The Exit Whisperer

#40 - Susan Apgood (News Generation)

At just 26, Susan took a leap — launching News Generation with the backing of her family and a single client’s nudge. What followed was a two-decade journey building a niche agency in radio media relations, where she prioritized culture, steady growth, and real relationships. In this episode, she opens up about the real emotions behind selling a business, why she started thinking about exiting around age 50, and how she navigated the unexpected curveball of selling during a pandemic. Susan also shares what really mattered in the deal (spoiler: it wasn’t just the money), why her office space and team were non-negotiables, and how she’s now using her experience to guide other women founders.
 
This is a story about knowing your worth, leaving with integrity, and designing what’s next — on your own terms.
00:30 Starting News Generation: From Idea to Reality
02:06 Building the Agency: Early Challenges and Successes
04:18 Navigating Growth: Employees and Business Decisions
12:01 The Turning Point: Considering a Sale
17:41 Acquisition Strategy and Funding
18:17 Negotiation and Non-Financial Priorities
21:06 Challenges with the Broker
23:06 Impact of COVID-19 on the Sale
25:05 Post-Sale Reflections and Integration Issues
31:17 Future Plans and Empowering Women

#39 - Michele Hecken (Alpha Translations)

She Was Told “You Can’t Be a Good Mom and Build a Company” — So She Proved Them Wrong
 
Michele discusses her successful career as an entrepreneur who managed to maintain a work-life balance while building and eventually selling her global translation business.
 
In an engaging conversation with Carrie, Michele shares insights from her journey, including the initial struggles, the importance of offloading responsibilities, and the process of scaling. She emphasizes the significance of setting personal and business goals, handling the transition after a business exit, and finding new purposes.
 
The episode provides valuable advice for women entrepreneurs on preparing for an exit and determining their worth outside their business.
 
00:00 – $6M Exit Overview
00:30 – Why This Interview
01:36 – Michele’s Startup Story
02:28 – Juggling Kids and Business
06:22 – Scaling with Systems
13:37 – Choosing to Sell
16:09 – Tech Shift and Timing
17:32 – Giving Herself Permission
18:43 – Selling Process Breakdown
22:54 – Life After Selling
25:54 – Setting Your Exit Number
29:40 – Advice for Founders

#38 - Kelly Parker (Send Ribbon)

Kelly shares her story, from her early days of recognizing her entrepreneurial spirit to the founding of her company, Send Ribbon.
 
She discusses her tech startup background, the challenges of personalized corporate gifting, and how her experience inspired her business idea.
 
She shares insights into her strategic methods for launching the business, overcoming financial constraints, and the pivotal moments that led to the company's growth. Kelly also details her personal life sacrifices, the importance of networking, and her eventual acquihire by Urban Stems during the pandemic. 
 
01:02 Early Entrepreneurial Spirit
01:34 Founding Send Ribbon
04:03 Challenges and Growth
09:08 Learning the Ropes of Inventory
14:31 First Big Breaks
18:41 Balancing Two Careers
19:45 Networking and Opportunities
22:12 Casual Updates and Networking
23:09 Pandemic Challenges and Opportunities
23:44 The Acquihire Email
24:39 Negotiating the Acquihire
25:29 Joining DoorDash and Health Struggles
27:23 Urban Stems Acquisition
29:27 Lessons from the Acquihire
33:21 Personal Reflections and Future Plans
42:33 Advising and Community Building
 
 

#37 - Anne Mahlum (SolidCore)

Anne Mahlum, the founder of SolidCore, shares her journey from being a waitress in North Dakota to negotiating a major company sale.
 
Anne shares her incredible story of founding SolidCore with $175,000 of her own savings after initially working in nonprofits and creating a running club for a homeless shelter. She discusses the challenges she faced, including navigating contentious business relationships and securing funding, while highlighting the importance of an unwavering belief in oneself.
 
Discover how Anne turned her passion for fitness and community building into a $100 million success story, the strategic decisions she made during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her ultimate exit strategy.
 
Anne also sheds light on her financial philosophy, the impact of her upbringing, and the significance of achieving a nine-figure exit.
 
 
00:33 Introducing Anne Mahlum: From Waitress to Entrepreneur
02:07 The Nonprofit Journey: Building a Community
06:37 Discovering Pilates: The Next Big Thing
07:57 Scaling Up: From One Studio to Many
10:40 Navigating Challenges: Legal Battles and Growth
16:47 Private Equity and Expansion: The Big Leap
21:00 Valuation Pitfalls and Investor Relations
21:31 Facing the COVID-19 Crisis
23:37 Strategic Negotiations and Capital Raising
25:06 Expansion into Red States
27:53 Succession Planning and Exit Strategy
32:54 Reflecting on Success and Personal Growth

#36 - Carrie Kerpen (The Whisper Group)

In the inaugural episode of season four, Carrie reflects on the significant milestones surrounding April 1st, including selling her company on April Fool's Day and the release of her new book.
 
She discusses the intense and rewarding process of writing the book, which combines fiction, real-life examples, and an implementation guide for business growth. Additionally, she provides insights into her journey with the Whisper Group, an exit readiness advisory practice for female founders.
 
The episode touches on the challenges of scaling a business, the importance of mindset, team selection, and her unique approach to planning and growth. 
 
