Lana the founder of Floom, a premium flower marketplace featured in Vogue, Forbes, and The New York Times, breaks down how she sold her company to a strategic buyer without a banker. We cover spotting the right time to sell, building a data room, running a buyer process, and handling LOI exclusivity risk. She shares the emotional side too, identity after the exit and why deals can fall through. If you are considering selling, this conversation is a practical roadmap and a reality check.
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00:00 Intro, who is Lana and what is Floom
01:09 Deciding it was time to sell, reading the signals
04:30 Burnout vs. timing, why she aimed for profitability first
07:00 What M&A advisors do, why she went solo
08:56 Building the data room, financials, legal, and IP proof
12:15 Finding buyers, using LinkedIn and a short strategic list
14:54 When deals fall through, managing the emotional crash
16:11 Should you sell before you hate it, practical advice
18:33 Identity after an exit, grief, journaling, and reset
22:00 Life design, profitability, and alternatives to venture scale
24:27 LOI exclusivity risks, spotting unserious buyers
26:59 Deal structures 101, lessons she wishes she knew earlier
28:07 When to sell, hot vs. right-for-you timing
29:57 After the handoff, how closely to watch the brand
30:47 Hot take, does a company need to be your identity
31:26 Time off between companies, sprint or sabbatical
33:08 Does selling give you clout, second-time founder advantages
34:28 Wrap up, subscribe and comment