Carrie Kerpen interviews Christine Merser, an experienced entrepreneur who shares her journey with Blue Shoe Strategy and what it took to sell her business with both triumphant successes and challenging failures.
Christine reflects on her negotiation of a company sale for double the valuation amidst a room of skeptical men, the early days of the internet and managing forums in 1993, and her pivotal role in launching Obama's digital campaign.
The conversation delves into her ventures during the dot-com era, an early luxury goods online marketplace, and lessons learned from its subsequent downfall. Merser also recounts a later venture with a party rental business, navigating an exit, and imparting wisdom on managing company board dynamics and valuations.
1:00 Inside Christine’s Company Sale and Negotiation
2:14 Lessons from the Early Internet Era
5:30 How AI Mirrors the Early Internet Boom
6:40 Launching Luxury Goods Online Before It Was Common
8:01 Why a Strong Board of Directors Matters
9:10 Early Challenges of Selling Products Online
10:11 A Boardroom Battle Over Spending Decisions
13:28 Why Financial Detail Can Make or Break You
15:02 Never Give Up Your Point of View
16:05 Learning Fast and Moving Forward
18:20 How to Pitch Your Business for Acquisition
20:30 Biggest Lessons from the Acquisition Journey
22:02 Track Your Numbers — No One Else Will
23:08 How to Know if a Company Is the Right Fit After the Sale
24:44 Moving On and Building Blue Two Media
