The Necessary Entrepreneur

Mark Perkins
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Experience Earned. Execution Required. The Necessary Entrepreneur brings together people who are actively creating, not constantly consuming. Hosted by entrepreneur and operator Mark Perkins, the show assembles founders, operators, and investors doing the work. They share direct conversations about execution, leadership, and the realities of creating something that endures. The show rejects theory as a standalone and focuses on the discipline, decisions, and resilience required to stay in the game every day.

  1. 4d ago

    #218 - AI Won't Replace Great Lawyers. But It Will Change How Law Firms Win | Seth Bader

    How do you take a law firm from a one-bedroom apartment to a 150+ employee organization without losing the standards that made it successful in the first place? On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Seth Bader, founder and CEO of Bader Law, one of Georgia's leading personal injury and workers' compensation firms. Seth started the firm in 2008 out of a one-bedroom apartment and grew it into a business serving tens of thousands of clients. Seth shares what he learned about entrepreneurship, leadership, hiring, company culture, accountability and scaling a professional services business. He explains why having a clear vision and high standards becomes increasingly difficult as a company grows, and why alignment across leadership and teams is critical to maintaining quality. The conversation also dives into the growing role of artificial intelligence in the legal industry. Seth explains how Bader Law is using AI to automate administrative work, accelerate processes and help lawyers handle more information while keeping humans in the loop for judgment, advocacy and empathy. Seth and Mark also discuss the value of relationships and referral networks, why being a great lawyer isn't enough to build a great law firm, and how Seth's experience working on both sides of the legal system gave him a unique perspective on serving clients. Whether you're building a law firm, real estate business, agency or any other professional services company, Seth's lessons on scaling, leadership, standards, hiring and adapting to change apply far beyond the legal industry. In this episode, you'll learn: How Seth grew Bader Law from a one-bedroom apartment into a 150+ employee organization Why high standards become harder to maintain as a business scales How vision, leadership and accountability keep a growing team aligned Why hiring for alignment can matter as much as hiring for talent How AI is changing legal work and improving business efficiency Why AI can support employees without replacing human judgment and empathy How relationships and referral networks can drive sustainable business growth What working on both sides of the legal industry taught Seth about business and negotiation Why being a great professional doesn't automatically mean you know how to build a great business How entrepreneurs can adapt their playbook as markets, technology and customers change The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders about what it actually takes to build, operate and scale a company. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Seth Bader & Bader Law: https://baderlaw.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbaderesq/ https://www.instagram.com/sethbaderesq

  2. Sep 7

    #217 - AI Marketing, SEO & AEO: How to Scale a Business in the Age of AI | Gilad Bechar

