Find Your Exit - Exit Planning Strategies for Business Owners

In this episode of Find Your Exit, Jaryd Krause shares his journey from plumbing to becoming a leading professional in online business acquisitions. Discover actionable insights on how to evaluate, buy, scale, and sell online businesses while understanding the mindset and strategies needed for success in the digital marketplace. Key Topics: Jaryd's journey from plumbing to online entrepreneurship Key criteria for successful online acquisitions (avoiding single source dependencies) The inside-out growth methodology: listening to your business and your intuition Strategies for scaling online businesses systematically When and how to sell your online business effectively The importance of assembling the right team for exit planning Common mistakes: rushing and neglecting preparation Mindset principles: resilience, abundance, and authentic motivation Whether you're new to online business or looking to optimize your existing ventures, Jaryd's insights will guide you through the mindset and practical steps toward sustainable growth and successful exits. Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website FULL SHOW NOTES

In this episode of "Find Your Exit," we explore leadership with Les Csorba, a former special assistant to the President and a partner at Hendrick and Struggles. Les shares insights on effective leadership, hiring the right people, and the importance of self-awareness. Notable Quotes: "Self-awareness is the cornerstone of leadership." "Leverage your strengths and address blind spots."  "Invest in your team's development." Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website FULL SHOW NOTES

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Mike Fata — a high school dropout turned health advocate, founder, investor, and bestselling author — to explore his journey from personal transformation to building and exiting Manitoba Harvest, a $400 million hemp food company. Mike shares how adversity shaped his entrepreneurial grit, how he scaled a business in a niche industry, and how he evolved from a startup founder to a respected CEO and mentor. What You'll Learn: How Mike's 100-pound weight loss sparked a passion for health and entrepreneurship The early challenges of marketing hemp foods in a skeptical market How Manitoba Harvest scaled from $10M to $400M through strategic growth and industry timing The importance of quality, vertical integration, and values-driven leadership Mike's advice for entrepreneurs preparing for an exit Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website FULL SHOW NOTES  

In this episode of Find Your Exit, host Mark Kravietz interviews Alexis Sikorsky, a strategic advisor and entrepreneur who successfully navigated a nine-figure exit to private equity. Alexis shares his journey from starting a software company to selling it, the lessons learned during the 2008 financial crisis, and the importance of due diligence and negotiation in the sale process. He introduces his APEX methodology, a framework designed to help business owners grow and prepare for successful exits. The conversation emphasizes the evolving relationship between founders and private equity, the significance of having a strong exit team, and the challenges founders face post-exit. Notable Quotes: " It's easier than you think. Don't get overwhelmed growing and selling your company." FULL SHOW NOTES Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

In this episode of Find Your Exit, host Mark Kravietz interviews Justin Goodbread, a successful entrepreneur who built, grew, and sold multiple businesses, becoming a millionaire before the age of 40. Justin shares his inspiring journey from growing up on a dirt road in Brunswick, Georgia, to becoming a bestselling author and award-winning exit planner. He discusses the importance of having a clear vision, the power of coaching, and the value of an abundance mindset in achieving business success. Key Takeaways: Justin's Background: Growing up in rural Georgia, homeschooled, and influenced by five key mentors. Entrepreneurial Journey: Starting a successful landscaping business at 15, transitioning to financial advising, and eventually founding Heritage Investors. Leadership Style: Emphasizing "servant leadership," delegation, and empowering his team. Exit Strategy: The pivotal moment when Justin decided to sell his business, influenced by his wife's health scare and the advice of his coach. Lessons Learned: The importance of having an abundance mindset and a clear vision for the future. Notable Quotes: "If you had unlimited time and unlimited resources, what would you do tomorrow that you're not doing today?" "Focus on value first, and profitability will follow." Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

The path to building a successful business is rarely a straight line. Our latest guest, Kerry Siggins, overcame a series of personal and professional trials and tribulations to go from jobless to the c-suite. Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, a fast-growing, employee-owned manufacturing and technology company based in Colorado. Kerry hosts Reflect Forward, a popular leadership podcast and she recently released her first book, The Ownership Mindset: A Handbook for Transforming Your Life and Leadership. Today, Kerry joins the show to share her experiences and how mindset and leadership can take your business to the next level. CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

You have built up your business and may be prepared to exit and move forward, but do you know how much it is worth? Our latest guest, Scott Gabehart, is a business valuation pro with over 30 years of experience doing valuations. Scott has an alphabet of accreditations—six in total. He has a BA, MIM, CBA, CVA, BCA, and CBVS. He has served as Chief Valuation Officer with BizEquity, LLC, a patented "software as a service" online business valuation tool, since 2006. Scott also has over 30 years of experience in private firm valuation and transactional representation. He is a Certified Business Appraiser, having worked at his firm called Gabehart Valuation Services since 2000.  Today, Scott joins the show to give us a look behind the curtain at the business valuation process and BizEquity technology. CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website FULL SHOW NOTES

