Nick Bradley

Most founders build great businesses but leave millions on the table when they exit.

Why? You’ve been optimizing for revenue, not enterprise value.

By the time you’re ready to sell, the issues that destroy multiples are already baked in - and buyers see them immediately.

I install the operational infrastructure and growth systems that prepare founder-led businesses for 8-9 figure exits.

Not “exit prep” in your final six months. This is 12-36 month transformation work.

The 3 Exits Every Founder Must Complete:

1. Exit the Chaos - Build systems so the business runs on infrastructure, not heroics

2. Exit the Operations - Develop leadership so you’re CEO, not operator

3. Exit the Business - Sell for premium multiples

Most founders are still trapped in Exit #1 when they decide to sell.

My Background:

I spent 10 years as a Private Equity CEO and Operating Partner across 27 transactions totaling over $5 billion in exits. I’ve sat on both sides of the table - building businesses and evaluating them for acquisition.

I’m also the author of Exit for Millions, the #1 bestselling book on building businesses for premium exit.

How I Work:

It starts with a Strategic Consult - a half-day intensive where I show you what your business is worth today, what it could be worth tomorrow, what’s limiting your value, and the roadmap to exit for big multiples.

From there, we work together through a structured 1-3 year partnership where I install the operational infrastructure and growth systems that transform your business into an institutional-grade asset ready for premium exit.

Ready to find out what your business is worth?

DM me or email jenna@highvalueexit.com

CEO & Founder, Exit Specialist / Business Scale-Up Mentor

We Help Successful CEOs, Founders, & Entrepreneurs Build High Value, High-Impact, Exitable Businesses.

​Our passion is empowering growth-minded business owners to scale rapidly towards a high-value exit and ultimately, freedom.

That’s why we’ve developed exclusive masterminds, full-service partnerships, and dedicated support to accelerate your impact, and give you back the power and control you deserve.

Our Scale-to-Sale Methodology is the result of 60+ years of combined experience with private equity firms and business transactions, designed specifically for rapid scale toward financial independence.

In working with us, you will gain the focus, direction, and momentum to intentionally and consistently grow your company’s value…

Giving you the leverage and power you need to generate rapid, impressive growth, and with it, the freedom to live your life on your terms.

A PE firm bought a $5M EBITDA business for $35M.

Five years later, they sold it for $150M.

Same business. Same industry. Same market conditions.

Most founders think they got lucky.

They didn't. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲.

Here's What They Actually Did: Acquired 2 bolt-on companies. Integrated operations. Cut redundant costs. 𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗗𝗔 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 $𝟱𝗠 𝘁𝗼 $𝟭𝟱𝗠.

Then they fixed what founders ignore: Documented processes. Built a management team that didn't need the founder. Reduced customer concentration.

Made it "best in class" instead of "good enough."

The Result: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝟳𝘅 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲.

Not because the industry changed. 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱.

The Math:

Original: $5M EBITDA × 7 = $35M

After: $15M EBITDA × 10 = $150M

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 $𝟭𝟭𝟱𝗠 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀.

Not by working harder. By fixing what makes businesses risky.

What PE firms know that you don't:

You can triple your EBITDA and still get a terrible multiple if your business is risky.

PE firms fix the risk factors first. Then they grow.

𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀. 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

That's what moves you from 4x to 10x.

Most founders spend 10 years growing EBITDA and leave millions on the table because they never fixed the multiple.

So which are you building for: growth or multiple expansion? Comment below.

#PrivateEquity #MultipleExpansion #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #ExitStrategy #BusinessExit

Talks about #scaleup, #business, #privateequity, #entrepreneurship, and #mergersandacquisitions

I help founders build investor-grade businesses that achieve 8-9 figure exits | Former Private Equity CEO & Operating Partner | Mentor & Board Advisor | $5B+ in Exits

PE firms aren't geniuses. They just know something you don't.

How to turn $10M into $50M in 3-5 years while you're grinding for 15% growth.

After 12 years in PE, I'm going to give you their playbook.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻:

𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵

Not just any growth. Predictable, repeatable, scalable growth through systems.

You know, the boring stuff founders avoid because it's not sexy.

𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

PE firms are ruthless about EBITDA. Cut waste. Optimize pricing.

A 3-point margin improvement on $20M = $600K added to valuation. That's real money, not vanity metrics.

𝟯. 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

Strategic debt accelerates growth without diluting equity. PE uses leverage intelligently.

Most founders are terrified of debt. PE firms use it like rocket fuel.

𝟰. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

This is where monster returns happen. I was part of a 12-acquisition roll-up that exited for $2B at 14x.

While you're obsessing over organic growth, someone's building an empire through M&A.

