In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny sits down with entrepreneur, author, and mentor John Solleder, whose 40-year career has been dedicated to one thing: helping people unlock their potential. From humble beginnings in New Jersey to building international, people-driven enterprises, John has spent decades proving that leadership, discipline, and personal growth are the foundations of lasting business value.
Together, Sam and John unpack how to:
🧭 Key Topics Covered
💡 Key Quotes
“Success isn’t luck — it’s design.” – John Solleder🔑 Actionable Takeaways
📚 Mentioned in the Episode
🔗 Connect with John Solleder
In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny sits down with Nader Safinya, founder of Black Ribbit and creator of the Culture Branding™ methodology — a powerful framework that bridges brand, culture, and leadership to accelerate decision-making and deepen loyalty inside and outside organisations.
Over two decades, Nader has worked across continents and industries to help businesses design cultures that live their values, not just print them on a wall. He reveals how aligning core beliefs across employees and customers can make decisions up to 56 times faster, boost retention, and drive measurable growth.
From his multicultural upbringing to the birth of Black Ribbit and the development of the Culture Brand Filter — an AI-driven decision-making system — Nader shares how empathy, consistency, and design thinking can transform both company culture and bottom-line results.
🧠 Key Themes Covered
1. The Origins of a Culture Builder
Growing up across Iran, Indonesia, France, and the US, Nader’s early life taught him to observe human behaviour and cultural dynamics. He credits his mother’s legendary parties — where CEOs and housekeepers mingled as equals — for teaching him the power of consistent treatment and emotional safety.
2. The Birth of Black Ribbit
What started as a misread tattoo shop in Munich turned into a global agency name — and an ethos. Frogs, as Nader later discovered, symbolise empathy, transformation, and guidance across cultures. “It was fate — or as my mum would say, kismet,” he laughs.
3. Defining Your Core Values
Before he could define company values, Nader had to define his own. After a decade-long personal transformation, he identified his three non-negotiables — reliability, compassion, and deliberate action — values that now underpin every decision at Black Ribbit.
4. What Is Culture Branding?
Traditional branding focuses on customers. Culture Branding connects both sides of the business — employees and customers — through shared values and consistent experiences. It ensures that what companies say aligns with what they do.
“Culture Branding bridges the gap between what companies say and what they do — by designing the customer and employer brand simultaneously.”5. The Culture Brand Filter
The heart of the framework is a powerful AI-driven tool that helps organisations make values-based decisions at speed.
“We had clients who’d been deliberating for 12 months and solved it in 12 minutes,” Nader explains.The tool ensures decisions align with three core values, increasing clarity, trust, and cohesion across teams.
6. Quantifying the Impact
Culture Branding has delivered dramatic results:
Yet the greatest ROI, Nader says, is time — “the one thing holding us back from becoming better humans.”
7. The Challenge of Implementation
Despite its success, many companies hesitate to act. “It’s fear,” Nader admits. “They ask, ‘What do we get?’ — even as I show them the data. But what they’re really missing is the willingness to install the program, not just buy it.”
8. AI, Humanity, and the Future of Culture
Nader warns that if businesses don’t integrate empathy and values into their systems now, “we risk becoming cattle to the machine.”
“Culture Branding gives humans back time. It lets technology handle the monotonous so we can get back to being better humans.”9. Practical Steps for Leaders
If you want to apply Culture Branding in your business this week:
💬 Memorable Quotes
“Consistent behaviour elicits consistent responses — and that’s the foundation of brand trust.”🏁 Final Takeaway
Aligning your brand and culture isn’t a marketing exercise — it’s a business accelerator. When your team and customers tell the same story about who you are, your company moves faster, makes better decisions, and becomes magnetic to the right people.
Clarity of values leads to clarity in decisions — and clarity drives growth.🔗 Connect with Nader Safinya
When it comes to building a business people actually want to buy, it’s not just about profits — it’s about people.
In this episode, Chris Dyer, bestselling author, culture consultant and former CEO of PeopleG2, joins Sam Penny to unpack how company culture directly drives performance, profitability and business valuation.
