In this episode of The Value Factory Podcast, Nick Anderson sits down with Craig Dickens of Merit Investment Bank to break down the mechanics of exiting a company and the capital strategies that unlock both growth and freedom. Drawing on experience from 13 personal exits and dozens of client transactions, Craig explains how to choose the right capital partner, navigate minority recaps vs. full buyouts, and prepare a business operationally and culturally for market opportunities. The conversation offers a pragmatic playbook—covering clean financials, reduced owner dependence, and realistic 12–36 month timelines—for owners who want to maximize value and treat liquidity events as strategy, not accident.