07: Lessons from a Failed M&A to a Successful Exit: The Founder Story Behind ClassTag

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 inspiration and pragmatic lessons in her candid account of scaling a mission-driven business with resilience and clarity.

 

Key Takeaways

• Personal conviction helped validate the problem when initial feedback was discouraging.
• Early MVP failures taught resilience and forced creative pivots in product strategy.
• Growth came through teachers marketing to teachers—not parents.
• The business scaled with a unique media model, later bolstered by SaaS.
• A failed M&A taught the importance of running the business regardless of deal progress.
• Private equity deals often depend on external fund dynamics, not founder value.
• Exiting with minimal earn-out allowed smoother transition and founder relief.
• Future ventures are now guided by “following the money” and co-founder alignment.

Links & Resources

• Vlada Lotkina

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vlada-lotkina/ [e-mail] https://www.elev8orlab.com/

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