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The Pattern Recognition Skill That Built Four Exits with Steven Pivnik
What if the same company could give you four bites of the apple? Steven Pivnik did exactly that — and nearly lost it all in between.
In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson sits down with Steven Pivnik, serial founder, endurance athlete, and exit advisor who built and monetized the same software company four separate times before finally selling to a $4 billion competitor. Steven shares the real story behind the wins — and the gut-punch in the middle when he came back from a two-year contract to find fraud, falsified financials, and a company one month from bankruptcy. From immigrating from the former Soviet Union as a toddler to coding Pac-Man on a Commodore 64 to climbing Mount Everest at 55, Steven's story is a masterclass in pattern recognition, founder resilience, and the discipline it takes to actually build something worth selling. Now an executive coach with The CEO Project and exit advisor with Acresis, he helps founders avoid the mistakes that nearly cost him everything.
🎯 What We Cover:
- How Steven licensed the same software to IBM and Microsoft in back-to-back deals
- The "MBA in a box" he got working under a seasoned management team post-acquisition
- Why pattern recognition is the most underrated founder skill
- The fraud and betrayal that nearly killed his company while he was away
- Why he interviewed every employee on day one of his return — and cut from 30 to 8
- How he made good on two missed payrolls over 12 months after coming back
- The KPI discipline that separated his second act from his first
- Bringing in a CEO for the final exit — and how to "love like you've never lost"
- His ideal client profile: 10+ years in business, $10M+ revenue, 90% of net worth tied up
- The transformation founders experience when accountability replaces "we've always done it this way"
🤝 Connect with Steven Pivnik: 🌐 https://www.stevenpivnik.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpivnik/
🎙️ Built to Finish Podcast: https://stevenpivnik.com/podcast/
📘 Built to Finish (Book): Available on Amazon:https://a.co/d/0g77FiBE
💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/
🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast: 🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast
DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.
View all episodes
By Joshua WilsonWhat if the same company could give you four bites of the apple? Steven Pivnik did exactly that — and nearly lost it all in between.
In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson sits down with Steven Pivnik, serial founder, endurance athlete, and exit advisor who built and monetized the same software company four separate times before finally selling to a $4 billion competitor. Steven shares the real story behind the wins — and the gut-punch in the middle when he came back from a two-year contract to find fraud, falsified financials, and a company one month from bankruptcy. From immigrating from the former Soviet Union as a toddler to coding Pac-Man on a Commodore 64 to climbing Mount Everest at 55, Steven's story is a masterclass in pattern recognition, founder resilience, and the discipline it takes to actually build something worth selling. Now an executive coach with The CEO Project and exit advisor with Acresis, he helps founders avoid the mistakes that nearly cost him everything.
🎯 What We Cover:
- How Steven licensed the same software to IBM and Microsoft in back-to-back deals
- The "MBA in a box" he got working under a seasoned management team post-acquisition
- Why pattern recognition is the most underrated founder skill
- The fraud and betrayal that nearly killed his company while he was away
- Why he interviewed every employee on day one of his return — and cut from 30 to 8
- How he made good on two missed payrolls over 12 months after coming back
- The KPI discipline that separated his second act from his first
- Bringing in a CEO for the final exit — and how to "love like you've never lost"
- His ideal client profile: 10+ years in business, $10M+ revenue, 90% of net worth tied up
- The transformation founders experience when accountability replaces "we've always done it this way"
🤝 Connect with Steven Pivnik: 🌐 https://www.stevenpivnik.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpivnik/
🎙️ Built to Finish Podcast: https://stevenpivnik.com/podcast/
📘 Built to Finish (Book): Available on Amazon:https://a.co/d/0g77FiBE
💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/
🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast: 🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast
DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.