Long before remote work became mainstream, Chris built one of America’s most recognised “Best Places to Work,” scaling a fully virtual company through the GFC and eventually selling it — all by putting culture first.
From his Seven Pillars of Culture to radical transparency, and why he ditched one-on-one meetings for faster decision-making, this conversation reveals how culture isn’t soft — it’s a hard-edge advantage that creates enterprise value buyers can see and feel.
In this episode:
Guest bio:
Chris Dyer is a global culture expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of The Power of Company Culture and Remote Work. As the founder and former CEO of PeopleG2, he built one of the world’s first fully remote companies, recognised seven years running as a Best Place to Work. Chris now helps leaders worldwide build transparent, high-performing, human-centred organisations that attract and retain top talent.
👉 Learn more at chrisdyer.com
Follow Chris on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrispdyer7
On Instagram/TikTok: @chrisdyer
Key takeaway
A great culture isn’t a perk — it’s a multiplier.
When you build transparency, trust, and meaningful connection into your business, you don’t just create happier teams — you build a company worth buying.
Subscribe & share
If this episode helped you rethink what really drives value in your business, share it with a fellow founder or leader.
Subscribe to Built to Sell | Built to Buy wherever you listen to podcasts.
What if the way you’re wired is silently driving every financial and business decision you make?
In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny sits down with Hugh Massie, founder of DNA Behavior International, to explore how our natural behavioural wiring influences money, decision-making, leadership, and ultimately the value of a business.
Hugh’s journey from chartered accountant to global entrepreneur reveals why behaviour is the denominator of success. He shares how losing his father at a young age shaped his passion for mentoring boys without fathers, why understanding behaviour is critical in scaling businesses, and how leaders can adopt an exponential mindset to unlock massive growth.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, team leader, or someone simply looking to make smarter financial choices, this conversation will give you practical steps to align behaviour with money, reduce risk, and open the door to exponential growth.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
About Hugh Massie
Hugh Massie is the Founder and Executive Chairman of DNA Behavior International, a global leader in behavioural profiling and money insights. His tools have been used by thousands of companies and advisors to improve decision-making, leadership, and financial outcomes. Hugh is also passionate about youth mentoring, particularly helping boys who grow up without fathers, and advocates for leaders to integrate purpose and values into business.
👉 Learn more at dnabehavior.com
👉 Contact Hugh: dnacare@dnabehavior.com
Resources & Links
What does it take to turn a side hustle into a household name? For Jim Penman, it started with mowing lawns for twenty-four dollars a week — and grew into Jim’s Group, one of the largest and most recognisable franchise networks in Australia and beyond.
In this conversation, Jim shares the story of how he built a brand that now stretches across more than 50 industries, why customer service has always been his non-negotiable, and the mindset that helped him grow from a single operator into a leader of thousands.
But this isn’t just a business story. It’s a conversation about vision, persistence, and the courage to build something bigger than yourself. Jim opens up about:
Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a leader steering a growing organisation, or simply someone fascinated by how ordinary people achieve extraordinary things, Jim’s story offers a rare window into the grit behind the growth.
👉 If you enjoy this episode, you might also love my other podcast Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, where I explore the stories of people who attempt the extraordinary and say yes to the impossible. Find it on Apple, Spotify, or at sampenny.com/brave.
What does it take to build a company, nearly lose it twice, and still walk away with a successful exit?
In this episode, Sam Penny sits down with John Williamson, founder of Construct Health. John grew his physiotherapy business to 40 staff, faced near-bankruptcy during the mining downturn, and ultimately rebuilt, restructured, and sold his company to a national group. Along the way, he discovered that resilience isn’t just about spreadsheets and strategy — it’s about daily habits, tough conversations, and choosing to keep turning up when everything inside you wants to quit.
Whether you’re an owner thinking about your exit, or a buyer wanting to understand what it really takes behind the numbers, this conversation is packed with lessons you won’t want to miss.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Quotes from John
Resources & Links
Like What You Hear?
