Anastasia Koroleva, who navigated the tumultuous aftermath of a nine-figure exit, shares her journey through divorce, burnout, and identity loss. She discusses the traps many second-time founders fall into, including rushing into new ventures and losing self-awareness. Anastasia emphasizes that wealth alone doesn’t guarantee fulfillment and offers her personal portfolio strategies focused on flexibility. With insights into rebuilding life post-exit and the emotional challenges faced, she aims to guide others in avoiding similar pitfalls.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Loneliness After Exit
Anastasia faced intense confusion and loneliness after her exit and divorce.
Returning to business did not fulfill her need for meaningful social connection.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Don't Rush Second Ventures
Avoid jumping into a new business too early after exit driven by momentum or escape.
Lack of motivation often causes failure even if you have financial security.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Know Your Natural Role
Identify if you're naturally a creator, operator, or investor before starting again.
Align your new venture to your true strengths to sustain motivation and success.
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In this book, Leon Festinger introduces his influential theory of cognitive dissonance, which describes the mental discomfort people experience when they hold two or more conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. The theory explains how individuals seek consistency in their cognitions and how this drive for consistency can lead to changes in attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors to reduce the dissonance. The book presents the results of experiments designed to test the implications of this theory and integrates empirical phenomena that were previously regarded as unrelated[1][2][4].
Die with Zero
Bill Perkins
Die with Zero presents a provocative philosophy and practical guide on how to get the most out of your money and your life. Bill Perkins argues against over-saving and under-living, advocating for investing in experiences early and maximizing positive life experiences. The book introduces concepts like 'time-bucketing,' 'net worth curve,' and 'fulfillment curve' to help readers optimize their life stages and make the most of their resources. Drawing from his own life experiences and insights from psychological science and behavioral finance, Perkins makes a compelling case for living large and accumulating memorable experiences rather than wealth.
127 founders (net worth: ~$1M–$100M+) opened up their personal books. Want to see how your finances stack up? https://www.joinhampton.com/wealth-report
After a nine-figure exit, Anastasia Koroleva went through divorce, failure, and identity loss. She reflects on what she didn’t see coming.
Here’s what we talk about:
Anastasia’s journey from a bootstrapped nine-figure success to divorce, burnout, and identity loss
Why second businesses often fail, and how success the first time around can actually work against you
The four biggest traps post-exit founders fall into: rushing into something new, chasing unfamiliar industries, losing self-awareness, and falling into “Sudden Wealth Syndrome”
How to rebuild your life after selling a company using frameworks like Maslow’s hierarchy and cognitive dissonance theory
Why wealth alone doesn’t create fulfillment, and what actually does
Anastasia’s personal portfolio strategy: no wealth manager, heavy in private credit, designed for low stress and high flexibility
A real look at her post-exit lifestyle, including two homes and $650K to $1M in annual spending
How long it truly takes to feel whole again after an exit, and why slowing down might be the smartest move
Why she now spends her time helping other founders avoid the same mistakes
Moneywise 
