Welcome to THE EXIT – where the world’s most successful founders reveal how they built, scaled, and sold their companies for 8, 9, and even 10 figures.
Hosted by entrepreneur, advisor, and founder of THE EXIT GROUP (http://www.theexit.group), Adrian Salamunovic, THE EXIT Podcast delivers rare, candid conversations with tech, SaaS, and e-commerce founders who’ve done the hard thing: exited. We go beyond the headlines to unpack what really happened—how the deals came together, what almost killed them, and what life looks like after the wire clears.
If you're a founder planning a future exit—or want to learn how the world’s top entrepreneurs think—this is where you'll find insights you won’t hear anywhere else.
– Startup acquisitions & M&A strategy
– Real founder exit stories
– How to sell your company for maximum value
– Post-exit wealth, purpose & reinvention
Welcome to THE EXIT – where the world’s most successful founders reveal how they built, scaled, and sold their companies for 8, 9, and even 10 figures.
Hosted by entrepreneur, advisor, and founder of THE EXIT GROUP (http://www.theexit.group), Adrian Salamunovic, THE EXIT Podcast delivers rare, candid conversations with tech, SaaS, and e-commerce founders who’ve done the hard thing: exited. We go beyond the headlines to unpack what really happened—how the deals came together, what almost killed them, and what life looks like after the wire clears.
If you're a founder planning a future exit—or want to learn how the world’s top entrepreneurs think—this is where you'll find insights you won’t hear anywhere else.
– Startup acquisitions & M&A strategy
– Real founder exit stories
– How to sell your company for maximum value
– Post-exit wealth, purpose & reinvention
What does it really take to sell your company for life-changing money?In this episode of THE EXIT, I sit down with Mark Macleod — former CFO of Shopify and FreshBooks, founder of SurePath Capital, and the coach behind over $1B in successful exits — to uncover the real truth behind the startup exit process.We talk about:- The biggest mistakes founders make during an exit- The psychology of selling your company (and what comes after)- Why most earn-outs are traps- How Marc built his post-exit life around mindfulness, purpose, and founder performance- Tactical advice on aligning with acquirers and investment bankers- Why your physical and mental health are the #1 growth tools as a founderIf you're building, scaling, or selling a venture-backed startup, this is the episode you can't afford to miss.Subscribe for more real conversations with world-class founders, investors, and M&A experts.🔖 Timestamps00:00 Introduction of Mark Macleod01:00 Mark's Background in Venture-Backed Startups02:15 Yahoo Purchasing Facebook?04:30 What Makes for a Successful Acquisition?06:24 Why I Avoid Earnouts07:55 Psychological Aspects of Selling a Company09:55 Founder Burnout and Recovery Time12:36 Importance of Being Present13:20 Fitness and Mental Health for CEOs20:00 The Role of Coaching in Startups21:34 Operational Experience in Coaching26:20 Two Things You Need to Succeed in Business29:04 What Founders Get Wrong Pre-Exit32:30 Should Founders Work With I-Bankers and When?41:28 Avoiding Exit Landmines48:24 Coaching and Providing Tough Feedback49:44 Creating a Massive Business You Never Want to Exit🔗 Follow the Guests & HostsTHE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.group
Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/theexit.group Mark Macleod – https://www.linkedin.com/in/themarkmacleod/
Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/#startup #founderlife #exitstrategy #venturecapital #marcmacleod #adriansalamunovic #theexitpodcast #shopify #freshbooks #burnout #startupcoach #founderhealth #startupmistakes #mna #founderexit