    How do you scale a business when technology is moving faster than your ability to plan for it? On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Gilad Bechar, Founder & CEO of Moburst, a global digital growth company that has worked with brands including Google, Uber, Samsung, and Reddit. Gilad built Moburst from a highly specialized mobile marketing company into a much broader digital growth business, expanding through technology, AI, and strategic acquisitions. Along the way, he learned firsthand that rapid growth can expose weaknesses in infrastructure, hiring, quality control, and client delivery. Gilad and Mark dig into what it actually takes to scale a business in the age of AI, including how companies should adapt when technology dramatically reduces the time required to produce work, how entrepreneurs should think about pricing when hours no longer determine value, and why businesses increasingly need to sell outcomes rather than deliverables. They also get into the rapidly changing world of SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and how businesses can become more visible in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI-powered search platforms. Gilad explains why traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough and why brand reputation, PR, podcasts, Reddit discussions, LinkedIn content, YouTube, reviews, and other online trust signals increasingly influence how AI systems recommend businesses. The conversation also covers AI automation, marketing technology, business acquisitions, company culture, due diligence, incentive structures, and Moburst's vision for a connected "growth operating system" that uses AI and automation to continuously improve marketing performance. Most importantly, Gilad talks openly about the mistakes that come with scaling quickly—and why successful companies shouldn't simply try to prevent mistakes, but should build systems that make sure they don't happen twice. In this episode, you'll learn: How to manage growth when your infrastructure can't keep up How AI is changing digital marketing and business operations Why AI is forcing companies to rethink traditional pricing models The difference between selling hours, deliverables, and outcomes What AEO means and how AI search is changing SEO How businesses can build trust and visibility across AI platforms How to evaluate companies before acquiring them Why culture and existing teams matter in an acquisition How to structure incentives after an acquisition How AI and automation can transform agency operations Why rapid innovation requires shorter planning cycles How to build systems that learn from mistakes instead of repeating them Why entrepreneurs need to know when NOT to sell a particular service How to build a scalable growth ecosystem around technology and human expertise If you're an entrepreneur, founder, agency owner, marketer, or business leader trying to understand AI, digital marketing, SEO, AEO, business scaling, automation, acquisitions, and the future of growth, this conversation with Gilad Bechar is worth listening to. The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders about what it actually takes to build, operate and scale a company. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Gilad Bechar & Moburst: https://www.linkedin.com/in/begilad/ https://www.moburst.com/ https://www.instagram.com/moburst.agency/ https://www.facebook.com/moburstmobilemarketing/ https://www.youtube.com/c/MoburstMarketing/videos https://x.com/Moburst https://www.linkedin.com/company/moburst/

  3. Aug 31

    #216 - The Dark Side of Going All In on Your Business | Dr. Thomas J. Powell

    What does it really take to build a successful business and a life that still works when the business gets complicated? On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Dr. Thomas J. Powell, founder of The Founder's Office, to explore the mindset, resilience, risk management, and decision-making that separate successful entrepreneurs from everyone else. Tom has spent decades working with founders and says his experience helping more than 500 founders and deploying more than $3 billion in capital has given him a front-row seat to both the successes and failures of entrepreneurship. The conversation begins with one of Tom's biggest passions: skiing. He explains how falling, getting back up, purposeful practice, coaching, and recovery have shaped his philosophy on resilience, and why those same principles apply directly to building companies. From there, Mark and Tom dig into the Founder's Isolation Paradox, the idea that even when a founder is surrounded by attorneys, accountants, employees, advisors, and investors, virtually everyone is still operating around the founder rather than truly solving problems with them. Tom explains why founders can become isolated at virtually every stage of success and why building the right relationships and advisory structure matters. They also explore the difference between taking entrepreneurial risk and simply putting everything you own at risk. Tom discusses his Capital Alignment Method, why founders sometimes take unnecessary personal financial risk, and how entrepreneurs can think more strategically about capital without losing the commitment required to build something meaningful. Other topics include the rise of self-made wealth, what successful entrepreneurs have in common, learning from failure and experience, seeing around corners, the importance of curiosity and continuous learning, family offices, relationships and reputation, and how founders should think about their businesses not just five years from now but decades into the future. Tom also shares his perspective on AI and technology, arguing that the conversation should not only be about what AI can do, but also about how society and institutions will govern increasingly powerful technology. Ultimately, this is a conversation about much more than building a company. It's about resilience, judgment, relationships, risk, curiosity, wealth, family, and creating a life that remains valuable long after the next business milestone. In this episode: The Founder's Isolation Paradox and why successful founders can become isolated How resilience and tenacity shape entrepreneurial success Why falling down and getting back up is part of becoming exceptional How founders can avoid unnecessary personal financial risk The Capital Alignment Method and strategic capital planning What self-made millionaires and billionaires can teach entrepreneurs Why experience helps leaders see around corners The importance of curiosity and continuous learning Why leaders need to read, learn, and synthesize information beyond their industry How relationships, reputation, and character influence long-term success Building a business with your family and future, not just the next exit, in mind The changing role of AI, technology, and governance Why recovery and longevity matter for entrepreneurs How to build a business and life designed to last If you're a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, or leader trying to build something that can withstand uncertainty and create wealth without sacrificing everything else, this episode offers plenty to think about. The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders about what it actually takes to build, operate and scale a company. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Dr. Thomas J. Powell & The Founder's Office: https://thomasjpowell.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasjpowell/ https://www.youtube.com/@ThePowellPerspectivePodcast https://foundersoffice.com/

