What happens after the founder exits? Too often, regret, confusion, and loss of identity.

In this powerful session from the Exit Planning Institute, Jerome Myers delivers a wake-up call: most exit plans ignore the human element. While others focus on finances and operations, Jerome highlights the missing pillar: personal planning.

Press play and rethink what it means to exit with excellence.

[00:00 – 12:00] Exit is Inevitable, But Fulfillment is Not

• 100% of founders will exit: “Sell it, give it away, or close it.”
• Most advisors ignore personal planning, but it’s what leads to regret
• “The stool wobbles without the third leg. We’re building incomplete exits.”

[12:01 – 25:00] The Founder’s Exit Paradox

• The paradox: rich and free, but lost
• “They decouple their identity from the business and enter a void.”
• Common regrets: loss of purpose, isolation, status drop, boredom
• Why does money only solve 2 of the 5 levels in Maslow’s hierarchy

[25:01 – 38:00] Six Centers of Doubt: The Hidden Struggles

• Introducing the Exit Paradox Iceberg
• Self-image, Relationships, Work, Health, Prosperity, Significance
• “If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t like where you end up.”
• 60% of founders’ core relationships disappear post-exit

[38:01 – 48:15] From “What’s Next?” to N.E.X.T.

• Nourish, Evaluate, Xplore, Transcend: a framework for life after exit
• “Most are exiting from, not to. That’s why they regret it.”
• How Jerome helped his father find purpose again, becoming a mayor in his 60s

[48:16 – End] Real Tools, Real People, Real Legacy

• The NEO Assessment: Six archetypes for post-exit personality
• “Ask your clients: What are you optimizing for, money or fulfillment?”
• Advisors: why you need to engage the personal side, or risk losing the AUM
• “The only way your life ever matters is if you are positively impacting other people's lives.”

Key Quotes:

“Money solves the first two levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. Everything after that - purpose, belonging, impact - needs something deeper.” – Jerome Myers

“The biggest problem in exit planning is that most founders are exiting from instead of exiting to.” – Jerome Myers

Ready for your next chapter?

Start Your Assessment Now 👉 https://theexitparadox.com/assessment

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