Poised for Exit
Welcome to the Poised for Exit podcast! Poised for Exit is an under 30-minute strategic planning guidance podcast for busy small business owners. Each week you’ll hear certified exit planning advisor, Julie Keyes, talk with a range of entrepreneurs and professionals about preparing your business for a future transition. Guests at every stage of company ownership will share their personal stories and lessons learned about topics such as the anatomy of the exit planning process, developing a growth strategy, how to sell on your terms, exit planning for women small business owners, handling business diversity, and how to sell a family business. Whether you’re planning an exit in the near future or not, this show will provide you with the same action-oriented content that Julie utilizes while consulting with Keyestrategies clients. Building an exit strategy can be overwhelming, especially with all the decisions and details you have to consider. “Poised for Exit” will simplify the process and help you unwrap the unknowns, giving you more confidence in your planning process. Previous episodes are available for download, so if you are new to our show, you can listen to them in any order that suits you. Join us each week for timely, relevant content that will surely impact your business exit outcome! Subscribe to our newsletter below to receive your weekly episode link and stay updated on new strategic planning content. Find “Poised for Exit” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and others. Thank you to our Sponsors: Sunbelt Business Advisers and JAK CPA's. A special note of thanks to Tyler Keyes who produced the music for the “Poised for Exit” show.
Episodes
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we explore the often overlooked human side of exit planning, where leadership, culture, and legacy intersect. Our guest, Chuck Cooper, founder of Whitewater Consulting and author of The Family Business Blueprint, shares a wealth of experience helping family-owned businesses navigate the complexities of succession planning.
Chuck emphasizes the vital role that company culture plays in a successful ...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Justin Goodbread, a lifelong entrepreneur who has built and sold multiple businesses and now coaches others to do the same. From launching his first company at 15 to achieving several seven-figure exits, Justin shares the biggest lessons he has learned about increasing company value, planning a smart exit, and building a business that supports your life instead of running it.
Just...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we’re joined by Michael Hubsmith of True North M&A and Mark Cheeley of Synergy Wealth Management, two seasoned professionals whose 15-year collaboration has helped countless business owners plan smarter, sell stronger, and retire confidently.
Michael and Mark share real-world insights on how aligning M&A expertise with long-term financial planning creates better outcomes for business owner...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Tony Morse, CEO of Proliferate Performance & Profit, shares key insights for preparing your sales process for a successful exit.
Tony dives into the critical importance of building a scalable sales program that operates independently of the founder, making the business more transferable and attractive to potential buyers. He outlines three key elements that are often missing in businesses prep...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Jon Marquet from Trust Point shares invaluable insights into the essential strategies for a successful business exit. As an expert in retirement planning and business transitions, Jon provides expert advice on what business owners need to consider as they approach one of the biggest decisions of their careers.
Jon discusses the importance of early and comprehensive financial planning to ensure a s...
With a unique background in leadership, organizational strategy, and academia, Moira Petit brings fresh insight into the evolving relationship between AI and human leadership. As the co-founder and partner of Activ8 LLC and ProjectWe, she has firsthand experience in leading organizations through change. In this episode, we dive into how technology is reshaping the workplace—while the core principles of leadership, company culture, ...
With extensive experience in entrepreneurship and business investment, Jeff Porubcan and Jeff Thurston bring valuable insights into navigating partnerships and scaling businesses successfully. In this episode, we explore the challenges and rewards of co-ownership, as well as the key factors that contribute to a thriving business partnership.
As partners in Master Supplements Inc., Jeff and Jeff discuss their journey in the health an...
With a background in law and expertise in mediation, Amy Wirtz brings a deep understanding of the challenges family businesses face when transitioning leadership. Our conversation explores how businesses evolve from single-family ownership to multi-generational enterprises, requiring new skill sets, structured leadership, and strategic planning.
Amy outlines key factors for a successful transition, including strong family leadership...
The week on the Poised for Exit podcast, I take the mic for a solo episode to share exciting updates for 2025!
