Shows
The ExitEngine™ PodcastEp 79 | Designing Your Business for Exit with Christie KaplanMost 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 entre...
2026-02-131h 21The ExitEngine™ PodcastEp 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...
2026-01-021h 05The ExitEngine™ PodcastEp 72 | 10 Exit Planning Moves That Instantly Increase Business Value - (Encore Presentation)78% of business owners plan to fund their retirement by selling their company — yet only
about 20% actually succeed. Why? Because most founders think exit planning is something
you do at the end, not something you build into the business every day.
In this episode, we break that myth wide open.
Instead of theory or generic advice, we walk through 10 concrete, actionable items you can
start addressing right now to immediately raise or protect the value of your business. These
aren’t just “exit strategies” — they’re fundamental drivers of operational strength, risk
reduction, profitability, and buyer confidence.
We cover:
• Why exit planning is re...
2025-12-261h 05The ExitEngine™ PodcastEp 71 | The Trust Lever: How Founder Visibility Builds Exit ValueMost founders think exit planning is about financials, operations, and timing. But buyers look
for something deeper first: trust.
In this episode of the ExitEngine™ Podcast, Jo Stapleton and John Canniffe sit down with
Christopher Thiede, storytelling strategist and creator of Visibility Brief, to explore how founder
visibility and narrative control directly impact business value, buyer confidence, and exit
outcomes.
Christopher explains why buyers don’t just evaluate numbers — they assess leadership
credibility, culture, and whether the business can thrive beyond the founder. Through real-world
examples, he shows how executive visibility builds intangible assets like trust, goodwill, and
perceived stability — all of w...
2025-12-191h 13The ExitEngine™ PodcastThe Exit Engine Podcast Episode 42: Meet Duane Williamslinkedin.com/in/duanewilliams01https://www.siliconroadadvisors.com/info@myexitengine.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
2025-05-3054 minThe ExitEngine™ PodcastThe Exit Engine Podcast Episode 41: Stay or Go/Sell or Grow?info@myexitengine.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
2025-05-2358 min