The ExitEngine™ Podcast

By Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe

How do I sell my business? How can I make my business more valuable? When should I plan to exit my business? All these questions and more are covered on The ExitEngine™ Podcast. Join M&A and Exit... more

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FAQs about The ExitEngine™ Podcast:

How many episodes does The ExitEngine™ Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 82 episodes available.

The ExitEngine™ Podcast episodes:

March 06, 2026 EP 82 | Financial Clarity = Exit Power: Why Every Founder Must Know Their Financial Truth with Cody Price
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-pricefamilybookkeeping/
https://pricefamilybookkeeping.com

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1h 7min
February 27, 2026 Ep 81 | Frozen Founders: The Psychology Behind Exit Decisions w/ Jeff Munn
The biggest exits fall apart long before the deal table — inside the founder’s mind.
In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with executive coach and Pick Now podcast host Jeff Munn to explore the emotional and psychological side of building, scaling, and eventually selling a business.
Together they unpack:
✔ Why decision paralysis keeps founders stuck
✔ The fear behind selling a company you built from nothing
✔ Why burnout leads to bad exits
✔ The psychology of earnouts and loss of control
✔ How founders accidentally sabotage value by staying too involved
✔ Why “exit planning = growth planning with intention”
Jeff shares his powerful Pick Now Method, helping leaders stop overthinking and start taking decisive action — a skill that directly impacts enterprise value and exit outcomes.
If you’re a founder between $2M–$20M revenue (or heading there), this conversation will completely change how you think about growth, leadership, and your eventual exit.
👤 Guest Contact — Jeff Munn
Jeff Munn
Host — Pick Now Podcast
Founder and President - Creating Extraordinary Futures
Helping founders scale with clarity, reduce decision stress, and lead without burnout.
https://jmunn.com/join-my-community
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmunn/
🚀 ExitEngine 30-Day Sprint
If this episode hits close to home, it’s because most founders wait too long to prepare for exit.
The ExitEngine 30-Day Value Sprint helps you:
✔ Understand your real valuation
✔ Identify saleability risks buyers will find anyway
✔ Reveal profit leaks and growth blockers
✔ Build a roadmap toward a premium exit
💡 Exit planning isn’t about selling tomorrow — it’s about growing smarter today.
➡ Learn more at myexitengine.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
...more
1h 14min
February 20, 2026 Ep 80 | The Private Equity Playbook for Exiting Founders with Aaron Alpeter
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-alpeter/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1h 13min
February 13, 2026 Ep 79 | Designing Your Business for Exit with Christie Kaplan
Most founders build products. Very few intentionally design companies. Even few design their exits.
In this episode of the ExitEngine Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with Christie Kaplan, founder of Startup Design Partners and architect of the design-led venture philosophy.
Christie breaks down why:
• Product-market fit (PMF) is only the beginning
• Founders must design their business models, not just their products
• Scaling without intentional design multiplies dysfunction
• Your values as a founder determine your exit outcome
• Startups move through predictable phases — and most get stuck in perseverance
• Why SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) are the most underrated founders
• Why serial entrepreneurs think differently about risk and growth
• How to align your company with your personal values from Day One
• Why listening to customers early prevents valuation problems later
If you’re building a startup, scaling from $5M, or thinking about exit planning, this conversation connects:
👉 Founder psychology
👉 Venture design
👉 Enterprise value
👉 Saleability
👉 Intentional growth
Christie explains how founders must:
✔ Ask better “why” questions
✔ Stay flexible but not directionless
✔ Avoid scaling broken systems
✔ Design their company to support their life — not consume it
Because exit planning isn’t about selling tomorrow.
It’s about designing options today.
Connect with Christie Kaplan:
Startup Design Partners: https://startupdesignpartners.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-kaplan/
Substack: Building a VC Fund in Public
Learn Your Exit Readiness:
Start your Total Exit Value Score™ at
👉 https://www.myexitengine.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
...more
1h 21min
February 06, 2026 Ep 78 | Pain, Pressure, and the Power of Pause: How Founders Deal with Change with Stephen Davis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdavis07/

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1h 10min
January 31, 2026 Ep 77 | What Can the CIA Teach Us About Exit Planning?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynsotolov/
https://www.rjleadershipcoaching.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1h 8min
January 24, 2026 Ep76 | Building Exit-Worthy Growth Engines with AI
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisanz19/
www.nextlm.ai

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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58min
January 16, 2026 EP 75 | AI, M&A, and the New Rules of Exit Planning with Jeff Willinger
Jeff's phone: 312-622-2300
Jeff's email: [email protected]
linkedin.com/in/jeffwillinger

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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1h 6min
January 09, 2026 Ep 74 | You’re Not Ready to Sell (Even If You Think You Are) with Stefania Arca
linkedin.com/in/stefania-arca

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1h 20min
January 02, 2026 Ep 73 | Anatomy of a Sellable Business: The Total Exit Value System™ - (Encore Presentation)
Most business owners think exit planning is about timing the market or finding the right buyer.
Buyers see it very differently.
In this episode, we break down the Total Exit Value System™ —our 10-part framework
designed to help founders understand how buyers actually evaluate, price, and de-risk an
acquisition. This isn’t theory. It’s the same lens strategic and financial buyers use every time
they look at a business.
We walk through:
• Why buyers have a structural advantage — and how to close the knowledge gap
• The 10 core areas that determine enterprise value and saleability
• How financial health, operations, risk, leadership, and scalability interact
• Why “clean books” alone don’t create top-tier valuations
• How to build value even if you never sell
The Total Exit Value System™ isn’t about preparing to sell tomorrow. It’s about building a
company that creates options, leverage, and control — whether your exit is 1 year away or 10.
If you want to stop guessing and start building value intentionally, this episode lays out the
system step-by-step.
👉 Subscribe to the ExitEngine™ Podcast for practical strategies on building value, reducing
risk, and exiting on your own terms.
👉 Explore The ExitEngine™ Ecosystem:
👉 Get your Total Exit Value Score™
👉 Learn the 10 drivers of saleability
👉 Find vetted M&A advisors and other Advisory Partners
👉 Join a community of owners preparing for strategic exits
Visit MyExitEngine.com to learn more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
...more
1h 6min

FAQs about The ExitEngine™ Podcast:

How many episodes does The ExitEngine™ Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 82 episodes available.