The Exit - Presented By Flippa

• Scaling with Purpose: Anne Mahlum’s $100M Success Story

  Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit: entrepreneur Anne Mahlum shares her incredible journey from founding a nonprofit running club for homeless men to building Solidcore, one of the fastest-growing fitness studio chains in the U.S. After scaling to 100 studios and weathering the chaos of COVID, Anne exited the business on her own terms with a $100M payday—negotiating not only her valuation but her taxes and an additional $10M kicker. She reveals how she planned her exit from day one, built bench strength to replace herself, and why founders shouldn’t be afraid to ask for more. Anne also dives into the dangers of taking on preferred equity, the power of clear end goals, and the importance of sharing wealth with the team that helped build it. Her parting advice? Think big, stay bold, and trust yourself—because no one else will see your vision the way you do. -- Anne Mahlum is a founder, entrepreneur, CEO, philanthropist, motivational speaker and athlete whose mission is to help as many people as possible live their most optimized lives. Anne's entrepreneurial ventures have resulted in a personal net worth of over $100M and an impact on hundreds of thousands of lives. She is the Founder and former Executive Chairwoman of [solidcore], a fast-growing boutique fitness company with over 100 locations in the U.S. Anne sold her shares of [solidcore] in April 2023 for an undisclosed amount and shared millions with her employees who she valued for staying by her side. A lifelong visionary, Anne is also the founder of Back on My Feet, a national non-profit organization that uses running as a vehicle to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves and become empowered to change their lives. Anne Mahlum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum/ Website: https://www.annemahlum.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

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• The Psychology of Selling a Business with Anthony Citrolo, NYBB Group

  Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit: What really happens when a founder decides it’s time to sell? In this powerful and practical episode, Steve McGarry sits down with Anthony Citrolo, CPA, serial entrepreneur, and managing partner at the NYBB Group, to unpack what really goes into preparing a business for sale. But this isn’t your average M&A conversation. Anthony takes us behind the curtain to reveal the emotional, psychological, and strategic decisions founders face as they approach a life-changing exit. Here’s what you’ll learn: - Why the real exit plan starts the day you launch the business - The #1 mistake founders make when valuing their business - How to prepare your business (and yourself) before a buyer ever knocks - The danger of “key man” risk - and how to build a business that runs without you - What buyers really want: cash flow, scalability, and low concentration - Why 75% of sellers are unhappy post-exit - and how to avoid that fate - How to spot and address hidden risks that could kill your valuation “Most founders don’t realize they’re living vicariously through their business until it’s too late.” Anthony Citrolo With 20+ years in the trenches helping family-owned and founder-led businesses exit, Anthony shares war stories (like Frank, the manufacturer with 98% of revenue tied to 7 customers), practical frameworks, and wisdom earned through decades of hands-on deals. If you're a founder, even if you're years from selling, this episode will change how you think about growth, leadership, and legacy. Listen now to learn how to not just sell your business—but exit on your terms. -- Anthony J. Citrolo is a Managing Partner and Founder of The NYBB Group, LLC, the Exit Strategy Lab and NYBB Commercial Real Estate. Anthony’s clients include privately held companies and family-owned businesses. These are typically companies with revenue of $5M to $100M. Anthony represents HVAC, industrial service, finance, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, healthcare and all service companies. He helps these owners develop a clear and cohesive exit strategy, works to know and improve valuation and actively represents them in a sale or acquisition in a Merger and Acquisition transaction as their advisor and intermediary. Anthony is a CPA and a CEPA (Certified Exit Planning Advisor) and develops comprehensive strategies for owners and families. He also has completed the CEPA course and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. In addition, Anthony is a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor AND Certified Exit Map Coach. Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonycitrolo/ Website: https://thenybbgroup.com/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

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• Fortune Favors the Brave: How Lisa Jones is Building a $50M Exit with Kindness, Grit & Systems

  Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit: Lisa Jones, founder and CEO of Shecom, shares her raw and powerful journey from frustrated corporate employee to seasoned entrepreneur with three exits—and a $50 million goal in sight. After being fired just shy of her probation period, Lisa launched her first business and never looked back. She reveals the hard lessons from early ventures, emphasizing the need for systemization, profitability, and eliminating key-person risk. Now building her “golden ticket” company, Shecom, Lisa leads with vulnerability, kindness, and mission-driven culture, rallying her all-female team around a shared vision. She stresses the power of community, first-party data, and recurring revenue in scaling a sustainable DTC brand. With painful missteps—like nearly going broke on a Bali holiday—behind her, Lisa urges founders, especially women, to get financially literate and think bigger, sooner. Her motto? “Fortune favors the brave.” And she’s boldly proving it. -- Lisa Jones is a passionate E-commerce expert and builder of 3 x multi-million dollar e-commerce brands. Lisa is most famous for co-founding Ecoriginals, the world's greenest nappy and wipes brand, which she sold to a private equity investor in 2020, Lisa is now busy building SHE-com, a global empire for women with e-commerce brands with a community of over 40,000 with a team of 45. Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-shecom/ Website: https://shecom.co/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

