The Exit Whisperer

Kendra Bracken Ferguson built companies that invented the creator economy before Instagram and TikTok — and she tells the part founders unusually hide: when the shiny acquisition stops working, the earn-out math gets ugly, and you have to choose between protecting your title or protecting your team…We get into trust as a system (including her very controversial co-founder test), buying a company back, building BrainTrust into a studio + fund backing Black beauty & wellness founders, and why corporate partners suddenly got nervous about “Black founder” the second it became inconvenient.01:36 Meet Kendra Bracken Ferguson: Builder, Operator, Dealmaker02:22 The Thanksgiving Idea That Sparked Digital Brand Architects04:03 How DBA Helped Invent The Creator Economy Before Instagram07:04 Knowing When To Walk Away—And Start Over08:10 Why “Trust” Became The Non-Negotiable Business Principle14:20 Inside The CAA Acquisition18:36 When The Deal Looks Good—But The Reality Doesn’t20:52 The Moment Everything Had To Change21:20 Redefining Failure: Pivots, Pressure, And Perspective22:41 Journaling, Self-Awareness, And Founder Survival Tools24:32 Rebuilding With Intention: The Real BrainTrust Vision25:12 From Agency To Studio To Fund26:39 Corporate Partnerships, Power Dynamics, And Hard Truths29:57 New Ventures, New Partners, And Building With Exit In Mind35:39 From Hustle To Harmony: Success, Sleep, And The Next Chapter

In this solo episode, Carrie pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build an exit strategy for women founders—from choosing the right co-founder to expanding into brokerage without chasing growth for growth’s sake. She explains why so many women struggle with confidence during the exit process and how mindset, timing, and preparation directly impact business valuation.You’ll also hear how the Whisper Group is evolving—from advisory to brokerage—and why selectivity is a competitive advantage when helping women navigate how to sell a company. If you’re building with an exit in mind or questioning whether you’re truly prepared for selling a business, this conversation will reshape how you think about female entrepreneurship and women founders exits.00:00 Season 6 begins: why this chapter is different00:43 The rise of women-owned businesses and the movement behind it01:28 A major announcement: bringing on a co-founder01:56 What actually matters when choosing the right co-founder03:06 New upgrades, merch, and what’s evolving this season03:23 Why we’re prioritizing in-person podcast conversations03:43 Expanding into brokerage — with intention and restraint05:12 The hidden cost of growth: expenses and pressure05:41 Letting go of scarcity thinking while scaling06:56 Why I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead

In this episode, Nicole opens up about the hardest year of her life, balancing motherhood, money, and a messy business breakup, and how she found the strength to start over and build something entirely her own. 2:02 Nicole’s Journey Into Wealth Management   5:37 Transitioning Into An Independent Advisory Firm   6:27 Stepping Fully Into The Independent World   7:34 Building A Niche Focused On Professional Athletes   8:10 Supporting Exonerees With Their Financial Needs   10:50 Considering Leaving The Firm For Personal Reasons   12:33 Learning To Parent A Special Needs Child   14:00 Concerns Over A Partner’s Financial Decisions   17:40 Realizing It Was Time To Leave The Partnership   18:40 Embracing Full Independence In Her Business   20:00 Clients Rallying Behind Her During The Transition   21:40 Negotiating Exit Terms With Her Business Partner   24:28 Selling A Portion Of The Business   25:07 Acquiring Additional Wealth Management Firms   27:54 Lessons Learned From Business Partnerships   29:50 The Importance Of Strong Financial Planning  

In this episode, Molly Nutt shares how she pulled off two very different exits, what she learned about selling potential vs. profit, and how to protect your relationships when business gets personal. If you’ve ever wondered how founders actually navigate the messy, emotional side of selling, this is the one to listen to.    2:34 Starting The CEO Society   4:44 Creating A Friendship Clause In A Business Deal   5:38 How Acorn Grew During The CEO Society Era   6:24 Launching Oak’s Email Studio   8:14 Splitting Brands To Stay Focused   10:40 The Unexpected Offer To Buy Oaks   11:20 Why Agencies Want To Acquire Email Agencies   12:01 Trusting Your Gut During Negotiations   12:44 The Challenge Of Untangling Finances   15:30 Evaluating The True Value Of A New Brand   16:45 Wrestling With Seller’s Remorse   17:38 Selling Potential Versus Selling Historical Data   19:12 Transitioning Into Life After The Sale   20:25 Launching A Mentorship Program   22:36 Advice For Women Building Their Businesses   24:00 Why The Right Hire Changes Everything   27:03 Details On The Growth Season Mentorship Program  