  4. Aug 24

    #215 - The Brutal Truth About AI, Leadership and Scaling a Manufacturing Company | Darragh de Stonndún

    What does it take to build a company that can scale, adapt and keep getting better when the problems never stop? On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Darragh de Stonndún, co-founder and CEO of Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR), a rapidly growing global industrial automation company with operations across the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Darragh has spent decades building and leading businesses in industrial automation and advanced manufacturing. Today, he's helping AIR grow through strategic acquisitions while navigating some of the biggest changes the manufacturing industry has ever faced, including the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation. Darragh shares why he believes AI should be used to drive productivity and innovation, not become a shortcut, and why human experience, problem-solving and critical thinking become even more important as technology gets more powerful. He also explains how he used AI to build a working iPhone app despite not knowing how to code, giving a firsthand example of how dramatically the barrier to turning an idea into reality has changed. The conversation also dives deep into leadership, resilience, company culture and continuous improvement. Darragh explains his philosophy of confronting the "brutal facts" when something goes wrong, learning from failure quickly and building a culture where it's acceptable to make mistakes but not acceptable to repeat them. As AIR has expanded through multiple acquisitions, Darragh discusses why M&A has been central to the company's growth strategy, how AIR integrates acquired companies, and the systems and processes required to scale engineering talent without creating a company that depends on one person. Darragh also shares some of his most important leadership lessons, including why leaders need to stop doing the work themselves and instead mentor, challenge and enable the people around them to become better problem-solvers. In this episode, Mark and Darragh discuss: How AI is changing manufacturing and entrepreneurship Why entrepreneurs shouldn't use AI to take shortcuts How AI can dramatically reduce the cost and time required to test ideas The importance of human experience and problem-solving Building resilience into company culture Confronting the "brutal facts" when things go wrong Why fast failure and rapid recovery matter Continuous improvement and engineering excellence How AIR uses M&A to accelerate growth Integrating multiple companies and cultures Building scalable processes and systems How leaders transition from doing the work to developing people Creating accountability through daily communication Why clarity of objectives can solve many employee performance problems The importance of collaboration across teams Darragh's leadership influences and the mentors who shaped him The future of AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing Why manufacturing could be one of the most exciting industries for the next generation The episode ultimately comes back to a simple idea: technology can make us dramatically more capable, but the ability to solve problems, learn from failure, build strong teams and keep moving forward is still fundamentally human. If you're interested in AI, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, industrial automation, robotics, leadership, entrepreneurship, M&A, business growth, company culture, resilience or the future of work, this conversation with Darragh de Stonndún offers a practical look at where technology and leadership intersect. The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders about what it actually takes to build, operate and scale a company. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Darragh de Stonndun & AIR: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darraghdestonndun/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/industrialrobotics/ https://industrialrobotics.com/

