Advice to First-Time Founders
There’s a noticeable difference between first-time founders who stumble into an exit and those who navigate it with surprising clarity. It’s not intelligence.It’s not pedigree.It’s not even luck. It’s how early—and how honestly—they think about …
Every founder who enters an M&A process brings optimism to the table. You almost have to. Optimism is what allowed you to build in the first place—to take risks, ignore skeptics, and believe something valuable …
Rushing an exit almost always feels rational in the moment. You’re tired.The market looks good.A buyer shows interest.Life pulls in new directions. From the inside, it feels like momentum. From the outside, it often looks …
Founders expect their first exit to feel like relief. And for a moment, it does. The wire hits. The deal closes. The pressure lifts. You finally stop carrying the weight alone. Friends congratulate you. The …
Most first-time founders don’t think about selling their company until they have to. A buyer shows interest.Growth plateaus.Life changes.Burnout creeps in. Only then does the idea of an exit feel real. By that point, most …
Most founders don’t wake up one morning planning to hire advisors. They get there gradually. A banker reaches out.A friend makes an introduction.A lawyer suggests a name. Suddenly, you’re staring at a list of people …
Founders negotiating their first deal often believe the hard part is behind them. You built the company.You found a buyer.You’re at the table. It feels like the finish line. In reality, this is where a …
When founders ask me what selling a company is really like, they usually expect tactical answers. Valuation strategies.Buyer psychology.Deal structures. Those things matter—but they’re not what most founders wish they understood earlier. What I wish …