“You’ve got to get yourself into a position to exit and then put time on your side. Don't be in a rush to sell, but when you are ready, put a deadline in place for buyers to make an offer.”
In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Dean Salakas, former Party People CEO, on Being sale-ready, forecasting like a CFO, and selling confidently on your terms.
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Dean is a retail advisor, keynote speaker, and former CEO of The Party People, Australia’s largest party store, which sold in late 2024.
With three successful business exits and a track record of retail innovation, Dean now helps businesses grow through strategic advice and execution support and also as a fractional Head of Growth at Party Hire Group.
This is the second time we have had Dean on the show; during episode 234 we covered how he saw change as an opportunity, coping with growth, and evolving as a leader.
In this Evolved CEO Masterclass, we talk about:
✅ The art of the sale - how to create buyer FOMO, go public with your sale, and drive up valuation.
✅ Why staying ‘match-fit’ with reporting and forecasting is key to a successful exit.
✅ The power of understanding your customer beyond product, and why this matters when selling, and
✅ What BATNA is and why deal structure matters more than just the multiple on offer.
Stay epic,
Greg
Connecting with Dean Salakas
You can connect with Dean via LinkedIn
Books and resources
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The One Minute Manager - Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. &, Spencer Johnson M.D.
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Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Foodbyus, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding
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