Exit Paradox Anastasia Koroleva

Preston Rutherford. His company was sold in a 9-figure exit 5 years ago. A couple of years later, the combined company had a 10 -digit IPO. But Preston wasn't there to experience it. While he regrets exiting too early, he acknowledges that the exit propelled him into an intense personal growth journey. In this episode, Preston shares how he learned to appreciate what he had, communicate more vulnerably and understand the compounding effect of experience, skills, and relationships.

LinkedIn Preston:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonr/

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TIME STAMPS:

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:11) Welcome
(00:01:50) Reason behind starting chabis
(00:02:13) Reasons for leaving chabis
(00:03:52) Consequences of leaving the business
(00:04:42) Contemplations on the decision to leave
(00:05:24) Regret on leaving the business
(00:06:16) The pursuit of greener pastures
(00:07:14) Learning from the decision to leave
(00:08:33) Journey back to the zone of genius
(00:09:20) Overcoming burnout and healing
(00:12:20) Facing personal and professional challenges
(00:13:47) Realizations and personal growth
(00:14:21) Finding out personal identity
(00:17:41) Coming to terms with self worth
(00:18:34) Working on personal development
(00:21:13) Understanding the definition of success
(00:23:14) New definition of success
(00:25:09) Search for self-worth
(00:26:09) Current definition of success
(00:27:25) Professional journey and success
(00:28:10) Reflections on personal life
(00:29:14) Personal life and family
(00:30:06) Juggling work and family life
(00:30:21) Joy and personal life reflections
(00:33:02) Work and self-identity
(00:35:25) Progress since leaving previous company - Chubby's
(00:40:01) Relationship with wife amid business challenges
(00:44:16) Balancing dreams and practicality in business
(00:47:32) Transition period after Chubby's and preparations for new business
(00:48:45) How he wants to be remembered

Gil Eyal. Four years ago he sold HYPR - a software business which revolutionized the way big agencies and brands run influencer marketing.

Today, he invests in consumer startups.

He has a unique focus - startups that can benefit from having a celebrity on their cap table.

In this episode, we discuss overcoming a post-exit identity crisis, building a personal brand and dealing with celebrities.


Gil Eyan - Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gileyal?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

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TIME STAMPS:

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:17) Welcome
(00:09:33) The role and impact of Influence Marketing
(00:14:41) The struggle and lessons of selling a company
(00:16:55) Dealing with separation and moving on after selling
(00:19:38) Retaining financial interest and future prospects
(00:20:37) Reflections on past experiences as a founder and transition into an investor
(00:24:02) Advice for someone selling their company
(00:26:37) Building personal brand post-exit
(00:28:25) Reflecting on mentorship and investment choices
(00:30:06) Balancing relationship with personal life post-exit
(00:32:46) The impact of investing on mentorship
(00:35:06) The effect of an exit on family
(00:37:33) Prospects for children becoming entrepreneurs
(00:38:31) Future as an investor
(00:39:10) Challenges in the investment industry.
(00:39:33) The challenges of being an investor
(00:41:20) Personal risk in investments
(00:43:24) Advice on angel investing
(00:45:32) Joining a group and surrounding yourself with experts
(00:46:17) What to do after an exit
(00:48:02) Changing your lifestyle post-exit

Craig Follett. He built universe.com, a social marketplace for events, and sold it to Ticketmaster in 2015. Following the sale, Craig grew the business 30 -fold and took the company global before leaving in 2019. He then found his calling in building peggy.com, a secure marketplace for buying and selling investment-grade art.
In this episode, Craig shares how and why he found his post -exit mission in making incredible art affordable to everyone.

Peggy: https://peggy.com/

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TIME STAMPS:

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:11) Welcome
(00:03:03) Post-Business Life and Feelings
(00:03:46) Sabbatical Experiences and Growth
(00:06:12) Creativity and Business Associations
(00:07:42) Brainstorming New Business Ideas
(00:08:37) Development of New Business Idea
(00:09:16) Understanding the Art Industry and Seeing Opportunities
(00:13:16) Motivations behind Starting a Business
(00:16:54) Desire for Social Impact in Business
(00:18:08) Purpose-driven Business Endeavor
(00:19:29) Reflections on Money and Wealth
(00:20:35) Sharing Success with Loved Ones
(00:21:51) Following Motivation for Creativity
(00:22:18) Money as a Resource and Scarce Time
(22:52) Self Identity and Growth Reflection
(23:48) Imposter Syndrome in Entrepreneurs
(24:04) Separating Personal Identity from Business
(26:03) Investment and Detachment in Business
(27:12) Rediscovering Self Identity after Exiting Business
(27:58) Moral Acceptability of Pursuing Self-Interest in Business
(29:19) Personal Growth and Self-Improvement Plans
(30:15) Relationship with Spirituality
(32:00) The Transition from Entrepreneur to Employee
(34:07) Alternative Investment and Art
(34:56) The Impact of Art on Society
(36:38) The Role of Suffering in Personal and Business Success
(41:33) The Importance of Pleasure and Satisfaction
(43:51) Future Plans for Peggy and Disruption in the Art Industry
(00:45:41) Definition of Canon and Role of Auction Houses
(00:46:39) The Use of Blockchain for Technology
(00:47:38) Future Plans and Legacy
(00:49:02) Discussion on Mental Health and Childhood

Dave Hersh. He sold his company through an IPO 13 years ago, then spent several years with the VC firm Andreessen Horowitz.Today, Dave is more fulfilled and productive than ever.He credits a 10-year  existential crisis that led to his “deep reprogramming” and “rebirth.”Today he talks to us about finding true self, sovereignty, and inexhaustible fuel sources.