  5. Aug 17

    #214 - It's Not a Midlife Crisis. It's a Midlife Opportunity | Kim Keating

    Kim Keating, founder and CEO of The Fifty Factor, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur to discuss confidence, experience, entrepreneurship, and creating new opportunities in the second half of your career. What happens when decades of professional experience become an overlooked asset? Kim Keating believes the answer is not stepping back. It is finding new ways to leverage the knowledge, wisdom, relationships, and leadership skills that come with experience. In this episode, Mark and Kim explore the unique challenges and opportunities facing midlife women in business, including women returning to the workforce after career breaks, building confidence and visibility, navigating age and gender bias, and finding meaningful opportunities to reinvent themselves professionally. They also discuss why entrepreneurship can be a powerful second act, how experience can become a competitive advantage, the importance of mentorship and community, and how storytelling can help people rebuild confidence and establish themselves as leaders. Kim and Mark also examine the changing workforce and why businesses need to create better pathways for experienced professionals to re-enter the workplace and contribute at a high level. Whether you are a woman in your 40s, 50s or beyond considering a career change, an entrepreneur looking for your next chapter, a leader thinking about building more inclusive teams, or someone wondering how to turn decades of experience into a new opportunity, this conversation offers practical insights on building confidence, creating visibility, and making the most of your second act. Key topics include: midlife entrepreneurship, women in business, career reinvention, workforce reintegration, confidence, leadership, age diversity, career breaks, mentorship, professional visibility, entrepreneurship after 50, and turning experience into opportunity. It is not a midlife crisis. It is a midlife opportunity. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Kim Keating & The Fifty Factor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimtkeating/ https://www.facebook.com/kimtkeat https://www.instagram.com/kimkeating24 https://www.50-factor.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the50factor/ https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Fifty-Factor-61579775452211/

  6. Aug 10

    #213 - Matt Dalio: Why America's Future Depends on Raising Builders, Not Consumers

    While many people know the Dalio name, Matt Dalio has spent his career intentionally building something entirely his own. As the Founder & CEO of Endless Studios, Matt believes the greatest challenge facing America isn't technology, it's whether the next generation will have the skills to create it. In this conversation with Mark Perkins, Matt explains why the future belongs to builders, why AI should be viewed as a tool rather than a threat, and why America's competitive advantage has always been its ability to innovate. Drawing from years spent working throughout emerging markets, Matt introduces the concept of reverse innovation, the idea that some of the world's most valuable breakthroughs come from places forced to solve problems with limited resources. He argues those same lessons may be exactly what America needs today. Mark and Matt also dive into why traditional education is struggling to keep pace with AI, how curiosity creates better learners than memorization ever could, why building things is the greatest form of education, and what entrepreneurs can do to prepare both themselves and their children for a rapidly changing economy. The conversation also explores resilience, founder burnout, cash flow versus growth, developing passion through action, and how individuals can create meaningful change inside their own communities. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, parent, educator, or simply wondering what the future of work will look like, this episode offers an optimistic roadmap for developing the skills that matter most in the AI era. In this episode you'll learn: Why America must become a nation of builders again How AI is changing the future of education and employment The difference between ability and capability Why curiosity is the foundation of lifelong learning What entrepreneurs should teach the next generation How emerging markets are driving some of today's greatest innovations Why passion is discovered through building, not waiting The debate between growth and cash flow for founders Practical ways to prepare yourself and your family for the future of work Why Matt believes "the treasure is in the skills we build." If you're interested in entrepreneurship, leadership, artificial intelligence, education, innovation, or preparing for what's next, this conversation delivers practical insights along with a hopeful vision for the future. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Matt Dalio & Endless Studios: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdalio/ https://www.endlessstudios.com/ https://www.instagram.com/endlessstudiosgames/ https://x.com/Endless__Games?s=20 https://www.facebook.com/EndlessStudiosGames/ https://github.com/endlessm

  7. Aug 3

    #212 - How Kay Woo is Challenging Uber with Zero Commission Ride-Sharing and Blockchain

