In this episode of Fractional Firepower, Kyle sits down with Renee Russo, founder and CEO of Rise Up Business Coaching, to unpack the mindset shifts and systems required to build a business that doesn’t depend on you to survive. Renee shares her journey from accounting at KPMG to becoming a leading Value Growth Advisor, helping founder-led companies transition from chaos to clarity. Together, they dig into the emotional and operational challenges of letting go, the hidden risks of over-reliance on owners, and why 75% of business exits end in regret.
Guest Introduction:
Renee Russo is the Founder and CEO of Rise Up Business Coaching and a certified Value Growth and Exit Planning Advisor. With a background at KPMG and over a decade helping business owners scale beyond themselves, Renee empowers founders to create self-managing companies that thrive without them. She’s also the author of Ready to Rise, inspiring entrepreneurs to move from income thinking to value creation.
Key Takeaways:
- Many business owners are trapped in “hub-and-spoke” chaos, where the business can’t function without them.
- Building an operationally independent business increases both freedom and enterprise value.
- Up to 75% of business exits end in regret—because owners fail to plan personally, not just financially.
- True exit planning is not the end—it’s a beginning, creating space for purpose beyond the business.
- Value growth starts 3–5 years before any transition; the earlier you prepare, the greater the reward.
- Collaboration among advisors prevents “advisor fatigue” and creates a cohesive strategy for the owner.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
1:10 Guest Introduction – Renee Russo of Rise Up Business Coaching
2:00 Renee’s Journey from KPMG to Entrepreneurial Life
5:00 Why Business Owners Stay Stuck in Chaos
7:00 The “Empty Nester” Syndrome of Business Owners
9:00 The 75% Regret Factor: Emotional Toll of Unplanned Exits
11:00 Why Exit Planning = Business Strategy
14:00 Breaking the Cycle of Overwork and Dependency
16:00 Making Time for the Work That Builds Value
18:00 Transitions Are a Team Sport – The Role of Advisors
21:00 The Six Value Drivers That De-Risk a Business
27:00 The Ideal Timeline for Preparing an Exit (3–5 Years)
33:00 The Wealth Gap: Turning Income into Transferable Value
37:00 Freedom Through Value Creation
39:00 Closing Thoughts & How to Connect with Renee
Keywords:
Fractional Firepower, Kyle Ancelin, Renee Russo, Rise Up Business Coaching, Value Growth Advisor, Exit Planning, Business Freedom, Self-Managing Companies, Entrepreneur Mindset, Business Exit Strategy, Operational Independence, EOS, Succession Planning, Business Valuation, Leadership Systems
