Built to Sell Radio

Anastasia Koroleva, former tech CEO with a nine-figure exit, discusses life after selling a business. Topics include rebuilding personal foundations, navigating post-exit challenges, achieving closure pre-sale, managing finances, wealth and parenting decisions, and transitioning to a mentoring role for children.

Michael Lieberman, founder of Datastay, shares the story of his software company that was acquired by Autodesk for more than ten times its revenue. Topics include creating a searchable catalog for AutoCAD drawings, building credibility through custom projects, equity distribution, transitioning to a product-based business, dealing with the departure of a key engineer, and the life-changing acquisition by Autodesk.

Adam Coffey spent 21 years as a CEO of three national service companies backed by nine private equity sponsors. During that time, he completed 58 acquisitions and generated more than one billion dollars of value at exit. Adam’s book, The Private Equity Playbook, is a bestseller, and on this episode of Built to Sell Radio’s “Inside the Mind of an Acquirer” series, Adam teaches a masterclass on how private equity works.

Jason Swenk, marketing agency owner turned acquirer, shares his unique perspective on how to sell your service business. From criteria for acquiring agencies to the role of competition in buying and selling companies, he discusses valuable insights and real-life stories. They also touch on the decision-making process, red flags when courting potential owners, and the importance of good operators. The chapter concludes with a discussion on assessing value, deal structures, and reaching out on social media.

Joe Khoubbieh is the Chief Investment Officer at Valsoft, one of the most prolific acquirers of software companies in the last few years. In 2023 alone, Valsoft completed 25  acquisitions in 10 countries. In total, Valsoft has acquired 95 companies and paid the founder 100% of their proceeds in cash in all 95 deals.   In this week's episode of Built to Sell Radio, we get inside Joe's head and find out how he thinks about evaluating companies to buy, structuring a role for the founder post acquisition, the downside of selling to private equity, dealing with egos and what to do when an acquirer tries to re-trade.

In this episode featuring Mark Zweig, we explore the aftermath of selling his company, The Zweig Group, to a private equity group. Zweig Group, known for serving the architecture industry with magazines, reports, and trade shows, achieved remarkable growth, landing three times on the Inc. 5000 list. At its peak, the company reached $19 million in revenue. However, Mark's sale to a private equity group unfolded as a cautionary tale, showcasing the potential pitfalls when partnering with the wrong acquirer.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage these days, but do you remember the cannabis craze? Basem Hanna sure does. He rode that wave to perfection, leaving his cannabis startup with a cool $25 million and shares that could be worth double that one day. This week’s episode of Built to Sell Radio is a no-holds-barred chat (yep, expect some strong language) about making it big in the green rush.

Aaron Leibtag, cofounder of Pentavere Research Group, shares how his digital health company, with only 15 employees, attracted a $15 million acquisition offer. He discusses the innovative AI engine developed to rescue critical patient data from electronic health records, improving care for overlooked individuals. The conversation also dives into funding strategies, focusing on the importance of peer-reviewed publications and personal connections. Aaron highlights the emotional journey of entrepreneurship, touching on relationship-building and the complexities of acquisition negotiations.

This week on Built to Sell Radio, we highlight the top strategies from the 10 most popular shows of 2023. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: ·        Grow your email list. ·        Compete with industry giants. ·        Replace yourself inside your business. ·        Implement a three part strategy for hiring high-potential employees. ·        Get your customers to fund your growth. ·        Use silence to help you get the upper hand when negotiating the sale of your business. ·        Provoke a bidding war for your business. ·        Use a surprising negotiating tactic to get an acquirer to increase their offer.  ·        Rebut a low-ball offer. ·        Handle negotiation points that are non-starters for you.

Leading expert on subscription models, Robbie Kellman Baxter, discusses the significance of recurring revenue and subscription models across various industries. They explore successful examples, transition strategies, and the benefits of membership models. The conversation also covers segmenting subscription models, churn rates, retention strategies, and the challenges of creating a forever promise.