𝟱. 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Move from 4x to 8x by becoming more attractive than competitors. Better systems. Stronger team. Lower risk.

Same business. Double the exit price.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:

Most founders pull one lever: revenue.

PE firms pull all five simultaneously.

That's how they create 5x returns in 36 months while you're grinding for 15% annual growth.

You don't need to sell to PE to use this playbook.

Start pulling all five levers. Systematically.

That's how you build a business buyers fight over.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝟱 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀? 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁? 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.

#FounderJourney #ExitPlanning #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #PrivateEquity #BusinessExit

I prepare founder-led businesses for 8-9 figure exits | Former Private Equity CEO & Operating Partner | $5B+ in Transaction Value

I fractured two molars in my sleep.

Not from a fight. From stress.

My body was screaming at me: "You're becoming someone you don't want to be."

I was a PE-backed CEO. I'd helped create millions in enterprise value. I was making serious money.

And I hated who I was becoming.

Cold. Unemotional. Detached. Only focused on the money.

The kind of person who could fire 100 people without blinking.

Then I reconnected with my dad. An entrepreneur who lost everything. Who wasn't there when I was growing up.

And then cancer took him.

That's when my entire world changed.

I went to a Tony Robbins event in 2018. He put a quote on the screen: "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁."

My entire belief system shifted.

I realized: I don't need to take from others to succeed. I can help them win, and everything I need will follow.

I left PE. Started my podcast. Wrote my book.

Today, I help founders avoid getting taken advantage of by people like I used to be.

Here's the truth: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Who are you becoming?

#FounderMindset #Entrepreneurship #PersonalGrowth #BusinessTransformation #Purpose #Leadership

A PE firm requests your financials for due diligence.

Your CFO needs 3 weeks to pull them together.

Congratulations. You just killed your deal.

I'm not talking about your P&L. Every founder has a P&L.

𝗜'𝗺 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:

Quality of earnings reports. Customer cohort analysis. Revenue recognition documentation. Working capital analysis. Adjusted EBITDA breakdowns.

You know, the boring operational stuff you've been putting off for 3 years.

𝗣𝗘 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱.

If your financials aren't clean and organized, they don't ask questions.

They assume you're hiding something.

And they walk.

I've watched deals collapse because:

Revenue was recognized inconsistently across quarters. EBITDA had "add-backs" the founder couldn't explain. A revenue dip from 2022 had no documentation.

None of these were fatal issues.

But messy financials signaled a messy business.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆.

So picture this:

You spent 10 years building a profitable business. You're weeks away from a life-changing exit. And you lose it because your CFO can't produce clean financials in 48 hours.

That's not bad luck. That's bad preparation.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟳-𝟴𝘅 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀? 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱.

Would your business pass the test?

Could a PE firm show up tomorrow and get audit-ready financials in 48 hours? If the answer is no, you're not ready to sell. You're hoping to sell.

There's a difference. And it costs millions.

𝗕𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁: 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗙𝗢 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟰𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀?

#FounderJourney #ExitPlanning #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #DueDiligence #BusinessExit

Most founders think they make serious money running their business.

That's the lie keeping you poor.

Here's the truth: You only build life-changing wealth by selling a business, not running it.

I've sat through 27 transactions worth over $5 billion. I've watched brilliant founders grind 60-hour weeks for a decade and walk away with less than they could've earned pushing spreadsheets at a corporate job.

Let that sink in.

The Math Everyone Ignores:

A $10M business at 20% EBITDA = $2M profit annually.

Run that for 10 years = $20M (minus tax, minus the holidays you never took, minus your sanity).

That same business, properly positioned, sells at 7x EBITDA = $14M in ONE transaction after 5-7 years.

But here's the brutal part:

70% of businesses listed for sale never find a buyer.

Most founders get 3-4x if they're lucky. Some get nothing.

Why?

Because they spent 10 years optimizing for profit, not for value.

These are not the same thing. And confusing them will cost you millions.

Buyers don't pay for your hustle. They don't pay for how hard you worked. They don't pay for your story.

They pay for systems, recurring revenue, and a business that runs without you.

Every single decision you make should answer one question:

Does this make my business more transferable?

If not, you're building a golden cage, not an asset.

#FounderJourney #ExitPlanning #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #PrivateEquity #BusinessExit

I’ve watched this happen over and over.

A new CEO steps into a PE-backed business. Smart operator. Solid resume. Everyone’s on board.

Six months later? Nothing’s changed.

Not because they didn’t know what to do. They absolutely did.

But they spent half the year getting everyone comfortable with the changes instead of making them.

Another offsite. Another workshop. Another round of stakeholder input.

