From Angel To Exit

Bruce Eckfeldt
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From Angel To Exit is a business podcast exploring the entrepreneurial journey of scaling a business from raising your first round of funding to exiting. We cover the trials and tribulations that founders face, the pitfalls and pratfalls you want to avoid, as well as the joy and impact that success can bring. Join us on our next episode, where we speak about the challenges that real leaders face growing and scaling their organizations and how they’ve overcome them to achieve success and make their mark.

  1. 16시간 전

    34: Earnouts, Exit Fatigue, and Valuation Games: A Founder’s Guide to Surviving M&A

    What do startup founders often regret most at exit? Overvaluing too early, choosing the wrong investor, and skipping key legal protections. In this episode, Mital Makadia, Partner at Grellas Shah, shares legal and strategic insights from two decades of advising startups through funding and M&A. She breaks down common founder mistakes, why strategic investors can be dangerous, and how to protect yourself with better term sheets and earnout clauses. Founders looking to scale, raise capital wisely, or plan a successful exit will find actionable legal and financial guidance grounded in real-world experience.   Key Takeaways: Early term sheet negotiations are where founders have the most leverage—maximize it. Avoid taking high valuations early unless you're certain you can grow into them. Strategic investors can block future funding rounds—vet motivations carefully. Earnouts should be considered “gravy,” not guaranteed—negotiate control and budget. Build in single-trigger acceleration and “good reason” resignation clauses. Keep buyer relationships warm long before you plan to sell. Founders often walk away quickly post-exit—plan earnout terms accordingly. Don’t show desperation—buyers will use it to their advantage. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 03:00 Mital's Professional Background 09:00 Challenges in the Startup Space 15:00 Funding Rounds and Valuations 21:00 Strategic Buyers and Exits 27:00 Legal and Financial Considerations 33:00 Impact of the Pandemic on Exits 39:00 Conclusion and Contact Information Links & Resources Mital Makadia  Website: www.grellas.com Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    43분

  2. 12월 8일

    33: Inside a Founder’s Exit Journey: Structuring for Scale, Earning Trust, and Choosing the Right Buyer

    Frustrated by outdated agency models, Wesley Portegies founded MedComms Experts and scaled it to a 90-person firm across the US and Europe. In this episode, Wesley reveals how he prepped for exit without ever planning one—building solid systems, exploring investor conversations early, and ultimately finding a strategic partner aligned with his vision. A masterclass in founder succession, agency growth, and exit readiness, this episode is a must-listen for founders serious about scaling and strategic exits.   Key Takeaways: Founders should start investor conversations early—even without plans to sell. Run your business like it’s for sale, regardless of your current exit timeline. Early systems and contracts (employment, client, GDPR) are critical for smooth exits. Fit with investors is more important than valuation—trust and aligned vision matter. Strategic frameworks (like TreeHack) support scale by aligning teams and communication. A failed exit can still provide huge value—Wesley used it as a learning & prep tool. Transparency builds trust: share “the good, the bad, and the ugly” during diligence. Inorganic growth requires partners with experience, not just capital. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 01:26 – Meet Wesley Portegies, Exited Founder 02:03 – Wesley’s Entrepreneurial Beginnings 07:58 – Growth Journey and Key Insights 14:16 – Realizing the Business’s Sellable Potential 19:03 – Preparing for Investment and Growth 41:27 – Final Thoughts and Advice Links & Resources Wesley Porteiges  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleyportegies/   Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    47분

