Mark Achler is a Managing Director of MATH Venture Partners. Prior to MATH, Mark was the Senior Vice President of New Business, Strategy, and Innovation for Redbox. He is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded four companies as well as being a partner in an earlier venture fund called Kettle Partners. Additionally, Mark teaches Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and is a frequent speaker, resource, and ardent champion for the entrepreneurial community. Mark recently released the book - Exit Right: How to Sell Your Startup, Maximize Your Return and Build Your Legacy, in which he and his co-author Mert Iseri interviewed dozens of M&A leaders at the biggest  Silicon Valley acquirers—as well as attorneys, bankers, and founders who have been through the trenches.

Mark and I discussed:

• How he met his coauthor
• Examples of great exits
• Why they decided to write the book 
• Is raising capital harder than exiting?
• How to prepare for a job interview 
• Why Investing in relationships is crucial
• Common mistakes first time entrepreneurs make

And so much more...

Mark Achler

Exit Right: How to Sell Your Startup, Maximize Your Return and Build Your Legacy

My Take: It's important to focus on long-term strategy and start learning early on what a good exit looks like - if you are interested in starting a company and raising $. It's a less-discussed aspect of startups, perhaps because many don't make it that far but it's a crucial aspect of building and selling a company. 

Support The Podcast

Catchphrase eBook