on risk most founders wouldn't touch. In the end, it paid off for Kristie and in this episode, you'll discover how to:  Bootstrap a capital-intensive business without giving up control  Reduce your risk when taking on an investor  Attract entrepreneurial employees who will care as much as you do  Think about the $10 million milestone (and why it matters to private equity)  Know when to take some chips off the table—and when to double down  Ace management presentations with an acquirer  Play hard to get (even when you want to sell)  Get an acquirer to bump up their offer   Max out an earn-out payment—even if you don't quite hit your targets  Spot an acquisition offer that's likely to be re-traded 

    Ep 483 Exit Story: Frank Shultz on Escaping the 50/50 Trap and Buying Out a Partner

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 88:07


    When Frank Shultz co-founded Infinite Blue, he and his partner split ownership 50/50. The business thrived, but their working relationship soured. Frank wanted to buy out his co-founder, but with a valuation in the eight figures, he faced a daunting question: where would he get the cash? 

    Ep 482 Exit Story: Bob Gilbreath — "The Adult Version of the Marshmallow Test" and How to Capitalize on an Earn-Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 77:00


    An earn-out is a deal structure where part of the sale price is contingent on the business hitting future performance goals. For many owners, it feels like a gamble—where the payout is uncertain, and the risks are high.  But Bob Gilbreath flipped the script.  He navigated two complex earn-outs across two service businesses and turned both into massive financial wins. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Bob shares how he turned the dreaded earn-out into his greatest asset. 

    Ep 481 After the Deal: What 70 Founders Reveal About Generational Wealth, the Achievement Trap & the Happiness Illusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 62:50


    Most founders focus all their energy on getting to an exit, but few stop to consider what comes next. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Rood shares what he learned after selling Next Step Test Prep to private equity—and why he decided to write Beyond the Exit. 

    Ep 480 Exit Story: The $80M Deception—How Kevin Wagstaff Walked Away and Won

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 87:38


    When Kevin Wagstaff and his brother bootstrapped Spectora, a SaaS platform for home inspectors, with just $2,500 each, they never expected to one day face an $80 million acquisition offer. Spectora transformed the home inspection industry by replacing outdated paper reports with a digital platform that streamlined workflows, saved inspectors time, and enhanced the client experience.  But when an acquirer attempted to re-trade the deal at the last minute—adding a $25 million seller's note, a $10 million earn-out, and a 36-month call option—Kevin learned a hard lesson: just because an offer is on the table doesn't mean the deal is done.  The acquirer assumed Kevin and his brother would be too invested in the deal to walk away. But thanks to their advisor's guidance, they stood firm. The result? The acquirer backtracked, offering the original terms. Kevin and his brother still walked, ultimately selling a majority stake at a $90 million valuation to a better partner. 

    Ep 479 Exit Story: How to Attract a Fortune 500 Acquirer With Brock Weatherup

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 78:05


    Selling your business to a Fortune 500 company is a dream for many founders. Strategic acquirers often pay the most because they can integrate your business into their larger ecosystem. It's rare to pull off even once—Brock Weatherup has done it three times.  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Brock reveals the strategies that helped him attract Fortune 500 buyers like PetSmart and Petco. This episode is a roadmap for anyone who wants to sell their business to a strategic acquirer. 

    Ep 478 After the Deal: When Can You Afford to Fly Private? with Preston Holland

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 81:01


    That's why we created the After the Deal series on Built to Sell Radio. This series explores life after selling a business—delving into the personal, financial, and emotional transitions that come when work becomes a choice, not a requirement.  In this episode, we speak with Preston Holland, author of Private Jet Insider and an expert in private aviation. Preston shares why private jet travel isn't just for celebrities and explains how business owners use private aviation to buy back their most valuable asset: time. 

    Ep 477 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Lessons from Analyzing Thousands of Real-Life Transactions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 54:11


    This week on Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Blake Hutchison, CEO of Flippa, the world's largest marketplace for buying and selling digital businesses. With experience overseeing thousands of real transactions, Blake offers a unique window into the minds of today's acquirers. 

    Ep 476 Exit Story: How Ben Landers Avoided an Earn-Out in His 8-Figure Sale of Blue Corona

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 71:25


    Ben Landers built Blue Corona, an 8-figure digital marketing agency focused on home service businesses, into a data-driven powerhouse. When it came time to sell, Ben achieved something extraordinary: a clean exit with no earn-outs, a rare feat in the service business world where earn-outs are practically the norm.

