#18 - Christine Merser (Blue Shoe Strategy)

Carrie Kerpen interviews Christine Merser, an experienced entrepreneur who shares her journey with Blue Shoe Strategy and what it took to sell her business with both triumphant successes and challenging failures.

 

Christine reflects on her negotiation of a company sale for double the valuation amidst a room of skeptical men, the early days of the internet and managing forums in 1993, and her pivotal role in launching Obama's digital campaign.

 

The conversation delves into her ventures during the dot-com era, an early luxury goods online marketplace, and lessons learned from its subsequent downfall. Merser also recounts a later venture with a party rental business, navigating an exit, and imparting wisdom on managing company board dynamics and valuations.

 

 

00:28 Welcome to The Exit Whisperer

00:42 Introducing Christine Merser

02:12 Early Internet Days and Blue Shoe Strategy

03:23 Obama's Digital Campaign and Early Successes

04:40 Parallels Between Internet Boom and AI

07:25 The Dot-Com Bust: Best Selections

13:46 Lessons from the Dot-Com Era

18:20 Party Rental Business and Quick Exit

24:38 Resurrecting Blue Shoe Strategy

26:32 Writing and New Ventures

27:29 Final Thoughts and Resilience