This episode was originally recorded for Sam’s other podcast, Why’d You Think You Could Do That? — a show about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. If you want more stories of bravery and resilience, follow it wherever you get your podcasts.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Built to Sell | Built to Buy so you never miss an episode on maximising value, preparing for exit, and buying businesses the smart way.
What does it really take to sell your business for the best possible price—or to buy one without getting burned?
In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, I sit down with Nathan Hulls, a seasoned business broker and exit advisor with Link Business Brokers. Nathan’s journey spans from starting his first lawn mowing business at 12, to running companies across tech, retail, and fitness, and now guiding business owners and buyers through the high-stakes world of acquisitions.
With his unique blend of real-world business ownership and brokerage expertise, Nathan reveals:
Whether you’re a business owner eyeing an exit or a buyer chasing your dream acquisition, Nathan breaks down the numbers, systems, and human factors that truly drive value.
👉 If you’re planning to sell in the next 12 months, his number one piece of advice could save you years of regret.
👉 If you’re buying your first business, his due diligence checklist will keep you from making an emotional mistake.
🔑 Key Takeaways
📬 Connect with Nathan Hulls
If you want to work directly with Sam, head to sampenny.com/action
Buying a business isn’t just about reviewing a P&L and signing a contract. Too many investors discover after settlement that they’ve inherited hidden problems—missing systems, staff departures, or a culture that doesn’t fit. In this episode, Sam Penny (aka The Impossible Guy) breaks down the biggest risks buyers face, how to spot them early, and the safeguards you need to put in place so you don’t get burned.
Sam shares real-world deal stories, the key questions every buyer should be asking, and the practical protections that separate smart acquisitions from costly mistakes.
If you’re planning to buy a business in the next 12 months—or you’ve got one on the radar right now—this session will give you the foresight and tools to take ownership with confidence.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Resources & Next Steps
Podcast Exclusive!
If you want to work 1:1 with Sam, a small number of spots are available for his loyal podcast listeners. Visit sampenny.com/action to take up this great offer.
Next Episode Teaser
In the next session, Sam dives into one of the most overlooked aspects of acquisitions: intangible assets. Learn how to identify, value, and leverage intellectual property, brand equity, customer data, and proprietary processes—the hidden drivers of valuation and growth.
Selling your business isn’t something you decide on Monday and complete by Friday — it’s a strategic, multi-step process that can take 12 months, 18 months, or even years to get right. In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny sits down with returning guest Sally Stuart, one of Australia’s top business brokers specialising in healthcare, allied health, aged care, and NDIS businesses.
Together, they go list-to-list, comparing their Top 10 Must-Do Items before taking a business to market. From the broker’s vantage point to the business coach’s perspective, you’ll hear where they agree, where they differ, and how each point can significantly impact your sale price.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why Listen?
If you’re a business owner even thinking about selling in the next 2–3 years, this episode could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to you. Sam and Sally unpack practical, actionable strategies you can start implementing today to boost your valuation and make your business irresistible to the right buyer.
Connect with Sally Stuart:
Resources & Links:
Too many business owners confuse burnout with readiness. Feeling exhausted after a tough year doesn’t mean your business is ready to sell—and waiting too long for the “perfect moment” can be just as costly. In this episode, Sam Penny breaks down how to know whether you’re truly exit ready or just tired, and the steps you can take to avoid one of the most expensive mistakes an owner can make.
Sam draws on his own experience building and selling seven-figure businesses, plus his work alongside brokers and buyers, to give you a clear, no-nonsense framework for exit success.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Links & Resources
What really makes a business sellable — and what will turn buyers away?
In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, I sit down with Sherryn Deetlefs, a LINK business broker who’s walked in the shoes of both sellers and buyers. Before moving into broking, Sherryn built and sold multiple businesses across hospitality, textiles, health, and design — giving her a unique, hands-on perspective of what it takes to close a successful deal.
