From Angel To Exit
From Angel To Exit is a business podcast exploring the entrepreneurial journey of scaling a business from raising your first round of funding to exiting. We cover the trials and tribulations that founders face, the pitfalls and pratfalls you want to avoid, as well as the joy and impact that success can bring. Join us on our next episode, where we speak about the challenges that real leaders face growing and scaling their organizations and how they’ve overcome them to achieve success and make their mark.
Episodes
David Turner, CEO of Velocity Now and former CRO at IHS, joins the show to unpack what truly drives successful business exits. With firsthand experience leading 47 acquisitions and scaling IHS from $320M to $1.8B, David offers rare insight into the buyer’s mindset. Founders will gain actionable strategies to prepare for sale, avoid common missteps, and understand how to position their company for maximum value.
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In this episode, Leslie Kraatz Adams shares the remarkable journey of scaling and exiting Federal Metals, a third-generation scrap metal business. Starting with deep family roots and evolving industry dynamics, Leslie transformed the company from a local scrapyard into a major regional player in Western Canada. She candidly discusses leadership challenges, navigating family dynamics, preparing for sale, and her pivot into health an...
From washing cars as a teen to selling a business with over $290M in sales, Calvin Johnson’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Calvin shares how he built and exited Lykki, an office supply and coffee delivery company, and the key lessons he learned around culture, technology, and timing. Founders looking to scale smart and exit well will gain real-world insights into M&A strategy, deal pre...
In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Jordan Youkilis, founding partner of Key Investment Partners, to explore how cannabis investing offers unique challenges and opportunities for founders. Jordan shares his journey from traditional finance to cannabis private equity, highlighting lessons in capital deployment, deal structuring, and scaling businesses in tightly regulated environments.
Key Takeaways
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Serial entrepreneur Pete Martin joins the show to unpack his journey across four business exits, including a standout 12x EBITDA sale to KPMG. Drawing from both personal and professional highs and lows, Pete shares powerful lessons on building scalable, values-driven companies, designing for exit, and avoiding the common pitfalls that sabotage founder success. From crafting a cultural manifesto to structuring clean financials, this...
Alan McLaren, co-founder of Strata Originals, shares his journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurial success. In this episode, he reveals how he scaled two marketing agencies, built a powerful personal branding firm, and supports founders preparing for strategic business exits. Alan discusses M&A readiness, founder well-being, and how personal branding plays a crucial role in business growth and exit strategies.
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In this episode of From Angel to Exit, host Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with Darren Mass, the founder of Mass Communications, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey from launch to acquisition. Darren shares how his early fascination with engineering led him to build a successful telecom company, the strategies he used to scale, and the key decision points that led to a $40 million exit. He also reflects on life post-sale, the challeng...
Todd Taskey, an M&A advisor and angel investor, joins Bruce Eckfeldt to discuss the nuances of business exits and private equity partnerships. Taskey explains the importance of structuring deals to optimize cash, equity, and earnouts. He highlights how founders can use a sale to accelerate growth rather than just exit, and shares real-world examples of successful second-bite opportunities. This episode is packed with strategic ...
In this episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt speaks with Suren Kapse, a seasoned advisor and coach specializing in M&A and exit strategies. Suren shares hard-earned insights on how founders can prepare for successful exits, whether selling for people, assets, scale, or client access. He also unpacks how buyers evaluate cultural fit, valuation dynamics, and when to go international. A must-listen for CEOs planning to sc...
Shawn Freeman, founder of a successful managed service provider (MSP), joins Bruce Eckfeldt to share his journey from launching a tech side hustle to scaling a $5M business and executing a 1.4x revenue exit. He reflects on key inflection points in leadership, recurring revenue strategy, and the emotional and operational complexities of being acquired. Shawn’s insights are essential for founder-CEOs preparing for strategic exits.
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In this episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt speaks with serial entrepreneur Shreesha Ramdas about his journey from risk-averse engineer to founder of multiple successful startups. Shreesha shares his unique “startup fitness” framework, lessons from bootstrapping LeadFormix through to its acquisition by SAP, and his current work with Lumber, a workforce optimization platform for the construction industry. Founders will gai...
In this episode of From Angel to Exit, host Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with Eddie Geller, serial entrepreneur and founder of Unique World, to unpack the gritty, insightful journey from launching early web services to a high-stakes M&A exit. Geller candidly shares the highs and lows of scaling a business, from client concentration pitfalls to post-acquisition culture clashes. This episode is rich with takeaways for founder-CEOs ai...
In this compelling episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Vlada Lotkina, founder of ClassTag, an EdTech platform that transformed parent-teacher communication. From her entrepreneurial upbringing in Ukraine to a successful exit in the U.S., Vlada shares the challenges of monetizing in the K-12 sector, navigating a failed M&A, and rethinking her strategy for venture number two. Founder-CEOs will find inspiratio...
In this sharp and candid episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Bill Snow, Managing Director at Focus Investment Banking and author of several books on M&A. With nearly two decades of experience in the middle market, Bill shares blunt truths and practical advice on what it really takes to sell a business. From valuation myths to private equity dynamics, this episode is packed with critical insights for founder...
In this episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt speaks with entrepreneur and investor Joshua Maidan, whose journey from Colombia to New York led to the creation of a high-end coffee brand with international acclaim. Maidan shares how he scaled the business using real estate savvy, aggressive strategy, and deep operational structure. The episode centers on how misaligned visions and lack of corporate governance led to a pivota...
Ross Shanken, founder and former CEO of Jornaya, shares the story behind building a pioneering lead verification platform and guiding it to a nine-figure exit. In this episode of From Angel to Exit, Ross unpacks the strategic frameworks, operational challenges, and personal insights that fueled his success—from initial market entry to final acquisition. It's a must-listen for founder-CEOs aiming to scale confidently and exit smartl...
From Angel To Exit is a business podcast exploring the entrepreneurial journey of scaling a business from raising your first round of funding to exiting. We cover the trials and tribulations that founders face, the pitfalls and pratfalls you want to avoid, as well as the joy and impact that success can bring. Join us on our next episode, where we speak about the challenges that real leaders face growing and scaling their organizati...
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