This week on Trades Talk, Justin White sits down with Kory Mitchell of Iconic Founders to break down one of the most important conversations happening in the trades right now, how to actually build a company that is worth selling.

Kory shares his journey from growing a family asbestos business into a $200M operation and exiting for nine figures, then walking away and building Iconic Founders to help other operators do the same. This episode is a deep dive into private equity, value creation, and the real difference between building a good business and building a valuable one.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Kory Mitchell scaled a small family business into a $200M company and exited for nine figures

• Why most contractors are building strong businesses that are not actually sellable

• The concept of value creation plans and how investors think differently than operators

• Why recurring revenue, clean financials, and leadership structure drive higher valuations

• The truth about private equity deals, including structure, working capital, and what really happens after you sell

• Why selling your business because you are burned out is one of the biggest mistakes owners make

• How Iconic Founders helps contractors grow from $3M to $25M in profit and maximize exit value

This episode is a masterclass in thinking like an investor while still operating like a builder. If you are serious about scaling, selling, or creating long term wealth in the trades, this one will change how you see your business.