We dive deep into:
Whether you’re a business owner planning your exit or a buyer hunting for the right fit, this conversation is packed with practical strategies, real-world stories, and behind-the-scenes insights from someone who’s been on both sides of the table.
Connect with Sherryn Deetlefs:
🔗 LINK Business: linkbusiness.com.au/business-broker/sherryn-deetlefs
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sherryn-deetlefs-a33483b9
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/sherryndeetlefs_businessbroker
Listen & Subscribe:
🎧 Apple Podcasts: Built to Sell | Built to Buy on Apple Podcasts
🎧 Spotify: Built to Sell | Built to Buy on Spotify
📺 More Episodes: sampenny.com/podcast
Most buyers fixate on the numbers—revenue, profit, multiples. But here’s what they miss: the seller’s exit plan is the X-ray. It reveals the true condition of the business, the handover risk, and whether you're about to inherit clarity or chaos. In this episode, Sam Penny pulls back the curtain on why a seller’s exit strategy—or lack of one—can make or break your acquisition.
Whether you’re actively negotiating or just sizing up your first opportunity, this episode will teach you how to interpret what sellers say… and what they don’t. From vague timelines to emotional hesitations, you'll learn how to decode the clues that reveal a seller’s readiness, reliability, and the operational depth of the business they’re leaving behind.
📌 What You’ll Learn:
🛠 Free Tools Mentioned:
💡 Big Takeaway:
You don’t just buy a business. You buy the first 90 days after takeover. If the seller’s exit plan is vague, reactive, or emotional, it’s a preview of what you’re walking into. And that chaos will cost you time, money, and momentum. Smart buyers read the seller, not just the spreadsheet.
📢 Next Episode Teaser:
Next week, we’re diving into How to Value and Leverage Intangible Assets. You’ll learn how to price and negotiate for brand, culture, IP, and systems—the hidden drivers of a business’s real value.
🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
Catch this episode and more on:
💬 Let’s Connect:
Got a deal on the table? Don’t walk into it blind.
Book a session with Sam → sampenny.com/chat
Even great businesses fail to sell; not because of poor performance, but because of a poor process.
In this powerhouse episode, Sam Penny unpacks why buyers walk away from solid businesses and what sellers can do to stop the deal from slipping through their fingers. From pre-market prep to buyer handover, Sam walks you through the 5 critical stages of a successful sales process, the 6 deal killers that spook buyers, and the tools you need to make your business irresistible on the open market.
If you’ve ever thought “my numbers are strong, why didn’t they buy?” this episode will show you exactly what went wrong and how to fix it.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
🧰 Tools You’ll Walk Away With:
🧭 Next Episode Teaser:
Exit Ready or Just Tired?
Next week, Sam helps you decode whether you're truly prepared to sell… or just burnt out. Don’t miss the signs, and don’t leave money on the table.
📞 Want Personal Help?
Book a free strategy call with Sam at sampenny.com/chat
Want to check how ready your business is to sell? Get your free Business Sale Readiness Report at sampenny.com/readiness
Too many investors get seduced by EBITDA and end up buying the wrong business. In this episode, Sam Penny dives deep into what really matters when you're buying: fit. Because even a profitable business will eat you alive if the values, leadership style, or vision don’t align with you.
Drawing from 25 years of real-world experience buying, building, and selling businesses, Sam introduces the Buyer Fit Framework—a simple but powerful tool to evaluate whether a business truly suits who you are and how you lead.
This episode is for anyone who's ever looked at a P&L and thought, “This looks good,” but forgot to ask, “Does it feel right?”
What You’ll Learn:
Free Resources Mentioned:
Who This Episode Is For:
Final Thought:
When the fit is right, the numbers follow. But when it’s not, the deal becomes a burden. Don’t buy a misfit. Buy a business that fits you.
Most business owners think their business will sell because of the numbers — the profit, the growth, the potential. But step into a business broker’s world, and you'll find that's not what kills deals. It’s fear.
