What happens after the founder exits? Too often, regret, confusion, and loss of identity.
In this powerful session from the Exit Planning Institute, Jerome Myers delivers a wake-up call: most exit plans ignore the human element. While others focus on finances and operations, Jerome highlights the missing pillar: personal planning.
Press play and rethink what it means to exit with excellence.
[00:00 – 12:00] Exit is Inevitable, But Fulfillment is Not
100% of founders will exit: “Sell it, give it away, or close it.”
Most advisors ignore personal planning, but it’s what leads to regret
“The stool wobbles without the third leg. We’re building incomplete exits.”
[12:01 – 25:00] The Founder’s Exit Paradox
The paradox: rich and free, but lost
“They decouple their identity from the business and enter a void.”
Common regrets: loss of purpose, isolation, status drop, boredom
Why does money only solve 2 of the 5 levels in Maslow’s hierarchy
[25:01 – 38:00] Six Centers of Doubt: The Hidden Struggles
Introducing the Exit Paradox Iceberg
Self-image, Relationships, Work, Health, Prosperity, Significance
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t like where you end up.”
60% of founders’ core relationships disappear post-exit
[38:01 – 48:15] From “What’s Next?” to N.E.X.T.
Nourish, Evaluate, Xplore, Transcend: a framework for life after exit
“Most are exiting from, not to. That’s why they regret it.”
How Jerome helped his father find purpose again, becoming a mayor in his 60s
[48:16 – End] Real Tools, Real People, Real Legacy
The NEO Assessment: Six archetypes for post-exit personality
“Ask your clients: What are you optimizing for, money or fulfillment?”
Advisors: why you need to engage the personal side, or risk losing the AUM
“The only way your life ever matters is if you are positively impacting other people's lives.”
Key Quotes:
“Money solves the first two levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. Everything after that - purpose, belonging, impact - needs something deeper.” – Jerome Myers
“The biggest problem in exit planning is that most founders are exiting from instead of exiting to.” – Jerome Myers
Ready for your next chapter?
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