Most founders chase the exit as if it’s the ultimate destination. But what happens when the deal closes and you’re left asking, "Who am I without my business?"

In this crossover episode from The Amazing Marketing Show, Jerome Myers joins hosts Dmitri Smirnov and Chris Gray to reveal why 75 percent of business owners regret selling their companies, and what the other 25 percent did differently. Jerome shares hard-won wisdom on exit readiness, identity, purpose, and redefining wealth beyond money. He invites listeners to see freedom not as walking away from something, but as stepping into the next meaningful chapter.

00:00 – 04:15 The Reality Behind Business Exits

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  Only 25% of founders who sell their company feel no regret

  
  


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  Success without purpose can lead to depression, not freedom

  
  


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  True exit readiness requires planning on both financial and emotional fronts

  
  

04:16 – 09:30 Loneliness After the Exit

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  Up to 60% of personal relationships fade after leaving a company

  
  


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  Without intentional community, many founders experience isolation

  
  


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  Redefine your “Top Five” relationships for the post-exit phase
  

  
  

09:31 – 17:45 Identity, Self-Acceptance, and the Founder’s Paradox

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  Many founders only feel loved through achievement—a “scar of success”

  
  


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  Real acceptance begins with forgiveness and releasing old expectations

  
  


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  Your worth isn’t tied to titles, deals, or results—it’s intrinsic
  

  
  

17:46 – 26:15 From Exit to Impact

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  Jerome shares his own painful corporate exit and the six centers of doubt: identity, relationships, health, prosperity, motivation, and significance

  
  


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  Purpose-driven legacy starts when you exit to something, not from it

  
  


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  “Enough” isn’t stagnation, it’s the foundation of real freedom
  

  
  

26:16 – 34:00 Freedom, Legacy, and the Power of Choice

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  Real wealth is the ability to choose how you use your time, talent, and treasure

  
  


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  Money is a tool; freedom is the measure

  
  


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  True success is living a life that others want to honor and remember

  
  

34:01 – 47:00 Exit Readiness and Higher-Level Leadership

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  Jerome’s Exit Readiness Assessment measures seven areas of preparedness

  
  


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  Great leaders focus on the upper tiers of Maslow’s hierarchy: impact, fulfillment, transcendence

  
  


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  Marketing that proves understanding creates trust faster than persuasion.

  
  

Key Quotes:

“Only 25% of people who sell their company don’t regret it.” - Jerome Myers

“It’s not about doing more, it’s about becoming more. - Jerome Myers

Connect with the Amazing Marketing Show! 

Website: https://amazingmarketingshow.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTBn-qDCWMXR7jrHiE1YvXg

Ready for your next chapter?Start Your Assessment Now 👉 https://theexitparadox.com/assessment

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