In this episode of Built to Sell | Built to Buy, host Sam Penny is joined by Australia’s #1 business broker Sally Stuart, who sold 35+ businesses in just the past two years. Together, they unpack exactly why businesses don't sell — even when the financials look strong — and what actually makes a business irresistible to buyers.
Sally reveals:
If you’re a business owner thinking of selling, or an investor who wants to understand what really moves the needle in a deal, this episode is your blueprint. Straight from the broker’s mouth.
🔗 Links & Resources:
⏱️ Timestamps:
🎧 Episode Summary:
Think your business will sell because it's profitable? Think again.
In this powerhouse episode, business coach and advisor Sam Penny reveals the real reason businesses sell—and why the ones that should sell often don't. Spoiler: It's not EBITDA. It's not your P&L. It’s not even your systems.
It’s alignment.
Buyers don’t just want a business that makes money—they want one that feels like home. One that reflects their values, their leadership style, their vision for the future. And when they see themselves in your business? They move faster. They pay more. And they need less convincing.
This episode unpacks how to position your business for a premium exit by focusing on what really drives buyer decisions.
🧠 What You’ll Learn:
🔑 Key Takeaway:
Buyers don’t fall in love with businesses. They fall in love with the future they see in them.💥 Bonus:
Sam walks through his step-by-step framework to turn your business into something buyers believe in, not just buy into.
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
🎯 Want to Position Your Business for Premium Buyers?
Book a free strategy session with Sam at
👉 sampenny.com/strategy
🔜 Next Episode Teaser:
"Build a Sale Process That Doesn’t Blow the Deal"
Learn how to control the deal narrative, pace the process, and build trust while keeping your power. Don’t miss it.
📱 Subscribe & Review:
Follow Built to Sell | Built to Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your preferred platform. And if this episode hit home—leave a review. It helps more founders find the insights they need to exit right.
Episode Summary:
In this critical episode of the Built to Sell | Built to Buy podcast, business coach Sam Penny dives deep into one of the most overlooked (yet most expensive) parts of buying a business: risk. Not revenue. Not growth potential. Risk — and how to spot it, quantify it, and price it into your offer.
Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor, this session will change how you think about due diligence. Sam breaks down the 3 categories of risk every acquirer must assess — operational, financial, and transfer risk — and reveals the tactics smart buyers use to protect themselves and avoid overpaying.
Learn how to go beyond glossy pitch decks and charming sellers, and start stress-testing the business like a pro. You’ll walk away with real frameworks, tools, and a case study that shows exactly how to reduce risk — and price it into the deal.
🔍 What You'll Learn:
📚 Resources Mentioned:
🧠 Quote of the Episode:
“The price is just a number — until you attach terms to it. Risk isn’t something to fear; it’s something to leverage.”🎯 Call to Action:
💼 Buying a business? Book a free 30-minute strategy call to gut-check your deal before you sign:
👉 sampenny.com/strategy
🚨 Thinking about selling your business — now or in a few years? This episode is your blueprint. 🚨
Join business coach Sam Penny as he dives deep into the real reason deals fall apart — risk. Not revenue. Not EBITDA. Not potential. But perceived risk.
In this session, Sam Penny dives into how to properly de-risk your deal when preparing to sell. Making your business bulletproof involves removing yourself from daily tasks and ensuring smooth operations. By focusing on de-risking the deal, you make your business more attractive to buyers.
In this powerhouse episode of the Built to Sell | Built to Buy Podcast, you’ll learn exactly how to make your business irresistible to buyers by removing the silent deal killers hiding in plain sight.
🔎 What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why buyers don’t pay top dollar for potential — they pay for certainty.
- The top 7 hidden risks that scare off serious buyers.
- The exact 5 Deal De-riskers™ Sam uses with his private clients to increase valuations by six figures (or more).
- How to systemise, stabilise, and scale — even if you're not ready to sell yet.
- A real-world case study where a business valuation jumped from $960K to $1.24M without changing profit.
- Why owner dependency, messy financials, and poor handover planning are destroying your multiple.
- How to flip buyer fear into buyer confidence — and command a better offer with cleaner terms.