    Ep 475 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: Adam Kerrigan on Selling His Service Business, Acquiring 16 More, and Moving From a 1X to a 15X Multiple

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 64:20


    Adam Kerrigan started as the owner of a managed service provider (MSP) business, which he built and eventually sold. After his exit, he joined the acquiring company to lead its M&A group, where he completed 16 deals and helped build a private equity-backed organization.  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Adam pulls back the curtain on how acquirers often push for cashless deals, offering equity instead of cash—and how sellers can negotiate to ensure they get the deal they deserve. 

    Ep 474 2024 Year-End Special: The Insider's Guide to Maximizing Your Exit

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 38:37


    As we gear up for 2025, I wanted to highlight the top strategies covered this past year on Built to Sell Radio. These insights are designed to help you increase the value of your business and position yourself for a successful exit.

    Ep 473 Exit Story: How Grace & Stella Survived a $28M Setback to Sell for 5.8x EBITDA

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 55:21


    Imagine personally guaranteeing millions in debt to fill a $28M order—only to have it yanked at the last minute. It nearly bankrupted founder Adi Gullia as well as Grace & Stella. Yet he overcame it all and sold at a 5.8x EBITDA multiple. 

    Ep 472 Exit Story: The Broken LOI: How George Hartley Salvaged the Sale of SmartrMail

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 50:17


    Blue Thumb, Australia's largest art marketplace, spawned SmartrMail—a SaaS business that grew to $2 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). When George Hartley decided to sell SmartrMail, he faced a major setback: the buyer he signed an LOI with didn't have the funds to close.  In this week's Built to Sell Radio, George shares the lessons he learned when his first deal fell apart and how he ultimately salvaged the sale. 

    Ep 471 Exit Story: Kaelon Egan on Selling AccelaSchool to PowerSchool, Targeting Strategic Buyers, and Avoiding Earn-Outs

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 31:50


    In this week's episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Kaelon Egan, the founder of AccelaSchool, who successfully sold his company to PowerSchool—a giant in the K-12 education technology space.  For most founders, the ultimate dream is to sell to a strategic acquirer: a well-funded, industry leader with deep pockets. Egan shares exactly how he positioned his company to become a natural acquisition target, avoiding common pitfalls along the way. 

    Ep 470 After the Deal: James Ashford on Regretting Selling a 12-Employee Company for 8 Figures

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 80:36


    James Ashford built GoProposal with a clear goal: to sell. From designing the logo with potential acquirers in mind to rallying his team around the vision, James executed his plan with precision. The result? An eight-figure sale to Sage, a FTSE 100 company. But what happened after the deal?  In this week's Built to Sell Radio, part of our After the Deal series, James opens up about life post-exit. Selling a company can bring financial freedom, but as James reveals, it also comes with unexpected challenges. 

    Ep 469 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer: The Private Equity Roll Up Playbook

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 70:55


    If you're a business owner, chances are buyers are considering your industry for a roll-up. From veterinary clinics to auto body shops, pharmacies to advertising agencies—you name the industry, there's probably a private equity firm looking to roll it up.  This week's episode is part of our Inside the Mind of an Acquirer series, where we dive into the strategies and motivations of different types of buyers. Jordan Dubin, co-founder of Guild, shares how he raised $35 million to create a roll-up of garage door companies and reveals what he looks for in a potential acquisition. 

    Ep 468 The Hustler's Guide to a Big Exit: How Shane Neman Conquered the Business of Partying

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 64:20


    What does it take to turn nightlife into big business? Med school dropout Shane Neman cracked the code on the nightclub industry, transforming its back office into a finely tuned, revenue-generating machine. From pioneering one of the first SMS platforms for small businesses to setting up his companies for top-dollar exits, Shane shares the technical strategies that turned his ideas into high-value assets. 

    Ep 467 From High School Dropout to $419M Exit: Mike Fata's Journey with Manitoba Harvest

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 52:52


    Few founders exemplify resilience like Mike Fata, co-founder of Manitoba Harvest. Growing up in a single-parent, low-income household, Fata dropped out of school in grade 10, struggled with health issues, and found himself weighing 300 pounds by age 18. A life-changing commitment to health led him to discover hemp as a nutritional powerhouse, sparking his path to founding Manitoba Harvest and building it into one of North America's leading hemp food companies.  In his interview on Built to Sell Radio, Mike dives into the journey that saw him go from construction worker to the sale of Manitoba Harvest to Tilray for $419 million.