Dave Hersh - Website: https://www.davehersh.com/
Reignition - Book by Dave Hersh:
https://www.amazon.com/Reignition-Transforming-Startups-Breakout-Winners/dp/1639090347

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TIME STAMPS:

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:21) Welcome
(00:01:33) Life After Selling the Company
(00:02:05) The Founding of Jive
(00:04:24) Changing Trends in Digital Communication
(00:05:14) The Challenges of Scaling Up
(00:06:02) Life After Leaving the Company
(00:08:16) Dealing with Identity Crisis
(00:09:12) The Hoffman Process
(00:10:46) The Art of Accomplishment
(00:13:20) The Long Process of Reinvention
(00:15:36) The Need for Inner Work and Transformation
(00:16:37) Overcoming Entrepreneurial Struggles
(00:18:01) Trying to Reconstruct Past Success
(00:19:26) Finding Clarity and Direction
(00:21:01) The Process of Transforming Identity
(00:23:00) The Liminal Space Between Old and New Self.
(00:24:43) The Wilderness and Benefits of Being a Ghost in Between Worlds
(00:25:20) Transition from Jive to Andreessen Horowitz
(00:33:30) The Decision to Leave Venture Capital
(00:35:31) Acquiring Businesses and Understanding Their Core
(00:38:15) The Art of Identifying and Peeling Away Non-Core Activities
(00:42:30) The Transformative Power of Returning to Your Core
(00:43:55) Bounce Back Post Acquisitions and Restructures
(00:44:12) Experimentation for Growth & Financing
(00:45:24) Transforming into Purpose-Driven, Disciplined, and Strong Culture Businesses
(00:46:08) Building a business that matters
(00:53:00) Personal definition of success
(00:54:33) Choosing the right people to surround with
(00:57:29) Reimagining the idea of a company
(00:58:38) Personal transformation and rebuilding
(01:03:28) The trend of the creator economy
(01:04:52) Optimism for younger generations
(01:05:58) A perfectly fulfilling life
(01:06:32) Discussing happiness and joy
(01:07:26) Rating personal fulfillment
(01:08:33) Advice after selling a company
(01:09:16) Importance of inner work
(01:09:55) What keeps one up at night
(01:10:19) Discussing personal divorce
(01:11:33) How one wants to be remembered
(01:12:11) Anticipation for upcoming book

Mike Pollack. He sold his third business 6 years ago and has since, through trial and error, crafted a unique formula that balances happiness with a high likelihood of continued business success. In this episode, he shares this formula with us, delving into how to identify your true zone of competence, release control, and master the art of letting go.
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TIME STAMPS:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:25) Welcome
(00:01:41) LinkedIn Profile of Mike
(00:02:24) Discussing Mike's identity
(00:03:18) Mike's experience after selling his business
(00:07:35) Mike's experience on exiting business
(00:10:10) Mike's perspective on initiating a startup
(00:11:01) Being a part of a startup team
(00:13:34) Traumatic experience of building a company
(00:18:52) Missing the entrepreneurial experience
(00:20:50) Discussions on Mike's new venture
(00:21:25) Two types of approaches to problem-solving
(00:24:03) Post-idea creation process
(00:27:07) Role of passion and motivation in entrepreneurship
(00:30:38) Trauma in starting a new venture
(00:33:36) Defining success in present day
(00:38:16) The journey from chasing status to chasing happiness
(00:41:35) Balancing entrepreneurship with parenthood
(00:42:22) Starting the M&A Process While Having a Newborn Baby
(00:43:34) Balancing Work and Life and Aiming for a Healthy Business Structure
(00:44:57) Striving for a Balanced Life while Building a Business
(00:47:43) Implementing Business Plan While Being Parents of Young Children
(00:49:31) Dealing With Wealth and Financial Success
(00:51:57) Utilising Wealth and Managing it With Responsibility
(00:53:37) Using Wealth to Accomplish Goals and Support Causes
(00:54:44) Experiencing Economic Anxiety and Addressing Guilt
(00:56:05) Being True to yourself, Leaving Things Better than Found, and Being a Good Human
(00:57:47) Using Means to Empower Others and Improve the World
(00:59:10) Integrity as a Core Value
(01:00:27) Balancing Parenthood and Founding a Company
(01:00:54) Working to Pay it Forward
(01:01:04) Entrepreneur's Approach and Zone of Genius
(01:01:55) Spirituality and its role
(01:04:58) Advice for a business post-sale
(01:08:01) The introspective work founders ought to do
(01:09:13) Shifting from identifying as a founder to a larger role
(01:14:05) The role of tech post-COVID
(01:18:34) Level of fulfillment
(01:20:09) Legacy and how to be remembered

Today's guest has chosen to remain anonymous to ensure the utmost authenticity and vulnerability in sharing his story.

Four years ago, he fully exited his business and now describes his life as post-economic.

He realized he had a money addiction his entire life and took a radical step to address it—he avoids any money-making activities, focusing instead on activities that increase his energy.

In this episode, we focus on how to know what we truly want and whether we have enough.

Beyond The Finish Line: https://btfl.org/
Retired Founder Twitter: @retiredfounder