In this episode of From Angel to Exit, serial entrepreneur Sam Arman shares how he built and sold multiple companies—sometimes under pressure, sometimes for massive wins. From his first computer assembly business disrupted by Dell to a 10X private equity-backed exit during COVID, Sam reveals the emotional and strategic pitfalls founders face in M&A. He dives into how to choose the right buyer, protect your team’s morale, and leverage “second bites of the apple” to multiply your returns. His hard-earned lessons give founder-CEOs a blueprint for maximizing value while avoiding costly mistakes in high-stakes exits.

Key Takeaways:

• Plan your exit strategy from the moment you start your business.
  
• Treat your company as an asset, not an emotional extension.
  
• Understand deal structures and align them with your “why.”
  
• Limit internal disclosure to protect morale and operations.
  
• Vet buyers for both financial capacity and strategic fit.
  
• Use private equity partnerships to fund post-sale growth.
  
• Walk away from deals with unfavorable or uncontrollable terms.
• Build a specialized M&A advisory team, not just general counsel.

Links & Resources

• Sam Arman

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samarman/
  

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