Business owners are always searching for an edge to help them maximize growth and business value. Our latest guest Marc Adams literally wrote the book on secrets to increasing your business multiple.  Today, Marc joins the show to share how he empowers business owners to tap into new revenue streams, optimize operational efficiency, and elevate brand awareness. From digital marketing mastery to harnessing the power of social media and executing seamless acquisitions, Marc's book offers actionable tactics to drive growth. CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

An entrepreneur undoubtedly takes risks, but they also require vision and determination. They are skilled in various disciplines and quick to learn and adapt. An apt description for our latest guest and the 'renaissance man of business' himself, Dan Donnelly. Today, Dan joins us to share how he built up his company from a small-scale operation out of a basement in Queens to a successful business he could sell. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

Sometimes the greatest business ideas are a byproduct of our personal passions. That was certainly the case for Mary Waldner when she decided to start Mary's Gone Crackers, a wildly successful gluten-free organic cracker and snack company. A company that she would go on to grow and eventually sell. Today, Mary joins us to discuss how she made a successful business out of a passion project and then prepared her company for sale. INSPIRING QUOTE "Think big. It takes the same amount of work to build something small as it takes to build something big." – Mary Waldner CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

You're considering selling your company and you hear about a concept to defer or even possibly not pay capital gains—instantaneously creating tax advantages for your company. All that might sound too good to be true, however, Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) are a viable alternative when one is ready to sell their business. Larry Kaplan has built a career advising business owners on the benefits of ESOPs. Larry has built the nation's leading ESOP investment banking practice at CSG Partners. Since 2000, his team of employee stock ownership plan advisors has guided hundreds of middle-market companies through the building and financing of leveraged ESOPs. Employee-owned companies nationwide also trust CSG with secondary sales, plan maintenance, and M&A transactions. Prior to starting CSG, Larry co-founded two growth companies, which he developed and sold. Today, Larry joins us to discuss what he calls one of the best-kept secrets in the business—ESOPs. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

When her father passed very suddenly, Wendy Federman was thrust into the role of family business owner. In her true entrepreneurial spirit, Wendy was able to meet the challenge head-on and eventually fulfill her childhood dream on the Broadway stage. Wendy Federman is a thirteen-time Tony Award-winning theatre and film producer. She has also received two Olivier Awards, eleven Drama Desk Awards, nineteen Outer Critics Circle Awards, eighteen Drama League Awards, and three GLADD Media Awards for many of her over ninety co-productions. Her current and upcoming shows on and off-Broadway, on US National Tour, and in London & Australia include Company, Dear Evan Hansen, Hadestown, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ain't Too Proud-The Life and Times of the Temptations, Beetlejuice, Moulin Rouge!, Jagged Little Pill, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, The Minutes, Sing Street, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Funny Girl, The Play That Goes Wrong, Little Shop of Horrors, The Piano Lesson, and The Devil Wears Prada Musical. Today, Wendy joins us to share her unlikely path from her father's floral factory to Broadway. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

In a constantly shifting business landscape, only those who can grow and evolve will survive. For Prantik Mazumdar the innate drive for learning and experimentation was integral to his success. Prantik is an entrepreneur and venture investor. He acts as a digital transformation catalyst in organizations to drive sustainable impact and change. Prantik started his entrepreneurial journey with Happy Marketer in 2011 where he spent a decade building and scaling up one of the most awarded independent digital marketing firms in the region. In 2019, he had a successful exit when Happy Marketer was sold to an American digital enterprise called Merkle, which is part of Dentsu International, the largest Japanese advertising conglomerate. He is currently serving as the Managing Director of the CXM Group at Dentsu Singapore. Today, Prantik joins us to discuss the ways that businesses must constantly transform and pivot to stay relevant and competitive. He shares his own journey from scaling up a business to the eventual sale and the lessons learned along the way. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website  

The growth of a business is rarely a straight line. There are roadblocks that come along the way. Gordon Crane started his company out of his parent's apartment in Queens. From these humble beginnings, he was able to create a successful brand. Gordon Crane is an entrepreneur and pioneer in the "better-for-you" fruit juice industry. In 1975, he founded Apple & Eve, a brand of premium, all-natural fruit juices and fruit products that he grew into the largest privately held juice company in the United States with sales in excess of $225 million. Today, Gordon joins the show to share the entrepreneurial spirit and drive that it took to start and grow his company. He dives into his experiences with takeovers, private equity, and the eventual sale of the business. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

