# The $10M Exit Mistake Most Founders Make

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-lunch-536186/the-10m-exit-mistake-most-founders-make
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-lunch-536186/the-10m-exit-mistake-most-founders-make.md
Podcast: [Business Lunch](https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-lunch-536186)
Published: 2026-04-28T17:40:00+00:00
Episode link: https://businesslunchpodcast.com/the-10m-exit-mistake-most-founders-make
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/a5f29ff8-aa4e-4080-824f-90683aba4535.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/business-lunch-536186/episodes/the-10m-exit-mistake-most-founders-make
Duration seconds: 1277

## Resource

In This Episode of Business Lunch: The conversation breaks down why most founders lose millions when selling their business, not because of poor performance but because they misunderstand how buyers think. It highlights that valuation at exit is driven less by growth and more by the removal of risk and uncertainty. The discussion walks through how buyers interpret financials, identify hidden risks, and use deal structure to protect themselves, ultimately showing that certainty and clean structure command premium outcomes. Chapters: 00:00 The $10M Exit Mistake Most Founders Make 01:24 Why Growth Hurts You at Exit 02:24 How Buyers Think About Risk 07:03 The Real Fight Happens in the Financials 09:23 How EBITDA and Reserves Impact Valuation 10:34 Why Working Capital Becomes Emotional 12:52 Finding the Right Buyer with Urgency 14:05 Controlling Buyer Psychology in the Data Room 15:56 The Hidden Trap in Deal Structure 18:01 Two $30M Deals, Completely Different Outcomes 19:21 The Final Exit Playbook Connect with me on social: TikTok: Check out my TikTok Here Instagram: Check out my Instagram Here Facebook: Check out my Facebook Here LinkedIn: Check out my LinkedIn Here Subscribe to my YouTube 👉 Here Resources: • 7 Steps to Scalable workbook • Get my book, Zero Down, FREE

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## Transcript

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