In this raw and unfiltered interview, Sharmin Ali shares how a chance encounter on a flight changed her life forever. From joining a startup that became a unicorn to surviving a cardiac arrest at 32, she reveals what founders never talk about: burnout, bad investor deals, and the price of ambition. 2:10 Choosing To Stop Chasing A Career At Google   6:25 An Unexpected Job Offer Mid-Flight   8:14 Learning The Basics Of Venture Capital   10:05 Building Powerful Relationships In Pharma   11:49 Closing Her First Million-Dollar Pilot Deal   14:32 Launching Her YouTube Channel Back In 2014   17:00 Why Timing And Vision Matter In Startup Success   18:52 The Power Of Emotion In Marketing   21:49 Facing Cardiac Arrest Again At Age 32   24:14 Realizing Health Must Come First   27:10 Why You Should “Date” Your Investor   30:10 Learning To Let Go So The Business Can Grow   32:44 What She Learned From Acquiring A Company   34:41 Launching A Foundation To Support Entrepreneurs   37:43 Honest Reflections On The Entrepreneurial Journey   40:02 Key Advice For Aspiring Entrepreneurs   42:04 Why Every Founder Needs A Therapist  

Angela Pointon opens up about what it’s really like to buy out your partners, take on debt, and bet on yourself when everything’s on the line. From the hardest conversations to the relief of letting go, this episode is about courage, burnout, and knowing when to walk away—on your own terms.   2:32 How 11Outof11 was born from freelancing burnout   4:42 Leaving the commute and daycare guilt to go all-in on freelance   7:13 Designing an agency with a future sale in mind   9:50 The hardest step — deciding to buy out her partners   13:06 Third-party valuation, bank loans, and emotional fallout   15:32 Relief, confidence, and revenue skyrocketing post-buyout   18:51 Why she chose to sell just one year later   22:23 Choosing the right buyer and securing a 90-day transition   24:45 No regrets and closing the deal during her son’s graduation week   27:04 Fractional CMO life, building a mountain home, and family time   30:18 Learning to slow down after witnessing friends survive cancer   32:00 Why Angela’s real-world exit story matters  

Ever felt stuck running a business you no longer love—but you’re scared to let go? Meet Laura Roos, who sold her company without a broker, while pregnant, and turned the proceeds into her next seven-figure startup. This episode is messy, honest, and full of real talk about what it actually takes to walk away. 5:48 Why Selling the Business Felt Like a Dream Come True   8:01 How the Company Grew Rapidly During the Pandemic   9:59 Knowing It Was the Right Time to Sell   11:30 Shifting Her Focus Into a New Business Venture   14:10 Her Deep Obsession With Cannabis Dosing   16:11 Making the Final Decision to Sell   19:02 The First Meeting With a Business Broker   21:19 The Game-Changing Email From a Potential Buyer   22:57 The Hidden Challenges of Planning an Exit   26:04 Why You Always Need Multiple Interested Buyers   27:53 Mastering the Art of Negotiating Deal Terms   30:22 Renegotiating Terms Even After the Deal Is Struck   32:54 How She Created Predictability in Her Payments   34:32 The Current Success of Mary and Jane   37:25 The Hard Realities of Growing a Business  

What happens when the person running your company with you ends up buying it from you? Carey Linderman shares how she went from senior care to creating an entirely new category: the postpartum doula. And how she built a business that supported moms when no one else did, and why she ultimately decided to sell her company to her own #2.   2:10 Introducing Carey Linderman   4:44 Moving From Senior Care Into Postpartum Doula Work   7:01 Strengthening Family Bonding Through Postpartum Care   8:11 Why Postpartum Support Matters More Than Ever   9:45 Educating Families About True Postpartum Needs   12:56 Creating a Comprehensive Doula Certification Course   13:57 Building a Credible and Trusted Certification   14:29 Bringing Experts Together to Elevate the Program   15:12 Marketing the Doula Certification to the Right People   16:03 Preparing Emotionally and Strategically to Sell the Business   20:46 How an Employee Ended Up Buying the Business   23:16 Financing the Business Purchase the Smart Way   24:20 Carey’s Advice on Letting Go When It’s Time to Exit

