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Artwork for Built to Sell Radio

Built to Sell Radio

John Warrillow
Entrepreneurship
Private Equity
Mergers and Acquisitions
Negotiation
Business Acquisition
Acquisition
Venture Capital
Saas
Acquisitions
Amazon
EBITDA
Recurring Revenue
Covid-19
Merchant Aviation
SBA Loans
Earnouts
Due Diligence
Payment Processing
Investment
Investment Strategies

Built to Sell Radio is a weekly podcast for business owners interested in selling a business. Each week, we ask an entrepreneur who has recently sold a business why they decided to sell their business, what they did right and what mistakes they made through the process of exiting their business. Built to Sell Radio is the ultimate insider's guide to approaching the most important financial transac... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes576Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusiness

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Artwork for Built to Sell Radio

Latest Episodes

Jim Fitzgerald bootstrapped Taradel from a spare bedroom into a $30 million direct mail company. In 2016 he took the business to market, and the five buyers who made it to an indication of interest all offered roughly 4x EBITDA, about half of what Ji... more

YouTube

Clean Energy Associates acted as the eyes and ears on the ground in China for solar and battery storage buyers, inspecting factories to make sure the products they ordered were built correctly before they shipped.

In 2016, a banker sat down with f... more

YouTube

Zac Smith was a mechanical engineer who wanted more flexibility and upside than a corporate career could offer. He bought an existing CertaPro Painters franchise in North Carolina with three employees and under $1 million in revenue. He put down abou... more

YouTube

Adam Spector co-founded LiftIgniter in 2014, which used machine learning to personalize websites the way YouTube does. Growth stalled, and with no way to prove the company was causing the results customers saw, it could never charge what the work was... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Think Big, Buy Small
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My First Million
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MoneywiseHampton

Recent Guests

Jim Fitzgerald
Founder/CEO of Taradel, growth-focused entrepreneur
Taradel
Episode: Ep 567 Rejected at 4x, Sold for 8 Figures: The Growth Mistake That Nearly Cost Jim Fitzgerald Half His Exit
Andy Klump
CEO of Clean Energy Associates, later sold to Intertek
Clean Energy Associates
Episode: Ep 566 From "Unsellable" to $112M, a Bootstrapped Sale to Intertek
Zac Smith
Owner of a CertaPro Painters franchise in North Carolina
CertaPro Painters (franchisee)
Episode: Ep 565 He 10X'd His Money in 3 Years With a Painting Franchise
Adam Spector
Co-founder of LiftIgniter, entrepreneur and investor
LiftIgniter; investors group
Episode: Ep 564 7x on Paper. Break Even in Cash. Adam Spector on Staying in the Game After a Sale.
Heath Adams
Founder of the ethical hacking education and services firm; founder of BreachPoint
TSM / BreachPoint
Episode: Ep 563 Heath Adams Said No to the Biggest Offer of His Life, Then Doubled It
Stuart Faught
Founder of MiniHorse.ai / Ready to Scale SaaS
MiniHorse.ai
Episode: Ep 562 Selling 20 Companies at 4x ARR, With Stuart Faught
Dane Pan
Co-founder of Monet Brands, built to $1.3M revenue, exited in 2025
Monet Brands
Episode: Ep 560 Dane Pan Gave Up 4x to Get 100% Cash: Selling a $1.3M Amazon Brand
Dan Burnside
Self-funded searcher who bought Parker Mechanical and later faced bankruptcy
Independent buyer (ETA searcher)
Episode: Ep 559 The Good, Bad and Ugly of a $2.1M Searcher Deal | Built to Sell Radio
Janessa White
Founder of Simply Eloped, later founder of Founders I Love
Simply Eloped; Founders I Love
Episode: Ep 558 $6M Wedding Marketplace Courted The Knot for 4 Years with Janessa White

Hosts

John Warlow
Host of the show; long-running interviewer with focus on deal mechanics and exit strategies
Colin Morgan
Executive Producer and host/voice on show; guides conversations with guests and manages show flow

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 473 ratings
  • Sound Editing Bad

    Please stop using whatever software you’re using to cut out the filler words and spaces in between words. It makes the sound extremely choppy and difficult to listen to. Love the content! Hope you’ll consider this request to make it an easier listening experience for all of us.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bdars
    United Statesa month ago
  • Exits Are Built Long Before They’re Sold