  3. 12월 1일

    32: How Founder Complacency Kills Value—and What Scott Allison Did Differently

    What do you do when you hit “enough”—but your business still has room to grow? In this episode, Scott Allison, co-founder of Allison Marketing, shares how he scaled a boutique PR firm into a global agency with 52 offices and $100M in revenue. He dives into the challenges of founder complacency, the nuances of strategic M&A, and how he architected a smooth, 11-year earn-out. From exit readiness to post-acquisition purpose, this is a masterclass in growing and exiting with intention. Key Takeaways: “Growth is a decision”—you must consciously commit and act to scale. Founder complacency is a major threat to long-term business value. Timing specialist hires correctly is crucial for sustainable growth. Strategic M&A can be a major growth engine—if you plan early and stay methodical. A thoughtful, multi-year exit plan leads to better terms and less regret. Emotional detachment from deals is key—don’t fall in love with the transaction. Identity and purpose after exit require just as much planning as the deal itself. Smooth leadership transitions take time; gradual step-downs work best. Timestamps: 00:16 – Introduction to the episode and sponsor message 01:24 – Meet Scott Allison, co-founder of Allison Marketing 02:03 – Scott's early career and unexpected path to entrepreneurship 04:52 – Building a company from scratch and facing early challenges 06:07 – The growth of Allison Marketing to a global presence 08:07 – Key lessons learned in leadership and scaling a business 11:24 – The role of acquisitions in business growth 13:24 – Transitioning from CEO to a new chapter 15:28 – Advice for entrepreneurs considering selling their business 18:24 – Scott's future plans and passion projects Links & Resources Scott Allison Website: https://www.allisonworldwide.com/ Email: allisoncommunications@gmail.com Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    42분

  4. 11월 24일

    31: How to Avoid Deal Disasters: Why Founder-CEOs Need a Dedicated M&A Lawyer Before Selling

    In this episode, deal lawyer Chad Williams, Partner at Lamb McErlane, shares insider strategies for founder-CEOs preparing to exit. From why every founder needs a dedicated M&A lawyer to how to handle LOIs, earnouts, and non-competes, Chad walks through the full deal lifecycle. Learn what to do a year before selling, how to protect yourself post-sale, and how to avoid common legal traps that erode value. This conversation is packed with actionable legal insights for founders navigating the complex world of business exits. Key Takeaways Engage a deal-specific lawyer early—ideally 12+ months before selling. Build a diligence-ready data room well in advance of marketing the company. Always know your walkaway point—emotionally and financially—before starting negotiations. Earnouts are risky; structure clear terms or avoid them entirely. Get clarity on whether the deal will be structured as an asset or equity sale. Use rep and warranty insurance to minimize post-close liability. Align internal deal team and external advisors around clear objectives and must-haves. Plan early for what comes after the exit—professionally and personally. Links & Resources Chad Williams Website: www.lambmcerlane.com LinkedIn: Chad Williams on LinkedIn Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    44분

  5. 11월 10일

    30: From Broke to Multi-Exit Founder: How Solving Real Problems Built Two 7-Figure Companies

    From hustling for baseball cards as a kid to exiting multiple businesses, Travis Luther shares his extraordinary journey of entrepreneurship, reinvention, and impact. In this episode, Travis opens up about building and selling Queen Anne Pillow and Trial Line, the emotional complexities of life post-exit, and his new mission with Moso Pillow. Packed with raw insights, hard-won lessons, and founder-to-founder wisdom, this is a must-listen for any entrepreneur aiming to scale with purpose and exit with clarity.   Key Takeaways: Solving a real, painful market problem is more important than building a passion project. Choose business partners with complementary skills—not just shared interests. Know your exact cost of goods sold to price effectively and grow profitably. Valet Ads taught Travis about high-margin, scalable ideas hidden in plain sight. Queen Anne Pillow scaled fast with SEO and customer education during COVID. Selling too soon without testing the full market may leave money on the table. Life post-exit can bring emotional uncertainty if you haven’t planned what’s next. Travis’s new venture, Moso Pillow, aligns impact, purpose, and entrepreneurship. Links & Resources Travis Luther https://www.travisluther.com @travisscottluther Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    44분

  6. 11월 3일

    29: Founder Fatigue, Deal Drama & the Power of Values in a Successful Business Exit with Gregg Lederman

    In this raw and powerful episode, Gregg Lederman shares how he scaled his values-driven SaaS company, Brand Integrity, from consulting to licensing—and ultimately sold it to a global buyer. He reveals the emotional toll, deal setbacks, and ethical challenges he faced, and how staying true to his core values helped him through. Gregg now leads “A Great Life Now,” helping leaders find purpose and self-awareness. This episode is a must-listen for founders navigating growth, burnout, and business exits.   Key Takeaways: A values-based culture helped Brand Integrity stand out in a crowded market. Hiring people better than yourself is critical to scaling a founder-led business. M&A processes often lack integrity—be prepared emotionally and ethically. Not raising capital allowed control but limited speed—tradeoffs matter. Founders should define personal values before engaging in an exit. “Retrading” in M&A is real—expect late-stage changes in deal terms. Staying aligned with company culture should outweigh the highest valuation. Therapy and self-awareness can be survival tools during exit stress. Links & Resources Gregg Lederman  greg@gregglederman.com gregglederman.com hello@agreatlifenow.com Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    46분

