The Genuinely Interested Podcast Ep 125 Mark Achler - The Perfect Exit
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...
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.