What do you do when you raise venture money… and then realize it’s not the right path? For Elle Hempen, co-founder of The Atlas, the answer was bold: sell just one year later.   In this episode, we talk about how a Google spreadsheet turned into a tech company, why she decided to skip the long VC grind, and how she negotiated an exit during the chaos of COVID. From pitching at Y Combinator while 8 months pregnant to getting a cold email from the exact company she dreamed of selling to, Elle’s story is packed with twists, hard choices, and the kind of honesty you rarely hear in startup land. 2:11 Why Valuing Early-Stage Tech Companies Is So Critical   5:00 Building the Atlas Platform From a Real-World Problem   6:34 Launching the First Version Back in 2016   9:06 Creating a Strong, Scalable Data Infrastructure   10:54 Deciding It Was Time to Fundraise for Growth   12:29 Applying to Y Combinator to Fuel Expansion   15:06 Fundraising in the Middle of a Market Crash   17:01 Finding the Right Strategic Investor   20:41 Soul-Searching to Determine the Company’s Direction   23:12 Valuing the Business Based on Future Potential   25:47 Celebrating a Rare and Remarkable Tech Achievement   29:02 Reflecting on Five Years of Building and Learning   30:40 Exploring What’s Next After the Exit   32:23 The Unique Energy of Being an Entrepreneur   34:40 Is an MBA Worth It for Founders?   36:57 Aligning Education With Real Business Needs  

Michelle Caba, a former Wall Street professional, transformed a failing nail salon into a successful local business, eventually selling it with a considerable profit. Michelle discusses her journey from Wall Street to business ownership, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, market research, and innovative services like CBD manicures. Now she helps other business transform digitally to achieve the same growth! 01:07 – Wall Street Dropout Buys a Nail Salon?! 02:38 – From Failing Salon to Local Empire 09:07 – CBD Manicures?! The Wild Strategy That Worked 15:28 – The Brutal Decision: Why She Finally Sold 21:25 – Life After Selling: From Salons to Consulting 24:14 – The Hard Truth Every Entrepreneur Needs to Hear 27:26 – Her Biggest Lesson (And What She’d Do Differently)

Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, didn’t just survive the boys’ club of business—she doubled her valuation and sold to industry giant Avery. In this episode, she reveals the messy truth about co-founders, the brutal tricks buyers use to wear you down, and why staying passionate after the sale might be the ultimate win. 4:29 Turning a Simple Idea Into a Scalable Business   6:56 Why Mental Health Support Matters for Founders   7:30 Teaching the Market About a Product No One Knows Yet   8:11 Leveraging Word of Mouth to Drive Early Growth   10:12 The Real Challenges of Co-Founding With Multiple Partners   13:08 Why Equity Decisions Matter So Much   14:06 Recognizing When It’s Time for a Change   15:01 The Unexpected Phone Call About an Acquisition   16:14 Negotiating Hard to Protect the Brand and Staff   19:34 The Exhaustion and Fatigue of Negotiation   20:06 Staying Passionate About Your Brand Through It All   21:02 Staying Actively Involved After the Acquisition   24:25 Evolving the Business to Meet Changing Customer Needs  

Suzanne Shelton built one of the top sustainability communications agencies in the US from scratch, then shocked the experts by selling it for double her target price. In this episode, she spills the unfiltered truth: the gut-wrenching moments, the bets that almost broke her, and the secrets behind her once-in-a-lifetime exit. 4:11 Specializing in Energy and Environmental Marketing 5:49 Leading a $40 Million Environmental Campaign   8:11 Why Companies Need Specialized Sustainability Consultants   11:06 Payroll Struggles and Growing a Mission-Driven Business   12:57 Staying Committed to Sustainability Through Every Challenge   15:39 Her Deep Personal Connection to Sustainability Issues   17:17 Why Sustainability Matters in Every Sales Conversation   19:32 Making Business Decisions Based on Values Alignment   21:46 The Power of Mission and Values in Choosing Partners   24:34 The Hard Part: Losing Decision-Making Power   26:17 Understanding the Timing and Process of Selling a Business   28:49 Why Negotiating the LOI Is Absolutely Critical   30:54 Working From Passion Instead of Necessity  

Ever wondered if you could risk it all—your savings, your sanity, your entire career—on a food you love? Erin Wade did just that. Fired from her law job and flat-out rejected by banks, she built a cult mac & cheese restaurant that broke every rule and every record. In this episode, Erin tells the unfiltered truth about betting everything, surviving the chaos, and what it really feels like to sell your “baby” to a VC-backed food giant.    3:05 The Struggle to Secure Funding for the Dream   5:38 Friends Fly In From LA to Show Support   8:53 Launch Day: Lines Down the Street   10:41 Getting Early Product Feedback That Shaped the Menu   12:54 Creating a Career and Life You Truly Love   14:30 Building a Business Centered Around People   16:30 The Decision to Buy Out His Business Partner   18:01 Preparing the Next Generation for Leadership   19:49 Finding Real Joy in Everyday Business Challenges   22:50 Navigating Personal Struggles While Running a Company   25:36 Passing the Torch After Selling the Business   28:29 Rewriting the Book to Share a More Personal Story   31:42 Loving the CEO Role and Leading With Purpose  

