EP73: From founder to employee - learnings of an exited founder: ft. Kevin of Beachly

Nov 13, 2025

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In this episode of the ASOM Pod, hosts Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer, formally Founder of Sendlane), John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), and Bryan MacDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) sit down with Kevin Tighe, Founder & former CEO of Beachly and now VP of Growth at BUBS Naturals.

Kevin gets real about the transition from founder to employee, what it felt like to sell the company he built, and how he rebuilt his identity on the other side. The crew digs into leadership, delegation, the subscription model, and what today’s e-commerce landscape demands from operators.

What you’ll learn:

How Kevin built and scaled Beachly and what led to its acquisition.
The emotional + operational realities of selling your business.
How to transition from CEO to employee without losing your edge.
Why delegation and team empowerment unlock real growth.
The current state of subscription eCommerce (and what’s changing fast).
How Kevin is driving growth today at BUBS Naturals.

If you’re a founder, operator, or just curious what the “after” looks like post-exit, this one hits home.

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Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!

Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences via email and sms with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/

Kintsugi — AI that monitors, files, and optimizes sales tax for you. Eliminate your tax headaches forever. Mention ASOM for 3 months free at https://www.TryKintsugi.com

Particl — the competitive intelligence platform built for eCommerce brands. Track real sales, inventory, and pricing across thousands of products to see what’s selling, who’s winning, and where to move next. Get started at https://www.particl.com/

Subscribe at https://asompod.com
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00:00 Teaser Trailer

00:39 Welcome to the ASOM Pod

04:25 Kevin Tighe’s Journey: From Founder to Employee

04:53 The Birth and Growth of Beachly Brands

07:46 Challenges and Successes in the Subscription Box Model

16:04 The Acquisition Journey and Transition to Employee

22:15 Discussing the Acquisition Details

22:30 Transitioning to a New Market

22:47 Joining BUBS Naturals

24:44 Reflecting on Entrepreneurial Challenges

28:48 The Importance of Delegation

31:13 The Emotional Side of Selling a Business

34:15 Current Role and Team Dynamics

35:55 Future Plans and Reflections

48:07 Closing Thoughts and Outro

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