00:00 Introduction and Season Kickoff
00:34 April Fool's Day and Personal Reflections
00:57 Introducing the New Book
03:09 The Whisper Group Journey
04:47 Challenges and Mindset
06:36 Team Building and Partnerships
08:27 Lessons Learned and Advice
09:21 Conclusion and Encouragement
 
 

#35 - Gwen Whiting (The Laundress)

Gwen shares her remarkable journey of founding The Laundress, a luxury laundry brand.
 
From securing a government-backed loan to self-financing with credit cards, Gwen details her determination and innovative spirit. She discusses the challenges and successes of building her business, the experience of negotiating a sale with Unilever, and her emotional turmoil post-acquisition.
 
Gwen reflects on the aftermath of the sale, the impact of a major product recall, and her eventual decision to launch her next venture, 'The Fill'. 
 
01:20 The Birth of The Laundress: Vision and Early Challenges
02:30 Funding the Dream: Financial Struggles and Strategies
03:40 Market Entry: Launching and Finding Early Adopters
05:00 Growth and Media: Building a Brand in a Pre-Social Media Era
08:53 Self-Financing: Risks and Rewards of Going Solo
16:18 Strategic Positioning: Attainable Luxury and Key Partnerships
17:13 The Exit Plan: Preparing for Acquisition
18:57 The Unilever Deal: Negotiations and Realizations
26:36 Navigating the Acquisition Process
28:00 Realizing the Challenges Post-Acquisition
29:24 Cultural Misfits and Organizational Chaos
31:53 The Aftermath: Recall and Brand Damage
34:30 Emotional Toll and Non-Compete Struggles
43:55 Launching a New Venture: The Fill
48:04 Reflections and Future Aspirations
 
 

#34 - Sarah Weiss (Elite Roofing Supply)

Sarah Weiss shares her incredible journey of growing Elite Roofing Supply from a family business into a major industry player. Sarah, inspired by her father's entrepreneurial spirit, cashed in her 401k and jumped into the roofing supply industry, growing the company to 26 locations and becoming one of the top distributors in the market.
 
She discusses the challenges of running a family business, the intense growth phases, and the strategic considerations that led to selling the company to Gulf Eagle Supply. Sarah provides an inside look at the emotional and mental preparations required for such a significant exit, as well as her personal reflections and plans post-sale.
 
This episode covers everything from bootstrapping to navigating high-stakes negotiations with Goldman Sachs, making it a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.
 
01:01 Meet Sarah Weiss: Building Elite Roofing Supply
02:04 The Entrepreneurial Journey Begins
04:10 Challenges and Growth in the Roofing Industry
09:16 Strategic Decisions and Preparing for Exit
13:28 The Sale Process: Choosing Goldman Sachs
18:03 Post-Sale Reflections and Future Plans
 
 

#33 - Laurel Mintz (Basset Furniture & Elevate)

Laurel shares her journey of being thrust into running her father's Bassett Furniture franchise business at 26 when he was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
 
She details the emotional and professional challenges of managing and eventually selling the over-leveraged business back to corporate, which financially devastated her family.
 
After overcoming these hardships, Lauren launched her own successful marketing firm, Elevate, which she later transitioned to an ESOP for her employees. She also discusses the inception of Fabric VC, a venture fund supporting women and BIPOC founders, highlighting its unique marketing-driven approach to investment. 
 
 
00:30 Welcome to The Exit Whisperer
01:11 Laurel Mintz's Story Begins
02:17 Taking Over the Family Business
08:10 Facing Financial Challenges
13:36 Launching Elevate: A New Venture
16:15 The Birth of Fabric VC
21:42 The ESOP Decision
24:08 Fabric VC: Progress and Vision
25:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

#32 - Kate Watts (Faire Design)

Kate Watts, a trailblazer in the agency space, narrates her impressive rise from being the president of Huge, a top digital agency, to launching and subsequently selling her own agency, Faire Design, to The Atlantic.
 
She opens up about the challenges and triumphs she faced during the integration and spin-off process, eventually regaining majority ownership and rebranding as Long Dash. This conversation is filled with valuable insights on mergers, acquisitions, and navigating the entrepreneurial landscape.
 
 
00:28 Welcome to the Exit Whisperer
01:39 Introducing Kate Watts
02:06 From Huge to Faire Design
04:24 The Leap of Faith: Starting Faire Design
07:05 Unexpected Acquisition by The Atlantic
14:57 Integration Challenges and Successes
18:10 Spinning Off: The Birth of Long Dash
23:50 Future Plans and Reflections

#31 - Christine Slocumb (Clarity Quest Marketing)

Christine shares her experiences negotiating five separate Letters of Intent  before finally securing a deal that doubled her company’s valuation.
 
Christine's three-year saga involved both personal and professional challenges, including contracting long COVID, which ultimately influenced her decision to sell. The discussion delves into the intricacies of the selling process, the importance of choosing the right advisor, and how perseverance is key in the world of mergers and acquisitions.
 
Christine also reveals how writing her book, 'Stop Starvation Marketing,' helped her stay grounded amid the chaos.
 
 
00:42 Meet Christine Slocum: The Journey Begins
00:54 The Challenges of Selling a Business
02:17 Understanding Letters of Intent (LOIs)
03:49 Building and Growing the Business
08:39 The Decision to Sell: A Turning Point
11:04 Navigating the Sales Process: LOIs and Auctions
22:32 The Final Stretch: Closing the Deal
26:47 Life After the Sale: Reflections and Future Plans