From Angel To Exit

By Bruce Eckfeldt

From Angel To Exit is a business podcast exploring the entrepreneurial journey of scaling a business from raising your first round of funding to exiting. We cover the trials and tribulations that foun... more

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FAQs about From Angel To Exit:

How many episodes does From Angel To Exit have?

The podcast currently has 42 episodes available.

From Angel To Exit episodes:

November 24, 202531: How to Avoid Deal Disasters: Why Founder-CEOs Need a Dedicated M&A Lawyer Before Selling
In this episode, deal lawyer Chad Williams, Partner at Lamb McErlane, shares insider strategies for founder-CEOs preparing to exit. From why every founder needs a dedicated M&A lawyer to how to handle LOIs, earnouts, and non-competes, Chad walks through the full deal lifecycle. Learn what to do a year before selling, how to protect yourself post-sale, and how to avoid common legal traps that erode value. This conversation is packed with actionable legal insights for founders navigating the complex world of business exits.
Key Takeaways
Engage a deal-specific lawyer early—ideally 12+ months before selling.
Build a diligence-ready data room well in advance of marketing the company.
Always know your walkaway point—emotionally and financially—before starting negotiations.
Earnouts are risky; structure clear terms or avoid them entirely.
Get clarity on whether the deal will be structured as an asset or equity sale.
Use rep and warranty insurance to minimize post-close liability.
Align internal deal team and external advisors around clear objectives and must-haves.
Plan early for what comes after the exit—professionally and personally.
Links & Resources
Chad Williams
Website: www.lambmcerlane.com
LinkedIn: Chad Williams on LinkedIn
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
44min
November 10, 202530: From Broke to Multi-Exit Founder: How Solving Real Problems Built Two 7-Figure Companies
From hustling for baseball cards as a kid to exiting multiple businesses, Travis Luther shares his extraordinary journey of entrepreneurship, reinvention, and impact. In this episode, Travis opens up about building and selling Queen Anne Pillow and Trial Line, the emotional complexities of life post-exit, and his new mission with Moso Pillow. Packed with raw insights, hard-won lessons, and founder-to-founder wisdom, this is a must-listen for any entrepreneur aiming to scale with purpose and exit with clarity.

Key Takeaways:
Solving a real, painful market problem is more important than building a passion project.
Choose business partners with complementary skills—not just shared interests.
Know your exact cost of goods sold to price effectively and grow profitably.
Valet Ads taught Travis about high-margin, scalable ideas hidden in plain sight.
Queen Anne Pillow scaled fast with SEO and customer education during COVID.
Selling too soon without testing the full market may leave money on the table.
Life post-exit can bring emotional uncertainty if you haven’t planned what’s next.
Travis’s new venture, Moso Pillow, aligns impact, purpose, and entrepreneurship.
Links & Resources
Travis Luther
https://www.travisluther.com
@travisscottluther
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
45min
November 03, 202529: Founder Fatigue, Deal Drama & the Power of Values in a Successful Business Exit with Gregg Lederman
In this raw and powerful episode, Gregg Lederman shares how he scaled his values-driven SaaS company, Brand Integrity, from consulting to licensing—and ultimately sold it to a global buyer. He reveals the emotional toll, deal setbacks, and ethical challenges he faced, and how staying true to his core values helped him through. Gregg now leads “A Great Life Now,” helping leaders find purpose and self-awareness. This episode is a must-listen for founders navigating growth, burnout, and business exits.

Key Takeaways:
A values-based culture helped Brand Integrity stand out in a crowded market.
Hiring people better than yourself is critical to scaling a founder-led business.
M&A processes often lack integrity—be prepared emotionally and ethically.
Not raising capital allowed control but limited speed—tradeoffs matter.
Founders should define personal values before engaging in an exit.
“Retrading” in M&A is real—expect late-stage changes in deal terms.
Staying aligned with company culture should outweigh the highest valuation.
Therapy and self-awareness can be survival tools during exit stress.
Links & Resources
Gregg Lederman
[email protected]
gregglederman.com
[email protected]

Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
47min
October 23, 202528: Burned by Broad Services? How Specialization Scaled Pedestal Search to a Successful Exit
Aaron Levenstadt, founder of Pedestal Search, shares how he went from early days at Google to building and exiting a successful SEO-focused agency. In this episode, he breaks down the power of narrowing services, mastering buyer psychology, and awakening sleeping leads through smart systems. His story offers actionable insights for founder-CEOs navigating growth, productization, and business exits. If you're scaling an agency or considering your own exit strategy, this episode is a goldmine.