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• The Exit That Never Happened: Turning a Family Failure Into a Mission to Help Founders Exit Right with Ben Brickweg

  Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- What happens when an eight-figure exit falls apart? For Ben Brickweg, it sparked a decades-long mission to ensure no other founder has to experience the same heartbreak his family did. In the latest episode of The Exit, Ben — founder of Exitworthy, attorney, and seasoned M&A advisor — pulls back the curtain on what really goes wrong in business exits… and how to fix it. What You’ll Learn: The family deal that blew up and why it changed Ben’s life forever How Ben accidentally fell into M&A and worked on 200+ deals his first year Why most founders are unprepared to exit — and how to change that The three-part “Value Mountain” framework: Valuation, Sellability, and Transferability The biggest legal mistakes business owners make when selling Why private equity offers often shift post-LOI — and what to do about it How lifestyle inflation and poor financial planning derail more exits than you'd think What it really means to build an “exit-worthy” business Ben doesn’t just talk theory. He’s been on every side of the table — founder, lawyer, broker, buyer — and he’s seen deals thrive, collapse, and quietly destroy the dreams of unprepared sellers. His advice? Don’t wait until you’re ready to sell. Build your business like you're going to exit — from day one. This is a no-BS, deeply practical episode for anyone who owns a business and wants optionality — whether that means exiting now, or 10 years from now. -- Personal &/or Company Bio: Ben Brickweg has worked with over 2,000 business owners, helping them grow, protect, and sell their companies the right way. He runs two companies, Sagewood Business Advisors and Lodgepole Law, both built to help business owners navigate complex deals and legal challenges. Sagewood Business Advisors is a boutique M&A firm that helps owners understand their value, structure strong deals, and exit on their terms. Lodgepole Law is a provider of fractional general counsel services for acquisition entrepreneurs who need a proactive legal strategy, not last-minute chaos and hourly meters. He is also the creator of Exit Worthy, a platform that includes the podcast, training materials, and resources to help business owners get serious about preparing for a real exit; and Business Legal Fortress, bridging the gap between legal template stores and full-service firms, giving business owners affordable, effective legal protection without the unpredictability of hourly fees. Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbrickweg/ Website: https://gosagewood.com/ - https://exitworthy.com/ - https://lodgepolelaw.com/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

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• From $100 to a $20 Million Exit to Intuit: Nellie Akalp on Building, Selling, and Starting Again

  Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business and you’ll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit: Nellie Akalp, founder and CEO of CorpNet, takes us on a no-fluff journey from launching her first business with just $100 to securing a 20x EBITDA exit to Intuit — all before turning 32. Nellie shares: How she and her husband bootstrapped MyCorporation from their apartment. What made their business irresistible to Intuit (spoiler: no debt, no investors, ultra-clean books). Why the post-acquisition “early retirement” didn’t last — and how that led to launching CorpNet in 2009 during the height of the recession. The pivotal B2B pivot that transformed CorpNet’s growth, including the launch of their Partner Program. How COVID turned into a major growth inflection point, scaling the team from 15 to 200 Why boundaries and mental wellness are non-negotiable for modern founders.. If you’re a business owner thinking about exit strategy, reinvention, or how to scale sustainably while protecting your peace — this episode is packed with golden insights from someone who’s lived it twice. -- Nellie Akalp is an entrepreneur, small business advocate, and mother of four little rockstars. As founder and CEO of CorpNet.com, she has helped more than half a million entrepreneurs start their businesses. Through CorpNet.com, Nellie has also partnered with business professionals such as attorneys, CPAs and more as their silent fulfillment partner helping them incorporate and form LLCs for their clients. Nellie has been named a Top 100 Small Business Influencer by Small Business Trends for the past four years and counting. In 2016 she was named Women Business Owner of the Year by NAWBO VC and her company, CorpNet.com, has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in America in 2015 and 2016. Website: https://www.corpnet.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corpnet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corpnet.com/ Nellie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nellieakalp/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

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