Beyond 8 Figures

Thinking about selling your company someday? Most founders wait until it’s too late to prepare their business for a clean, valuable exit.In this episode, I chat with Niraj Shah, M&A Advisor and 5x Founder, about what really makes a company exit-ready. We dig into mindset traps, deal-killers, and the simple actions you can take right now to set up your business for maximum value, whether you sell this year or ten years from now.🔍 What we cover:Why “exit readiness” starts years before you sellThe biggest founder blind spots during M&AHow to identify red flags buyers will uncoverThe emotional side of letting go📣 Want to turn your business into a valuable asset—on your terms? Let’s talk.🔗 Resources & Guest Links:Niraj Shah: Website, LinkedIn, NewsletterThe Messy Marketplace by Brent BeshoreExit Strategy by Sherry Walling & Rob Walling

Success isn’t just about hustle—it’s about surviving the chaos of growth.Jason Long knows this better than most. After building a 30-person agency, he lost it all in the 2008 crash, nearly died in a horrific car accident, and spent years rebuilding both his businesses and himself.In this episode, Jason and I get real about what scaling actually takes—the mistakes most entrepreneurs make, and the systems that separate struggling founders from professional CEOs.Here’s what you’ll hear:Why 80-hour work weeks are a badge of failure, not successThe accident that forced Jason to rebuild his brain—and his businessesHow private equity taught him the power of financial literacyThe frameworks he blends (EOS, OKRs, forecasting) to actually scale companiesThe mindset shift that frees entrepreneurs from burnoutThis one’s raw, practical, and packed with lessons you can apply today.👉 Looking for a roadmap to scale with less stress? Let's talk.🔗 Resources & Guest Links:Jason Long: Website, Ascendance, Tangent Solutions, JH Media Group

What if stepping back from your business didn’t mean losing control—but gaining clarity?In this episode, I talk with Margo Crawford, founder of Business Sherpa Group, about the five-year succession plan that helped her shift from CEO to Chair—and the deep mental work it took to let go without giving up.You’ll learn:When to start planning your exit (spoiler: not when you're ready to leave)How to prepare your team to lead without youWhy most founder burnout is rooted in back-office frictionHow to measure success in more than revenueIf you're overwhelmed by complexity or craving more freedom, this one’s worth a listen.🎯 Listen now + explore what's next for your business. 👉 Chat with A.J.🔗 Resources & Guest Links:Margo Crawford: LinkedInBusiness Sherpa Group Resources

Success doesn’t come from working harder, it comes from thinking differently.In this episode, I talk with Bruce Eckfeldt, strategic coach and 5x Inc. 500 founder, about how to shift from founder mode to CEO-level thinking. If you’re feeling the strain of growth and wondering why your business feels harder at $7M than it did at $1M, Bruce breaks down how to restructure your team, planning, and priorities to build something sustainable.What we cover:What separates founders from strategic CEOsThe building blocks of scalable, sellable businessesWhy a 3-day strategy sprint can reveal your biggest blind spotsHow to start thinking—and acting—for your business’s long game🎯 Want to lead like a real CEO, not just the person putting out fires? Let’s talk. 👉 Work with A.J.🔗 Resources & Guest Links:Bruce Eckfeldt: Website, LinkedIn, Instagram

When your business is growing fast and AI is changing the game every week… how do you keep your head clear and your strategy sharp?In this episode, I sit down with Hamza Mudassir—lecturer at Cambridge and founder of Strategize—to talk about mental clarity, digital twins, and how to make smarter decisions in an age of overload.Here’s what we dig into:How strategic thinking is evolving in real timeWhat digital twins really are (and how they work)The mental toll of reactive leadership—and how to fix it🎧 Listen to the full episode and let’s talk about what comes next. 👉 Work with A.J.🔗 Resources & Guest Links:Hamza Mudassir: LinkedIn, StrategizeHarvard Business Review article: "AI Can (Mostly) Outperform Human CEOs