    What if ride-sharing companies stopped taking a cut of every ride? What if drivers owned more of the value they create? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Kay Woo, Founder and CEO of Throo and TADA, to discuss how he's challenging the traditional ride-sharing model with a zero-commission platform built around driver ownership, blockchain infrastructure, and the future of mobility. Kay shares the entrepreneurial journey behind building one of the world's first zero-commission ride-hailing platforms and explains why defining drivers as the primary customer changes everything. From creating trust-based driver communities to navigating global expansion and regulatory challenges, Kay offers a fascinating look at what it takes to disrupt an industry dominated by some of the world's largest technology companies. The conversation also explores where transportation is headed over the next decade. Kay discusses how AI, blockchain technology, and autonomous vehicles could fundamentally change the way we think about ownership, mobility, and ride-sharing. Rather than a future controlled by centralized platforms, he shares his vision of distributed ownership models that could give drivers and communities a greater stake in the networks they help build. Whether you're an entrepreneur building a disruptive company, interested in the future of transportation, or simply curious about how technology is reshaping business models, this episode offers valuable lessons on innovation, leadership, and challenging conventional thinking. In This Episode: Why TADA operates on a zero-commission ride-sharing model The entrepreneurial challenges of disrupting established industries Building trust and community among drivers at scale How blockchain technology powers modern mobility platforms Why drivers should be treated as customers, not commodities The future of autonomous vehicles and distributed ownership AI's role in the next generation of ride-hailing services Navigating regulation while expanding globally Lessons learned from building technology businesses that challenge incumbents Why entrepreneurship requires rethinking long-held assumptions about value creation If you've ever wondered what comes after Uber and traditional ride-sharing, Kay Woo offers an ambitious and thought-provoking vision for the future. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Kay Woo, throo, & TADA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvlkay/ https://x.com/climbingK https://www.facebook.com/kaywooe6/ https://ridethroo.ai/ https://www.instagram.com/ridethroo_official/ https://www.tiktok.com/@tadaamerica_official?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.youtube.com/@TADA-America-2026 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587235988109 https://x.com/throo_official https://tada.global/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tadaglobal/

  8. Jul 27

    #211 - What Buyers REALLY Look For When Acquiring a Business | Muriel Touati | The Necessary Entrepreneur

    In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Muriel Touati, Founder and CEO of Exit 3D Studio, to uncover what actually makes a business valuable when it's time to sell. While many founders believe profitability automatically translates to value, buyers are looking for something much different, transferability, operational health, recurring revenue, and systems that can thrive without the founder. Drawing from her experience evaluating businesses for acquisition, Muriel shares why so many businesses never make it to the closing table, the red flags buyers immediately look for during due diligence, and how founders can dramatically increase their company's valuation before an exit. She breaks down the acquisition process from NDAs and Letters of Intent to SBA financing, business brokers, and the financial metrics that matter most when buying or selling a company. Muriel also explains why digital presence has become an increasingly important component of business valuation, how AI and automation can improve operational efficiency, and why founder dependency continues to destroy value in founder-led businesses. Whether you're planning to sell your company in the next few years, acquire your first business, or simply build a more transferable and valuable company, this conversation provides a roadmap for creating a business that can succeed beyond its founder. You'll learn: • What buyers really look for when acquiring a business • Why 70-80% of businesses never successfully sell • The biggest valuation killers founders overlook • How customer concentration impacts business value • Why recurring revenue commands higher valuations • How AI and automation can increase operational efficiency • The role digital marketing and lead generation play in business valuation • How SBA loans work for business acquisitions • What founders should do years before planning an exit • Why transferability may be the most valuable asset your business owns Muriel is the Founder and CEO of Exit 3D Studio, where she helps founder-led service businesses increase their valuation and prepare for successful exits. Her upcoming book, The Valuation Gap, explores the hidden issues sellers miss that can significantly impact what buyers are willing to pay. If you're an entrepreneur building for the long term, planning an exit, or considering acquiring a business, this episode is packed with actionable insights that could save, or make, you millions. 👍 Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and innovators who share the real stories behind building successful businesses. 📌 Connect With Us:  Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Muriel Touati & Exit 3D Studio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murieltouati/ https://www.exit3dstudio.com https://www.exit3dstudio.com/the-valuation-gap https://www.exit3dstudio.com/scorecard

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About

Experience Earned. Execution Required. The Necessary Entrepreneur brings together people who are actively creating, not constantly consuming. Hosted by entrepreneur and operator Mark Perkins, the show assembles founders, operators, and investors doing the work. They share direct conversations about execution, leadership, and the realities of creating something that endures. The show rejects theory as a standalone and focuses on the discipline, decisions, and resilience required to stay in the game every day.

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