Ever wondered what really happens after you sell your business? Ashley Deland built and sold a top vegan restaurant—then watched the new owners burn it to the ground. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Ashley and host Carrie Kerpen get brutally honest about burnout, regret, and the secrets nobody tells you about scaling and exiting. This episode is for anyone who thinks selling is the happy ending. Spoiler: it’s just the start of a whole new story.   2:04 Her Journey Through Burnout and Breaking Point   6:09 Opening Karma — A New Vegan Restaurant Vision   7:10 The Tough Early Challenges Every Restaurant Faces   8:28 How She Funded Her Businesses Without Taking On Debt   9:12 Pushing Past Doubt in the Entrepreneurial Journey   10:56 Scaling the Restaurant With Intention and Strategy   13:28 Selling the Restaurant and Building Community Along the Way   15:02 Taking a Full Year Off After the Sale   16:03 Why Emotional Readiness Matters Before an Exit   19:01 Understanding How Much Control You Lose After Selling   20:01 Becoming Truly Emotionally Ready to Exit   21:06 Why Every Founder Needs an Exit Strategy   22:13 Lessons Learned From All Her Past Business Chapters   23:02 Launching Her New Book, *Unreserved*  

When everyone told Andrea to play it safe, she rewrote the rules and doubled her worth. In this episode, two powerhouse founders share the real story behind selling a business, risking everything, and turning partnership into a power move. Forget the “happily ever after” exit story—this is what actually happens when women decide to cash out and level up. 1:12 How She Knew It Was Time to Exit   2:54 Scaling Fast Through Partnerships and Collaboration   5:12 The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk, Grit, and Growth   7:12 Why Chemistry Is Everything in an Acquisition   8:39 Shared Vision: The Foundation of Strong Partnerships   9:20 How Common Interests Create Stronger Collaboration   10:47 Building Unshakeable Trust Through Hard Conversations   11:14 Staying Grounded and Seeing the Bigger Picture   12:57 A Moment of Gratitude for the Team Behind the Journey  

Colleen West hustled her way from a tiny condo and a fax machine to a multi-million dollar exit. In this raw, inspiring episode, she shares how heartbreak fueled her business empire, why she refused to play by corporate rules, and the bold moves that doubled her revenue during COVID. If you've ever felt stuck, this story will make you rethink what’s possible.   Chapters: 2:34 Colleen’s Journey as a Single Mother   5:05 Turning a Job Into a Real Business Opportunity   7:10 Balancing Motherhood and Entrepreneurship   9:00 The Hard Realities of Growing a Business   12:24 How Networking Became Her Growth Engine   14:10 Moving Into Their First Dedicated Office Space   16:36 Overcoming Barriers in the Medical Field   20:10 Choosing Employees Over Easy Business Wins   23:01 Getting Approached for Acquisition Before COVID   25:52 How Revenue Doubled During the Pandemic   29:01 How Court Reporters Adapted to Remote Work   30:43 Why Trusted Advisors Are Essential   34:06 Navigating Due Diligence With Confidence   36:23 Stepping Into a Completely New Life   38:19 Caring for Her Mother Through Illness   40:50 Turning Dreams Into Reality Through Intention  

Joyce Marter didn’t just build a therapy business—she survived betrayal, took on millions in debt, and still managed a seven-figure exit. In this episode, she gets brutally honest about the moment her co-founder quit by email (and CC’d the staff), how she rebuilt from financial rock bottom, and the mindset shifts that helped her turn chaos into a multimillion-dollar win. If you've ever felt like you're drowning while everyone else thinks you're thriving—this one’s for you.     2:10 Why Destigmatizing Mental Health Is So Important   6:11 Cash Flow Chaos During Rapid Growth   7:30 When a Business Partner Resigns Out of Nowhere   9:40 Why You Need a Pre-Dissolution Agreement   10:44 Asking for Help During a Cash Flow Crisis   12:56 How a CPA Revealed the Business’s True Value   14:45 Overcoming a Deep Scarcity Mindset Around Money   16:22 Practical Steps to Improve Cash Flow Fast   19:01 Why Aligning With the Right Buyer Matters   21:25 Choosing the Best Offer for Long-Term Success   22:16 Standing Firm on Your Principles in Negotiations   23:40 The Importance of Not Folding at the Final Hour   27:43 Tools and Practices for Managing Money Stress  