Key Takeaways
Specializing in one core service enabled true scalability and efficiency.
Buyer psychology is essential—structure sales conversations like a landing page.
Systematized warm outreach turned dormant leads into high-conversion pipelines.
Saying no to work outside your niche builds stronger client trust and delivery results.
Reframing sales and post-sale language unifies team efforts and drives clarity.
Presenting "reasons not to buy" in M&A builds credibility and smooths diligence.
Productization creates repeatability without losing personalization.
Planning for exit early enables more favorable deal structures and post-sale freedom.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Aaron Levenstadt and Pedestal Search
02:25 Aaron's Journey: From Google to Entrepreneurship
05:07 The Birth of Pedestal Search
08:17 Sales Psychology and Effective Communication
11:24 Refining the Business Model and Focus
14:16 Identifying Ideal Clients and Scalability
17:03 Key Inflection Points in Growth
19:18 Navigating Challenges and Client Conversations
20:38 The Importance of Strategic Guidance
22:46 Awakening Sleeping Leads
25:01 Navigating the Exit Strategy
28:45 Structuring the Deal
31:19 Lessons Learned from the Deal
34:49 Building Trust in Negotiations
40:04 Post-Exit Ventures and Future Plans
42:31 Introduction to the Conversation
42:32 Exploring Key Themes and Insights

Links & Resources
Aaron Levenstadt
LinkedIn: Aaron Levenstadt
Email: [email protected]
Website: joinagencyalliance.com

Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
43min
October 13, 202527: Struggling With Niching? How Erik Olson Used SEO and Structure to Scale 3 Agencies
From civil engineer to multi-agency founder, Erik J. Olson shares how he built Array Digital, Rival Digital, and Crush Digital by focusing on niche verticals, systematization, and recurring revenue. In this episode, he breaks down how he de-risks niching, structures scalable operations, and preps for a $100M exit by building a PE-ready platform brand. Founders looking to scale with structure—or build something worth acquiring—will find playbook-worthy insights throughout.
Key Takeaways
Pivoted from software development to digital marketing after discovering greater long-term value in recurring services.
Built three niche-focused agencies with distinct brands to balance risk and maximize focus.
Developed a repeatable playbook to launch new agencies: leader + niche + first customer.
91% of current revenue is recurring—key for private equity interest.
Created Proxa Brands as the platform-level entity to unify and eventually exit the portfolio.
Plans to grow via both organic launches and targeted acquisitions of $500K–$1M agencies.
Implemented strong process automation (e.g., Asana templates, Zapier) to streamline onboarding and operations.
Culture and post-sale leadership retention are essential in structuring for a PE-ready business.
Links & Resources
Erik Olson
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @erik.j.olson
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
51min
October 06, 202526: How to Sell the Same Company Twice — And Exit With More Every Time
What if you could sell your company—twice? In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt talks with Matthew Porter, founder of Contegix and now Partner & Co-Founder at EONOVA, about how he bootstrapped a data center company, scaled it through acquisition, and sold to private equity—twice. Matthew shares the behind-the-scenes of deal negotiations, what he learned from his first exit, and how a second sale turned lessons into leverage.

Key Takeaways:
You can sell your company twice—if you structure the first exit with a second in mind.
Founder identity and mental health are critical in long-term exit strategy.
Private equity isn’t the enemy—but you must understand their value model.
Second exits offer a rare chance to fix what you missed the first time.
Growth through acquisition drives both scale and valuation.
Negotiate your role, not just your price, post-exit.
Build with optionality: prepare for a sale, even if you’re not planning one.
Fit and alignment often matter more than the highest bidder.
Links & Resources
Matthew Porter
Email: [email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meporter/
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
48min
September 29, 202525: How to Buy 24 Companies with No Cash and Sell for a 14x Multiple — John Ratliff’s Playbook
In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with John Ratliff, founder of Appletree Answers and now a partner at Align5 and advisor at STS Capital Partners. John shares the behind-the-scenes story of growing a call center business through 24 acquisitions—all without outside capital—and selling at a 14x EBITDA multiple. He also reveals how founders get taken advantage of by sophisticated buyers, and what you must do to avoid selling for less than you're worth.