When the time comes to finally leave the company you have built you would like to have options available to you. But the reality for most is that they have not planned and prepared enough to put themselves in this position. Ryan Tansom has worked with business owners on the "Intentional Growth" framework that can put them on track to achieve their goals.   Ryan helped turn around their family business and then sell it for 8 figures to a local competitor in 2014. The growth and exit process was an unexpectedly difficult undertaking, but the lessons that were learned have proven to be invaluable. He took his experience and co-founded Arkona where he created the Intentional Growth™ 5 Principles and Framework and hosts the Intentional Growth™ podcast. Ryan's mission is to help entrepreneurs get clarity on how to grow the value of their business with the end in mind by shifting their mindset away from annual income to focusing on long-term value creation. Today, Ryan joins the show to share his process and mindset to help entrepreneurs create a strategic plan that gives them the freedom of choice to do what they want with the business long term. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

The exit process is nuanced but sometimes it comes down to simply knowing how to let go. How to move on from what you've built your whole career and into the next phase of your life. Laurie Barkman has worked on guiding business owners along this process. Laurie Barkman is a "business transition sherpa." With her firm, SmallDotBig, she advises owners on having more valuable, sellable businesses. And as a Partner with Stony Hill Advisors, a boutique mergers and acquisitions firm, she guides lower middle-market companies through the complex process of letting go. Laurie is the former CEO of a $100 million revenue company with an exit to a Fortune 50 company. With more than 25 years of C-Suite and award-winning marketing expertise, she provides actionable perspective to maximize value. Today, Laurie joins the show to dive into her business transition process and the ways in which business owners can solidify their business prior to exit. CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn

Taking the leap of faith to bet on yourself and start your own business can be daunting. Achieving success requires real entrepreneurial spirit and dedication in the face of adversity. Our latest guest bet on himself and built his own company from the ground up leading to an eventual sale to a large buyer. Rachit Dayal was born in India, educated in NUS Singapore, and is based in Singapore. Rachit started his marketing agency fresh out of university with minimal funding before growing it to $10 million in sales in 9 years leading to eventual acquisition by Japanese media conglomerate Dentsu. Happy Marketer is Singapore's most awarded digital agency with clients and partners including Google, Singtel, ING, Grab and BCG. He now serves as APAC CMO of Dentsu's interactive division, Merkle. Today, Rachit joins the podcast to share his experiences starting a company and building it up. He dives into the challenges faced along the way and his eventual decision to sell. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn

Business owners tend to be so focused on putting out fires in their day-to-day operations that it can seem impossible to plan for growth, never mind an exit from the business. However, this myopia holds business owners back. Pete Martin has dedicated his career to helping business owners break free of this mindset. Pete Martin is the Founder and CEO of AskMyBoard, a company focused on helping business owners unleash their business's highest potential value to grow faster and more profitably to put you in a position to exit at the highest price or confidently detach from the business. As a serial entrepreneur, Pete has started, scaled, and successfully exited four previous companies, including his last to KPMG for 12 times EBIDTA and no earn-out. Today, Pete joins the podcast to discuss the ways in which business owners can improve their operations to unleash their highest potential and catapult towards an optimal exit. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn

The small business landscape has shifted dramatically since the pandemic. However, the core pillars that determine business success remain unchanged. John Warrillow has built his career on helping business owners identify and strengthen these pillars to prepare for a successful sale. John Warrillow is the founder of The Value Builder System, a company that helps business owners improve the value of their company. John is the author of the bestselling book Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You, which was recognized by both Fortune and Inc Magazine as one of the best business books of 2011. Prior to starting The Value Builder System, John started and exited four companies, including a quantitative market research business that was acquired by The Corporate Executive Board (NYSE: CEB) in 2008. John has been recognized by B2B Marketing as one of the top 10 business-to-business marketers in the United States. Today, John joins the podcast to share some insights for business owners and entrepreneurs. Particularly those looking to shift and pivot in the post-pandemic world. A world he believes entrepreneurs are singularly prepared to face head-on due to the nature of sacrifice, determination, and ingenuity it takes to be one. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn

Before the prospect of a sale is even an option, a business needs growth and strategic development. For many businesses, this means brand building. Warren Kornblum knows all about branding, with global experience in brand management and strategic marketing. Warren is a "marketing master." He has won many Cleo awards, which recognize innovation and creative excellence in advertising. Warren started and sold his own agency in the '90s and transitioned to Managing Partner at Bozell Worldwide, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world at the time. He then joined Toys "R" Us as the first Chief Marketing Officer and served on the Executive Committee. He was Chief Strategic Officer at Rooms to Go and has helped and advised several C-level executives and boards. Today, Warren joins the podcast to share his experience in building up his own business and brand then subsequently exiting. He dives into his journey post-exit and the transition into the C-suite of a Fortune 100 company. FULL SHOW NOTES CONNECT WITH US Twitter LinkedIn