$100M Exit, Sex Addiction, and the Fight to Belong

Jul 22, 2025

Dan Berger, who sold Social Tables for $100 million, shares his incredible journey of personal transformation following that exit. He dives deep into the loss of belonging that often accompanies great success and his struggles with sex addiction. Dan reflects on how fleeting pleasures led him to confront his childhood trauma and mental health challenges. He outlines his framework for achieving true belonging and the importance of meaningful connections over material wealth in redefining identity and purpose.

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INSIGHT

Belonging Beyond Work

Dan Berger realized post-exit his sense of belonging came from work, not personal life.
True belonging must come from within, not external validation or relationships.

ANECDOTE

Rebuilding Belonging After Exit

Dan moved to Boise, started dating intentionally, and embraced religion to rebuild belonging.
He found new relationships and community, including a 12-step program, to regain belonging.

ADVICE

Use Belonging Archetypes Framework

Assess your current sources of belonging as a "fuel tank" with multiple inputs.
Identify your belonging archetype and adjust activities to better fulfill your belonging needs.

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Some exits, they just stop us in our tracks. Not because of the money or the business genius, but because of the radical personal transformation that followed. Dan Berger's story is one of those. Seven years ago, he sold social tables for around $100 million million dollars. And like so many of us, the exit cracked something open. The wealth, the time, the freedom. It didn't bring peace at first. It made things worse. Den spiraled into addiction, sex and porn. But he soon realized the pleasure they gave him was too fleeting, too empty. It did nothing to meet his real needs. That's when Den realized that his Exit wasn't just a big win. It was a chance to create something he'd never truly had. Real sense of belonging. Today, years later, he finally has it. He has finally built it. Then is a story of real courage. The courage to confront his darkest demons. Childhood trauma, bipolar disorder, Chronic anxiety. The patience and resilience to get to the root of his pain. This is one story you really don't want to miss._____________________________________________________00:00:00 Intro00:01:55 Life After Selling Social Tables 00:02:25 Loss of Belonging Post-Exit 00:03:53 Failed Attempts to Recreate Work Identity 00:05:05 Belonging & Addiction 00:06:42 Why He Wasn’t Aware of His Needs 00:09:43 The Crossroads Moment and Reinventing Identity 00:13:23 Dan’s Framework for Belonging 00:18:10 Can Our Belonging Archetype Change? 00:22:43 Dan’s Belonging Tank Today 00:25:02 How Dan Defines Belonging 00:32:01 Sex Addiction and Its Roots in Belonging 00:36:22 Getting Help: 12-Step Recovery 00:37:54 Why No One Talks About Sex Addiction 00:39:44 Loneliness, Belonging & the Male Crisis 00:42:52 Raising Boys and Masculinity Today 00:45:14 Switching Gears: The Financial Impact of Exit 00:48:49 Die With Zero: A New Financial Philosophy 00:53:23 Purpose, Not Just Experience 00:56:00 New Venture: Offsite Retreat Venues 00:57:38 Lessons from Social Tables to New Business 00:59:12 Dan’s Business Archetype: Operator 01:00:12 The Risks of Using Own Money 01:01:19 Writing a Book: Process and Pitfalls 01:03:20 What's Special About Dan's Book 01:04:07 How Dan Wants to Be Remembered