    Ep 466 Building a $26M Home Services Business, Overcoming Personal Tragedy, Private Equity ‘musical chairs', and Securing a 10x EBITDA Exit with Carrie Kelsch

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 55:39


    When Carrie Kelsch was encouraged to start a garage door business back in 2004, she had no experience in the industry.     By 2022, her company, A Plus Garage Doors, was generating $26 million in revenue with 30% EBITDA margins. This week on Built to Sell Radio, host John Warrillow shares Carrie's journey—from her first steps in the home services industry to the personal tragedy that ultimately pushed her to consider selling. 

    Ep 465 Negotiation, Earn-Outs, and the Pitfalls of Stock Deals in His $4.6M Exit with Pete Neubig

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 50:47


    Pete Neubig started his entrepreneurial journey buying $35,000 houses with small down payments. After amassing 60 homes, he realized there was more money in managing properties for others.   Pete shifted focus to building a property management company, handling maintenance and rent collection for over 1,000 homes, and eventually sold the business for $4.6 million or 1.75 times recurring revenue to an industry giant.

    Ep 464 Built to Flip: How to Buy, Build, and Sell a Business with Jim Lindstrom

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 56:33


    In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Jim Lindstrom discusses how he acquired BuzzWord, a company specializing in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting. Lindstrom explains how he built a killer culture by transforming contractors into full-time employees and incentivizing them with a two-part profit-sharing scheme focused on cash flow and EBITDA, setting the business up for future sale.

    Ep 463 How Luke Peters Turned a Used Bar Fridge into an $80M Acquisition Target

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 59:56


    Luke Peters started off by reselling everyday appliances like bar fridges online. Eventually he built a brand and shifted to selling his products on big e-commerce retailers. Peters grew NewAir to $80 million in revenue before selling it for a lifechanging windfall in 2022. 

    Ep 462 Matt Ebert on Selling Control to Private Equity and Expanding Crash Champions to 645 Locations

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 57:11


    Matt Ebert's path to founding Crash Champions didn't start with a grand plan—it began with a car wreck. At 16, he found himself needing to fix his own car, sparking an unexpected passion that led to building one of the largest collision repair companies in the United States. 

    Ep 461 Aaron Levenstadt on Narrowing Your Focus to Broaden Your Appeal, Building an Advisory Board, and the Rule of 20 for a Successful Exit

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 50:03


    Aaron Levenstadt built Pedestal Search into a business worth selling by mastering one thing: SEO. While clients tempted him to offer other services, Aaron knew the real value lay in doing one thing better than anyone else. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Aaron shares how focusing on one service helped him stand out in a crowded market and achieve a successful exit.

    Ep 460 How Jessica DeLuca Sold Cult Beauty for £275M and Created 29 Millionaires

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 76:49


    Jessica DeLuca co-founded Cult Beauty in 2008, creating one of the UK's leading online beauty retailers. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Jessica reveals the path that led her to selling the business for £275 million to The Hut Group (THG).  DeLuca's background in tech shaped the business, with her love for data and precision leading to a meticulously curated platform. Frustrated by the lack of unbiased information in the beauty industry, she built a database of expert advice, allowing customers to search products tailored to their needs—an approach that set Cult Beauty apart from the competition. 

    Ep 459 Alex Bean on Why He Was Miserable After Selling Divvy for $2.5B: Raising Capital vs. Going It Alone, Talking to Kids About Money, the Happiness Trap, and the Disease of More

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 52:01


    Alex Bean sold his company, Divvy, for $2.5 billion. But after reaching this monumental milestone, why didn't the sale bring him the happiness he expected? In this episode, Alex shares his journey and the lessons he learned about life after a business exit. 

    Ep 458 Inside the Mind of an Acquirer with Tim Schumacher

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 51:04


    On this week's Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow talks to Tim Schumacher, co-founder of SaaS Group, about the mindset of an acquirer.  Tim shares Peter Thiel's “zero to one” versus “one to ten” concept and how knowing which one you are can shape your business. 

    Ep 457 Negotiation Masterclass: Harvard's Jim Sebenius on Maximizing Your Business Sale

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 55:36


    n this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Jim Sebenius, the founder of the Negotiation Unit at Harvard Business School, shares his advanced negotiation strategies for selling a privately held business.     Jim's extensive experience includes his time at the Blackstone Group, where he negotiated on behalf of one of the world's largest alternative asset managers with more than $1 trillion under management. He is also a frequent speaker to YPO and a consultant for privately held companies, helping them navigate complex negotiations.    Jim's insights are backed by his in-depth research, including first-hand interviews with former U.S. Secretaries of State such as Henry Kissinger, Hillary Clinton, and Rex Tillerson. These interviews have provided him with unique perspectives on negotiation from some of the world's most experienced dealmakers, making his advice invaluable for anyone looking to sell their company for maximum value. 