Antonia helped build one of the most iconic period brands in the world. In this episode, she takes us inside the real, messy, deeply human journey of launching Thinx: from her pink pajama shame moment at 13 to raising millions, writing her own patent, and co-founding a brand that changed the way we talk about periods.   But that’s only the first half of the story.   She opens up about what it actually felt like to raise money, negotiate with strategic partners, and sit in rooms where you slowly lose control of the brand you built. What happens when you and your co-founders don’t want the same future? What do you do when the investors are offering the deal of a lifetime?   4:02 The Idea Behind Stain-Resistant Underwear   6:48 The Girl Effect: Education and Empowerment   9:02 Commitment and Teamwork in the Early Days   10:37 Launching Their Kickstarter Campaign   16:23 Landing a Partnership With a Major Company   18:01 Creative Marketing Strategies That Built the Brand   20:02 Why Clear, Consistent Communication Shapes a Brand   22:45 Protecting Brand Ethos While Partnering Big   25:26 The Struggle of Stylish but Painful Shoes   27:21 Their Breakout Kickstarter Campaign for Shoes   29:02 Why Co-Founder Communication Matters Most   33:55 The Critical Importance of Getting Everything in Writing   39:02 The Bittersweet Emotions Behind the Exit   41:40 Reflecting on Whether the Journey Was Worth It   43:14 Why Sharing Women’s Stories Matters   46:03 How Intuition Often Guides Entrepreneurial Paths   49:54 The Magical Encounter That Sparked a New Partnership  

She built a company from scratch to serve medically fragile children — and sold it for double her valuation. In this powerful and emotional episode, Coco Sellman shares the full story behind founding her home healthcare agency inspired by her stepdaughter, scaling it to $7M in just 18 months, surviving the pandemic, navigating investors and partnerships, negotiating a merger, and finally landing the perfect exit with a major children’s hospital.   From starting without funding to surviving impossible cash flow gaps and sitting across from private equity in a room full of men — Coco breaks down what it really takes to exit on your terms. If you’re building with purpose but want a serious business outcome… this one is a must-listen.   2:34 Starting a Home Health Care Agency   4:47 Spotting Big Market Opportunities in Health Care   6:50 Building a Strong and Scalable Home Health Agency   9:01 Why Proof of Concept Matters in This Industry   10:36 Delivering Specialized Care for Fragile Patients   12:11 How They Hire and Retain Exceptional Nurses   14:01 The Decision to Bring On Investors   18:10 Shifting Growth Strategies During the Pandemic   19:56 Merging With Competitors to Stay Competitive   22:01 Breaking Down How the Merger Was Structured   24:01 The Major Challenges They Faced During the Merger   27:22 Why Choosing the Right Partner Is Everything   30:02 Winning a Medicaid Rate Increase   32:13 Interest From Connecticut Children’s Hospital   34:04 What Private Duty Nursing Really Involves   35:38 Why Autonomy Matters So Much in Business   39:32 The Role of Advocacy in Healthcare Pricing  

In this episode of The Exit Whisperer, we sit down with Ali von Paris, founder of Route One Apparel, a Maryland-themed clothing company that went from a viral college T-shirt idea to a self-funded powerhouse. Ali dives into the early hustle of building a business from scratch, learning e-commerce when it was still the wild west, scaling to 4,000+ SKUs, and eventually navigating the emotional and strategic complexities of selling her business.   If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to exit a company you built from the ground up—or how to scale a community-rooted brand into a full-blown movement—this one’s for you.   2:12 How a Viral T-Shirt Sparked Ally’s Journey   5:00 Launching Her Business With $12,000 in First-Day Sales   6:51 Balancing College Life With Entrepreneurship   9:30 Hiring Her First Employee and Building a Team   13:15 Community Excitement and Deep Brand Connection   14:50 Lessons Learned From Early Business Inefficiencies   17:10 Why Finding the Right Office Space Matters   18:50 Testing Market Interest Before Launching New Products   21:00 Hitting Her Financial Stability Goals   25:00 Figuring Out Who She Is Beyond the Business   30:00 The Decision to Sell Her Company   31:57 Exploring Options for Preserving Her Business Legacy   34:01 Learning to Embrace a Life of Leisure   36:00 Shifting From Productivity to Genuine Joy   39:04 Discovering Her Personal Identity Beyond Entrepreneurship