✅ Whether you’re 12 months from selling or still building, this episode will:
→ Help you identify the risks you can't see because you're too close.
→ Give you a checklist to start removing deal-breakers today.
→ Show you how to increase the value of your business without increasing your profit.
🎯 Want to know how buyer-ready your business really is?
Grab your free Business Readiness Report at https://sampenny.com/readiness
🧭 Ready to work 1-on-1 with Sam to prepare for a high-value exit?
Book your free strategy call at https://sampenny.com/strategy
💡 If you’ve ever wondered:
→ “How do I sell my business for more?”
→ “What are buyers really looking for?”
→ “How do I remove myself from daily operations?”
→ “How do I increase my business valuation without burning out?”
…this is the episode you cannot afford to miss.
🎧 Listen on the go:
Spotify: Built to Sell | Built to Buy
Apple Podcasts: Built to Sell | Built to Buy
📌 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.
#BuiltToSell #BuiltToBuy #SamPenny #BusinessValuation #HowToSellYourBusiness #ExitStrategy #DeRiskTheDeal #SmallBusinessAdvice #BusinessExitPlan #SellMyBusiness #BusinessBroker #BuyersDueDiligence #SystemiseYourBusiness #OwnerIndependentBusiness #IncreaseBusinessValue #RecurringRevenue #SOPs #CleanFinancials #BusinessReadiness #FreedomFromBusiness
Sam Penny delves into the intricacies of due diligence in business acquisitions, emphasizing the importance of interpreting data beyond the surface level. He outlines key questions buyers should ask, identifies financial and operational red flags, and discusses common seller tricks. Through a real case study, he illustrates how thorough due diligence can save buyers from overpaying and highlights the necessity of asking the right questions to uncover hidden risks. The session concludes with actionable steps for buyers to enhance their due diligence process and make informed decisions.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
"Don't assume, interrogate."
"Due diligence is your filter."
"Buy it right."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Due Diligence
00:31 Understanding the Importance of Insight
00:31 Core Questions for Assessing Deals
00:39 Identifying Financial Red Flags
03:53 Operational Red Flags to Watch For
07:04 Normalization Games: Seller Tricks
10:14 Essential Documents for Due Diligence
13:40 Tools and Metrics for Interpretation
16:53 Asking the Right Questions
19:58 Real Case Study: Due Diligence in Action
23:06 The Golden Rule of Due Diligence
25:26 Next Steps for Buyers
42:07 New Chapter
In this session, Sam Penny discusses the critical role of numbers in selling a business, emphasizing that while branding and storytelling are important, the financials ultimately drive valuation. He outlines key metrics to measure, improve, and present effectively to potential buyers, introducing the core value formula and the eight value drivers that influence business valuation. The session also covers actionable steps for business owners to enhance their valuation and the importance of presenting financials clearly to instil buyer confidence.
Key Takeaways
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00 Understanding the Importance of Numbers in Business Sales
03:26 Key Metrics: Measure, Improve, Present
07:35 The Core Value Formula: Profit and Multiple
09:49 Business Sale Readiness and Valuation Reports
11:32 Financial Performance: Key Indicators
12:55 Growth Potential: Assessing Future Opportunities
14:32 Recurring Revenue: The Buyer’s Best Friend
16:39 Owner Independence: Reducing Dependency
18:15 Systems and Processes: Ensuring Repeatability
19:55 Customer Concentration: Risks and Strategies
21:13 Competitive Advantage: Your Unfair Edge
23:00 Clean Books: The Foundation of Trust
24:44 Bringing It All Together: Leveraging Value Drivers
26:27 What Buyers Are Really Paying For
28:01 Where to Start: Actionable Steps for Improvement
29:46 Case Study: Real-World Application of Value Drivers
31:53 The Core Mindset Shift: Selling Cashflow, Confidence, Clarity
33:08 Presenting Your Business: The Importance of Clarity
35:11 Live Q&A: Engaging with the Audience
38:02 Next Steps: Preparing for Future Webinars