Meanwhile, the 3-5 year exit timeline doesn’t pause for consensus.

The CEOs who actually deliver returns? They’re different.

They make the hard calls early - restructure the team, cut underperforming products, fix the pricing.

Imperfect action beats perfect planning every single time.

Here’s what founder-led businesses should learn from this:

You’re making the same mistake, just with different excuses.

PE-backed CEOs waste time building consensus because they’re managing up to a board.

Founders waste time because they’re emotionally attached to decisions they made five years ago.

That underperforming product you keep funding? Kill it.

The loyal employee who can’t scale with the business? Move them on.

The pricing you set when you were desperate? Fix it.

You know what needs to change. You’ve known for months.

But you’re waiting for the “right time” … or for it to feel less risky.

If you want to exit for serious money, buyers aren’t purchasing your current business. They’re purchasing your growth trajectory.

And that trajectory gets built in the next 6-18 months, not the last 5 years.

The founders who hit 8-9 figure exits? They operate like PE-backed CEOs before they have to.

Your business doesn’t need another planning session.

It needs you to lead and act like someone’s already watching the clock.

There's a club most founders never get invited to.

We'll call it "Club Hammerhead."

Inside, PE Sharks smoke cigars and compare notes on how to buy your business for the cheapest possible price.

I spent 12 years in those rooms.

Here's what they say when you're not listening:

"Most founders have no idea what their business is actually worth."

They laugh about it.

They know you're emotionally attached. They know you're unprepared. They know you don't understand multiple arbitrage.

And they're going to use all of it against you.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗘 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: → Buy undervalued businesses from unprepared founders → Apply five levers of value expansion → Sell the improved business for 3-5x what they paid

The entire system depends on YOU not knowing what THEY know.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗘:

Watching brilliant founders work 60-hour weeks for a decade, then walk away with a fraction of what their business was worth.

Not because the business wasn't valuable.

Because they didn't know how to prove it.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: https://lnkd.in/gUBA6PEa

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝟳-𝟴 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿-𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 (𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹)

We are pulling back the curtain on the PE playbook, showing you exactly how to build a business that commands premium valuations - whether you exit or not.

Stop leaving money on the table. Learn how to think like a PE operator and build a business they'd fight to own.

See you there!

#PrivateEquity #ExitPlanning #FounderJourney #BusinessValuation #DealMaking #ScaleUp

Talent isn’t your problem.

Working harder isn’t your problem.

Learning a new tactic isn’t your problem.

The problem is you’re in the wrong room.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You can be world-class at what you do…
…but if the environment doesn’t value it, you’ll never be fully compensated.

Callum Laing calls this the CARES framework.

And he’s right.

Connections create opportunity.
Authority amplifies your signal.
The room determines the ceiling.

Most founders think the constraint is skill.

It’s not.

The constraint is context.

Get in the rooms where your value is recognised… and everything changes.

This week’s episode with Callum breaks this down in depth.

The founders who scale?
They stop trying to be the smartest person in the wrong room and intentionally choose the right ones.

Which rooms are you playing in right now?

🎙️ Link for the full episode in the comments section.

Two identical $5M businesses go to market.

One sells for $20M. The other for $10M.

Same revenue. Same profit. Same industry.

The difference? One had documented systems and processes. The other had a heroic founder.

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.

#FounderJourney #ExitPlanning #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #BusinessExit

Building founder-led businesses for 8-9 figure exits | Former Private Equity CEO & Operating Partner | Mentor & Board Advisor | $5B+ in Exits

Quick test for 7-8 figure founders:

Could your business survive 90 days without you?

Not "run smoothly." Just survive.

If the answer is no, you don't have a business.

You have a job with employees.

I've watched $8M EBITDA businesses fail to find buyers because the founder was the business.

Beautiful P&L. Strong margins. Growing revenue.

Completely unsellable.

Buyers see founder dependency in due diligence and walk away. Every time.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀:
You're still the primary salesperson. Clients ask for you specifically. Decisions wait for your approval. Your team couldn't survive a month without you in the room.

Answer 'Yes' to two or more? Your business isn't transferable.

And here's the brutal part:

You've spent a decade building something that only works because you're in it.

That's not a business asset. That's a lifestyle.

Buyers don't pay for your hustle. They don't pay for your relationships. They don't pay for how hard you work.

They pay for a machine that works whether you're there or not.

𝗦𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
Document the processes that live in your head. Empower your team to make real decisions. Build systems that run when you're on a beach somewhere.

Or keep working 60-hour weeks in a business no one will buy.

Because the moment you try to exit, someone's going to sit across from you and ask:
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂?

Better have a good answer.

