The Exit Whisperer

What do you do when you raise venture money… and then realize it’s not the right path? For Elle Hempen, co-founder of The Atlas, the answer was bold: sell just one year later.

In this episode, we talk about how a Google spreadsheet turned into a tech company, why she decided to skip the long VC grind, and how she negotiated an exit during the chaos of COVID. From pitching at Y Combinator while 8 months pregnant to getting a cold email from the exact company she dreamed of selling to, Elle’s story is packed with twists, hard choices, and the kind of honesty you rarely hear in startup land.

Michelle Caba, a former Wall Street professional, transformed a failing nail salon into a successful local business, eventually selling it with a considerable profit. Michelle discusses her journey from Wall Street to business ownership, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, market research, and innovative services like CBD manicures. Now she helps other business transform digitally to achieve the same growth!

Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, didn’t just survive the boys’ club of business—she doubled her valuation and sold to industry giant Avery. In this episode, she reveals the messy truth about co-founders, the brutal tricks buyers use to wear you down, and why staying passionate after the sale might be the ultimate win.

Suzanne Shelton built one of the top sustainability communications agencies in the US from scratch, then shocked the experts by selling it for double her target price. In this episode, she spills the unfiltered truth: the gut-wrenching moments, the bets that almost broke her, and the secrets behind her once-in-a-lifetime exit.

Ever wondered if you could risk it all—your savings, your sanity, your entire career—on a food you love? Erin Wade did just that. Fired from her law job and flat-out rejected by banks, she built a cult mac & cheese restaurant that broke every rule and every record. In this episode, Erin tells the unfiltered truth about betting everything, surviving the chaos, and what it really feels like to sell your “baby” to a VC-backed food giant.

Ever wondered what really happens after you sell your business? Ashley Deland built and sold a top vegan restaurant—then watched the new owners burn it to the ground. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Ashley and host Carrie Kerpen get brutally honest about burnout, regret, and the secrets nobody tells you about scaling and exiting. This episode is for anyone who thinks selling is the happy ending. Spoiler: it’s just the start of a whole new story.

2:04 Her Journey Through Burnout and Breaking Point  

When everyone told Andrea to play it safe, she rewrote the rules and doubled her worth. In this episode, two powerhouse founders share the real story behind selling a business, risking everything, and turning partnership into a power move. Forget the “happily ever after” exit story—this is what actually happens when women decide to cash out and level up.

Colleen West hustled her way from a tiny condo and a fax machine to a multi-million dollar exit. In this raw, inspiring episode, she shares how heartbreak fueled her business empire, why she refused to play by corporate rules, and the bold moves that doubled her revenue during COVID. If you've ever felt stuck, this story will make you rethink what’s possible.

Chapters:

2:34 Colleen’s Journey as a Single Mother  

Joyce Marter didn’t just build a therapy business—she survived betrayal, took on millions in debt, and still managed a seven-figure exit. In this episode, she gets brutally honest about the moment her co-founder quit by email (and CC’d the staff), how she rebuilt from financial rock bottom, and the mindset shifts that helped her turn chaos into a multimillion-dollar win. If you've ever felt like you're drowning while everyone else thinks you're thriving—this one’s for you.

Antonia helped build one of the most iconic period brands in the world. In this episode, she takes us inside the real, messy, deeply human journey of launching Thinx: from her pink pajama shame moment at 13 to raising millions, writing her own patent, and co-founding a brand that changed the way we talk about periods.

But that’s only the first half of the story.

She opens up about what it actually felt like to raise money, negotiate with strategic partners, and sit in rooms where you slowly lose control of the brand you built. What happens when you and your co-founders don’t want the same future? What do you do when the investors are offering the deal of a lifetime?