Key Takeaways:
You can scale through acquisitions without raising outside capital—if you master bank relationships.
Know your strategic value inside the buyer’s ecosystem—it’s often worth more than your financials show.
A strong exit multiple (14x) is possible when you’re the most coveted asset in a fragmented market.
Bank relationships should be treated like partnerships, not vendor agreements.
Your personal finances and lifestyle must be exit-ready before the deal closes.
Never use your company email as your personal email—it could be gone post-exit.
Build acquisition teams internally with cross-functional talent, not full-time M&A staff.
Think like a buyer: reverse engineer how your capabilities create value after acquisition.
Links & Resources
John Ratfliff
Email: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
46min
September 22, 202524: Think You’re Exit Ready? Neil Schaffer’s 1,000-Day Rule Will Change Your Mind
What does it really take to exit a business successfully—and profitably? In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Neil Schaffer, CEO of Carlton Advisors, on his experience scaling companies through M&A, raising over $40 million in strategic capital, and executing billion-dollar exits. Neil shares the real metrics buyers care about, the dangers of founder burnout, and why the emotional side of selling is just as critical as the financials. If you're a founder thinking about your next move, this is your exit planning playbook.

Key Takeaways:
Exits require emotional readiness—ask what you want from the transaction.
Strategic buyers often pay more than financial buyers—understand their value drivers.
The 1,000-day exit plan ensures time for operational and financial preparation.
Valuation ≠ buyability—culture and competitive advantage often seal the deal.
Raising capital? Your story, not just your spreadsheet, sells the investment.
Equity vs. debt: Choose based on market conditions, cash flow, and growth stage.
Founders must systematize knowledge—buyers don’t pay for what's only in your head.
Treat exit strategy as a quarterly strategic planning item, not a one-time event.
Links & Resources
Neil Schaffer
Email: https://carltonadvisorsllc.com
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
42min
September 15, 202523: How Robert Heil Doubled Growth by Rebuilding Strategy Around Client Value Creation
Robert Heil, CEO of Financial Aid Services, reveals lessons from scaling EdTech ventures, leading M&A deals, and transitioning into the CEO seat post-founder exit. With experience on both sides of the table, Robert dives into how customer drivers, leading indicators, and cultural integration can make or break a deal. Learn how he doubled growth and aligned mission with private equity goals—all while navigating the challenges of higher education’s complex ecosystem.

Key Takeaways:
Track leading indicators, not just lagging metrics, to create sustainable business value.
Successful M&A starts with understanding customer concentration and growth drivers.
Post-deal integration planning should begin before the ink is dry—especially around culture.
Private equity partners want growth, but strategic balance across stakeholders is key.
Use strategic planning frameworks like Metronomics to align internal teams and exit readiness.
Value creation for clients naturally leads to shareholder and team success.

The first 30 days post-acquisition are critical—have a plan, even if it’s not perfect.
Customer feedback often reveals the true cultural DNA of an acquisition target.
Links & Resources
Robert Heil
https://www.robert-heil.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-heil-88966623/
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
44min
September 08, 202522: How Bootstrapping With $1,500 and Cold Calls Built a Multi-Million Dollar Ad Business
Matthew Diteljan co-founded a startup with just $1,500 and scaled it into a national advertising platform targeting high schools. After a partner buyout and burnout, he exited the company—but not without hard lessons. In this raw, honest conversation, Matthew shares how his dream exit turned into unexpected post-sale turmoil, what he’d do differently, and what every founder should consider before pulling the trigger on a deal.
Key Takeaways
Starting with constraints forces creativity and sharpens focus.
Bootstrapping helps you stay lean—but can limit scale if you resist outside capital.
Partner alignment is critical; buyouts can get messy without strong communication.
Abdicating leadership too early can trigger chaos; train successors with care.
Walking away from a subpar offer can bring stronger, unexpected buyers.
Your investment banker works for the deal—stay in control of your own vision.
Financial freedom doesn’t guarantee peace—post-sale fallout can be brutal.
Think beyond the exit: what kind of life and legacy do you really want?

Links & Resources
Matthew Diteljan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diteljan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattditeljan/
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.
Newsletter & Exclusive Content:
Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.
Connect with Bruce & the Community:
LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt
Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
48min

FAQs about From Angel To Exit:

How many episodes does From Angel To Exit have?

The podcast currently has 42 episodes available.