#FounderJourney #BusinessSystems #ExitPlanning #ScaleUp #Leadership #HighValueBusiness

I partner with founders to build investor-grade businesses | Former Private Equity CEO & Operating Partner | Mentor & Board Advisor | $5B+ in Exits

Your business isn’t broken.
Your dashboard is.

You don’t need more reports.
You don’t need new software.
You don’t need to track fifty KPIs.

You just need to focus on the right numbers.

I learned this the hard way.
As a CEO, I used to drown in vanity metrics, thinking more data meant better decisions.
But it didn’t. It just hid the truth.

The best CEOs know there are only five numbers that truly matter:

→ Cash runway
→ EBITDA margin
→ Revenue growth rate
→ Pipeline coverage
→ Customer concentration
 
These are the numbers private equity partners actually care about.
The ones that reveal whether your business is building or destroying value.

Ignore them, and you’re flying blind.
Track them, and you’ll understand your true enterprise value before anyone else does.

In this week’s episode of Scale Up, I break down The Ultimate CEO Dashboard —
the framework I use with clients to turn noise into clarity and growth into real value.

🎙️ Link in comments.

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?

Most founders can't answer that question.

And that's why they get cold feet at crunch time.

Business is ready. Buyer is ready. Offer is strong.

Then the founder freezes.

"What will I do with my time?"  "Will I regret this?"

The deal dies.

Not because the terms were bad. Not because the buyer walked away.

Because the founder couldn't imagine life outside the business.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂:

If you don't create a compelling vision for what comes AFTER the business, you'll sabotage the exit.

Even if you push through and sell, you'll face exit depression.

The silence. The emptiness. The "now what?"

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲™ 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.

It's about YOU.

Not just the financial number. The LIFE you're moving toward.

What will your days look like? What will you build next? Who will you become?

If you can't answer these questions, you're not ready to sell.

And if you sell anyway, you'll likely regret it.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁? Comment below.

#ExitPlanning #FounderMindset #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #ExitDepression #FounderJourney

A $15M business was about to miss payroll.

Not because they weren't profitable. Because profit on paper doesn't pay bills.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
SaaS company. $15M revenue. 25% EBITDA. Growing 40% year-over-year.

Every investor pitch deck looked beautiful.

Every month, the founder couldn't sleep.

Cash conversion cycle: 87 days.

Paying suppliers in 30. Getting paid in 90.

So every time they grew, they burned more cash.

Growth was killing them.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱:
Renegotiated supplier terms from 30 to 45 days.

Incentivized clients to pay in 60 days (2% discount for speed).

Implemented 13-week rolling cash flow forecasting.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁:
Cash conversion dropped to 52 days.

Freed up $1.2M in working capital in 120 days.

From nearly missing payroll to 6 months runway.

Same business. Same revenue. Different outcome.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀:
You can have 25% EBITDA and still go broke.

You can be growing 40% and still miss payroll.

Profit on paper is an accounting exercise. Cash is survival.

PE firms obsess over cash conversion because businesses that convert revenue to cash quickly are worth more. A lot more.

Why?

They're self-funding. They can scale without raising capital. They don't strangle themselves every time they grow.

If your cash conversion cycle is over 60 days, you're leaving money on the table and making your business less attractive to buyers.

Fix it now. Not when you're 90 days from disaster.

𝗛𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲? 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 - 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

#FounderJourney #ExitPlanning #InvestorGradeBusiness #HighValueBusiness #CashFlow #BusinessExit

I prepare founder-led businesses for 8-9 figure exits | Former Private Equity CEO & Operating Partner | Mentor & Board Advisor | $5B+ in Exits

Your top 3 clients represent 65% of your revenue.

One of them just told you they're "exploring other options."

Is this a business or a house of cards?

I’m excited to be joining Graham Stephen and the bizval team for what I believe will be one of the most valuable workshops you’ll attend this year.

Here’s the reality: most 7-8 figure companies will never sell at a premium. They’re simply not built to. The gap between what founders think they’re worth and what PE actually pays is brutal.

In 2026, that changes for you.

I’m revealing the exact blueprint that’s delivered 27 successful transactions and over $5 billion in enterprise value. Not academic theory. The frameworks I used on the buy side for years … now deployed exclusively to prepare founder-led companies for premium exits.

You’ll learn what makes a company investor-grade, what kills valuations, and the specific moves that transform a lifestyle operation into a high-value asset that commands top dollar.

If you’re serious about an 8-9 figure exit in the future, this is where it starts - registration details below.

Seats are limited for this end-of-year bizval workshop hosted by Graham Stephen, featuring Nick Bradley, Founder and CEO of High Value Exit and world-renowned author known for his work in business growth, scale, and exit strategy.

See you there!

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