  7. 10월 23일

    28: Burned by Broad Services? How Specialization Scaled Pedestal Search to a Successful Exit

    Aaron Levenstadt, founder of Pedestal Search, shares how he went from early days at Google to building and exiting a successful SEO-focused agency. In this episode, he breaks down the power of narrowing services, mastering buyer psychology, and awakening sleeping leads through smart systems. His story offers actionable insights for founder-CEOs navigating growth, productization, and business exits. If you're scaling an agency or considering your own exit strategy, this episode is a goldmine.   Key Takeaways Specializing in one core service enabled true scalability and efficiency. Buyer psychology is essential—structure sales conversations like a landing page. Systematized warm outreach turned dormant leads into high-conversion pipelines. Saying no to work outside your niche builds stronger client trust and delivery results. Reframing sales and post-sale language unifies team efforts and drives clarity. Presenting "reasons not to buy" in M&A builds credibility and smooths diligence. Productization creates repeatability without losing personalization. Planning for exit early enables more favorable deal structures and post-sale freedom. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Aaron Levenstadt and Pedestal Search 02:25 Aaron's Journey: From Google to Entrepreneurship 05:07 The Birth of Pedestal Search 08:17 Sales Psychology and Effective Communication 11:24 Refining the Business Model and Focus 14:16 Identifying Ideal Clients and Scalability 17:03 Key Inflection Points in Growth 19:18 Navigating Challenges and Client Conversations 20:38 The Importance of Strategic Guidance 22:46 Awakening Sleeping Leads 25:01 Navigating the Exit Strategy 28:45 Structuring the Deal 31:19 Lessons Learned from the Deal 34:49 Building Trust in Negotiations 40:04 Post-Exit Ventures and Future Plans 42:31 Introduction to the Conversation 42:32 Exploring Key Themes and Insights Links & Resources Aaron Levenstadt LinkedIn: Aaron Levenstadt Email: aaron@joinagencyalliance.com Website: joinagencyalliance.com Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    43분

  8. 10월 13일

    27: Struggling With Niching? How Erik Olson Used SEO and Structure to Scale 3 Agencies

    From civil engineer to multi-agency founder, Erik J. Olson shares how he built Array Digital, Rival Digital, and Crush Digital by focusing on niche verticals, systematization, and recurring revenue. In this episode, he breaks down how he de-risks niching, structures scalable operations, and preps for a $100M exit by building a PE-ready platform brand. Founders looking to scale with structure—or build something worth acquiring—will find playbook-worthy insights throughout. Key Takeaways Pivoted from software development to digital marketing after discovering greater long-term value in recurring services. Built three niche-focused agencies with distinct brands to balance risk and maximize focus. Developed a repeatable playbook to launch new agencies: leader + niche + first customer. 91% of current revenue is recurring—key for private equity interest. Created Proxa Brands as the platform-level entity to unify and eventually exit the portfolio. Plans to grow via both organic launches and targeted acquisitions of $500K–$1M agencies. Implemented strong process automation (e.g., Asana templates, Zapier) to streamline onboarding and operations. Culture and post-sale leadership retention are essential in structuring for a PE-ready business. Links & Resources Erik Olson Email: erik@proxabrands.com Instagram: @erik.j.olson Subscribe to the Podcast: Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode. Newsletter & Exclusive Content: Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates. Connect with Bruce & the Community: LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt Email: podcast@eckfeldt.com bruce@eckfeldt.com

    50분
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From Angel To Exit is a business podcast exploring the entrepreneurial journey of scaling a business from raising your first round of funding to exiting. We cover the trials and tribulations that founders face, the pitfalls and pratfalls you want to avoid, as well as the joy and impact that success can bring. Join us on our next episode, where we speak about the challenges that real leaders face growing and scaling their organizations and how they’ve overcome them to achieve success and make their mark.

정보

  • 제작진
    Bruce Eckfeldt
  • 방송 연도
    2025년
  • 에피소드
    35
  • 등급
    전체 연령 사용가
  • 저작권
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • 웹사이트 보기
    From Angel To Exit