    Ep 456 The Hidden Risk In Selling to Private Equity: A Cautionary Tale From Protein Bar's Matt Matros' on How to Avoid a 7-Figure Mistake

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 54:20


    Matt Matros built Protein Bar from a single smoothie shop into a fast-growing chain. In 2012, private equity firm L Catterton came knocking with a deal valuing his company at $44 million. Matt decided to roll 40% of his equity, expecting it to grow even more.

    Ep 455 William Brown on Turning a $50 Course into a Seven-Figure Exit, Navigating Diligence, and Creating a Million Dollar Webinar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 42:44


    This week on Built to Sell Radio, William Brown shares his remarkable journey from selling a $50 Word document offering trading advice to building a multi-million dollar online education business that attracted serious interest from acquirers. Based in Dubai, William's story is a testament to how a simple, bootstrapped start can evolve into a highly valuable and sellable business. 

    Ep 454 A Rare Glimpse Inside the Secret World of Corporate Development

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 61:25


    Corporate buyers are notoriously secretive and rarely reveal their inner workings. This is why our latest episode of Built to Sell Radio is so valuable: It provides a rare look into the secretive world of corporate M&A.    Our guest is Christopher Vollmond-Carstens, Chief M&A Officer at Ntiva, where they help businesses keep their technology running smoothly, from managing their computer systems to protecting them from cyber threats. Christopher has bought fifteen companies in the last few years, and this week we take a walk inside his mind to understand how he thinks about buying companies.    This episode, part of our Inside the Mind of an Acquirer series, offers unique insights into the corporate development division of a big company.

    Ep 453 Meet the Acquirer You've Never Heard Of: Inside the Mind of Kristi Herold

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 54:54


    Most people hear about spectacular acquisitions made by strategic acquirers or giant private equity groups. But the reality is, you're likely to sell your company to a small business in your sector that nobody outside your industry has ever heard of.  In our latest episode of Built to Sell Radio, part of our Inside the Mind of an Acquirer series, we get inside the head of Kristi Herold. Kristi is the founder of Jam, a company based in Toronto that connects people through adult recreational sports leagues and corporate team-building events.  Kristi has successfully completed 11 acquisitions, making her a prime example of how small businesses buy other small companies.  

    Ep 452 How to Turn a 3x EBITDA Offer into 5x. Creative earn out structures. Declining projects without losing a customer and selling a service business with Paper Leaf founder, Jeff Archibald.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 55:43


    Jeff Archibald founded Paper Leaf, a company specializing in developing websites, mobile apps and custom software. By offering a narrow scope of services to a variety of verticals, Paper Leaf built a reputation for handling challenging projects that generalist agencies couldn't. Jeff's commitment to simplicity and effective forecasting played a significant role in Paper Leaf's success. He used fixed payment contracts to ensure steady cash flow and offered a limited number of technologies, allowing his team to become experts. These practices stabilized the business and made it attractive for acquisition. 

    Ep 451 Nicole Osmer on selling her $10M agency, the dangers of a fast LOI, minimizing re-trading, deciding when to sell, and how to tell your employees about an acquisition

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 67:12


    Nicole Osmer is the founder and president of Health+Commerce, a public relations and marketing agency for companies in medtech, biotech, and digital health. Nicole grew Health+Commerce from $1M to $10M in annual revenue over seven years.     Along the way, Nicole received an acquisition offer that seemed too good to be true. It turned out it was, and the deal fell apart. Nicole picked up the pieces, and in March 2024, Health+Commerce was acquired by Trinity Hunt-backed Supreme Group.

    Ep 450 Exiting Mainstreet: Michael Lynch on How to Sell a Smaller Business

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 68:49


    In this week's episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Michael Lynch, the creator of TinyPilot, a hardware device that allows users to remotely control their computers without installing any software.   Like most small companies, TinyPilot was a Main Street business with around $1 million in revenue and roughly $250,000 in profit, so Michael's story is a revealing snapshot of a typical exit for the majority of small businesses

    Ep 449 Transforming a Personal Brand into a Sellable Company with Amazon guru Kiri Masters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 63:56


    In this week's episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Kiri Masters, founder of Bobsled Marketing. Kiri's marketing agency specialized in helping companies merchandise their products on sites like Amazon.com and Walmart.com.  Kiri successfully transformed a significant social media following into a valuable company.

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