    This episode does something rare: it reframes exits as a series of daily decisions, not a single transaction. The way you highlighted value creation, buyer perspective, and emotional readiness brings real maturity to the conversation. Thoughtful, grounded, and genuinely helpful for founders who want to build with the end in mind, without losing themselves along the way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anum — The Platinum CEO
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Solid content, buy your guest some microphones

    Sounds like a calling in on a Motorola razor

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    CelebProducer
    United States10 months ago
  • Building What Others Want to Buy

    Absolutely fantastic episode, you revealed what too many founders miss: acquirers don’t buy your revenue, they buy your assets-in-motion. The way you and Chris Hutchins laid out how team, IP, roadmap, and momentum matter more than EBITDA was eye-opening. A brilliant guide for anyone building from legacy to lift-off.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anum — The Platinum CEO
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • The best podcast for entrepreneurs

    I have learned so much from this show! Yes, the primary focus is on exit strategies, but the conversations go so much deeper into business operations, finance, negotiation, and how the successes and failures have impact founders’ personal lives. A must listen if you’re interested in entrepreneurship.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tbm59285839
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the depth on deal mechanics and psychology of exits.
Fans note sharp interviewing and high-caliber guests.
Many appreciate actionable takeaways for preparing a business for sale and navigating post-exit life.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 560 Dane Pan Gave Up 4x to Get 100% Cash: Selling a $1.3M Amazon Brand
Q: What was the length of time between the first LOI and the final LOI?
Approximately three months, from the first LOI in early June to the final LOI at the end of August, with nine buyers engaging and four letters of intent.
Ep 559 The Good, Bad and Ugly of a $2.1M Searcher Deal | Built to Sell Radio
Q: What happened with the first serious deal, the refrigeration/REIFER opportunity, and how did the LOI play out?
He describes an LOI that was contingent on diligence and tied to a two-year trailing multiple of SDE, with a non-binding framework that could adjust if diligence revealed different numbers; ultimately the deal was not pursued due to changes in SDE and price.
Ep 558 $6M Wedding Marketplace Courted The Knot for 4 Years with Janessa White
Q: Walk me through the moment you decided to pursue a sale to The Knot Worldwide.
Janessa explains that the decision was driven by a long-term goal and a realistic view of the market, supported by quarterly engagements with The Knot over four years. The LOI and due diligence followed a natural progression once they demonstrated clear traction and a viable strategic fit, coupled with Janessa's own readiness to transition after a health setback.
Ep 557 4 Types of Buyers Circling Your Business, and the One Now Doing 28% of Deals
Q: How do independent sponsors keep the founder engaged after the sale, and what tools are used like seller notes or equity rolls?
Founders are often encouraged to roll a portion of equity and may receive a seller note to bridge incentives, while the sponsor installs a new management layer to reduce reliance on any single founder; the aim is to create a scalable platform that can attract larger private equity later, with the founder potentially remaining for a transitional period.
Ep 557 4 Types of Buyers Circling Your Business, and the One Now Doing 28% of Deals
Q: Could you walk me through the typical capital stack in an independent sponsor deal?
The sponsor typically contributes a smaller equity stake than a traditional buyer, secures debt around 50%, and packages in other equity from family offices and SBIC-like funds; there is also a recurring management fee and a performance carry to align incentives, with a substantial portion of upside earned through value creation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Built to Sell Radio

What is Built to Sell Radio about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on business owners pursuing exits, mergers, or strategic sales, often from the perspective of buyers and investors. Episodes repeatedly unpack deal mechanics, financing structures, and due-diligence pitfalls, while also exploring post-exit psychology, wealth management, and how to build a business that attracts buyers. Listeners can expect actionable lessons on valuations, earn-outs, seller financing, and navigating complex transactions across a range of industries. A standout thread is the emphasis on preparing a business for sale long before any LOI, with many guests sharing real-world stories of both successes and missteps, including how to retain employees, structure deals, and think like an acquirer. This mix of pract... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Built to Sell Radio?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Built to Sell Radio:

1. Acquiring Minds
2. Acquisitions Anonymous - #1 for business buying, selling and operating
3. Think Big, Buy Small
4. My First Million
5. Moneywise

How many episodes of Built to Sell Radio are there?

Built to Sell Radio launched 11 years ago and published 576 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Built to Sell Radio?

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What guests have appeared on Built to Sell Radio?

Recent guests on Built to Sell Radio include:

1. Jim Fitzgerald
2. Andy Klump
3. Zac Smith
4. Adam Spector
5. Heath Adams
6. Stuart Faught
7. Dane Pan
8. Dan Burnside

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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