After nearly six years and approaching our 300th episode, I wanted to take this time to personally connect with you - our valued listeners - and give you an inside look at what's happening this year.
First, I extend my gratitude to our incredible sponsors, including True North M&A, Trust Point Inc., JAK + Co. CPAs, ...
Keeping a family business thriving across generations isn’t easy, but Dr. Jeremy Lurey knows how to make it happen. As Founder and CEO of Family Legacy 1st, he’s spent over 20 years guiding family enterprises through leadership transitions, governance, and exit planning.
Jeremy shares why succession planning is about more than just handing over the reins - it’s about shifting from manager to mentor. He highlights the power of indepe...
In this week’s episode, we sit down with Tina Corner Stolz, founder of LXCouncil and author of Your Seat at the Table, for an insightful conversation about the power of peer advisory groups in exit planning. Selling a business is one of the biggest financial and personal transitions an owner will ever face, and having a strong peer network can make all the difference.
Tina shares her journey from corporate leadership to building one...
Our guest for this episode is Cindy Jennings, Founder of Interwovenly, a firm specializing in turning owners’ aspirations into post-exit action plans! Cindy has been leading owners and executives in creating their ideal personal plan for many years. She's seen many owners regret their decision to sell, and for reasons that have nothing to do with how much they sold their business for. Usually, it's an intangible obstacle...
Our special guest today is none other than Todd Krough, incoming President of the Twin Cities Metro Area EPI Chapter. Todd is also a financial advisor and wealth planner with MN Bank & Trust and is a CEPA as well. Todd has been an active member of the Chapter, almost since its inception in 2016. Our discussion today revolved around how the Chapter has been integral in helping professional advisors become more equipped to assist...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we’re joined by Ruba Khairi and Ahmed Mousa, a dynamic husband-and-wife team of business brokers at Sunbelt Business Advisors. Their journey into business brokerage is anything but ordinary. In 2018, they were prospective buyers themselves, exploring business ownership before being drawn to the world of business brokerage.
When COVID-19 disrupted their plans, they took a leap of faith an...
Our featured guest in this episode is Leslie Lauer, Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at RBC Wealth Management. Leslie specializes in ESOPs, and shared some highlights of her years of experience as a trusted advisor.
Leslie's background in banking and accounting was the foundation for her career path to advising on deal structure for ESOPs. She's also a former entrepreneur herself (a company owned by an ESOP)...
Our guest for this show is Rick Brimacomb, CEO and Founder of Brimacomb Capital and Club Entrepreneur. Rick has been involved in deal-making and Venture Capital investments for many years, and he shared how he has become so successful.
Rick's approach is as a side-by-side confidante and close colleague to the owners of the companies he invests in. He sees it as a relationship over a transaction, since most last such a long tim...
JTeleconnections, or "JTel" has been in business for nearly 30 years. We had the pleasure of hosting two of the partners in the company, who happen to be family members.
Mother and daughter team, Jody and Paige Weinberg joined us for this episode of Poised for Exit. We talked about how they are working toward Paige taking over the business in the future, and how Jody is delegating some of her work to her daughter, who&apo...
From The Vault:
Private Investigators and Dealmakers are Teaming up More Often than Ever!
We covered an unusual topic in this episode, that we learned wasn't so unusual afterall. Private investigations within the M&A space. As buyers and sellers become more leary of the trustworthiness between them during dealmaking, the advisory team is completing the circle of trust by having what they disclose verified. Our gues...
From The Vault:
Why Acquisition Entrepreneurs Should Know Pari Passu (who?)
We had John Thwing, "The SBA Guy" in the studio today to talk about SBA financing for acquisitions of small businesses. When it comes to entrepreneurship, John says "don't start one, buy one!" When the deal makes sense from all the fundamental angles, John says it's always better to buy a business that has ca...
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we had the honor of interviewing Mike Moroz, President and CEO of Walters Recycling and Refuse. A man with years of C level leadership experience in a variety of industries, who has really made his mark using his ability to scale companies, whether public or private!
Mike says that working for family business as a non-family member can be challenging at times, but for the most part has been a very...
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