Podcast Episodes

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

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…

Published on 6 months, 4 weeks ago

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

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 …

Published on 7 months ago

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

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 …

Published on 7 months, 1 week ago

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

Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago

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

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 hock…

Published on 7 months, 3 weeks ago

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

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 …

Published on 8 months ago

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

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 P…

Published on 8 months, 1 week ago

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

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 bus…

Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago

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

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…

Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago

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

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 …

Published on 9 months ago