Grow With the Exit in Mind: How Founders Maximize Value Before Selling with Alex Seydel

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 -- Are you growing your company in a way that truly prepares you for a successful exit, or are you hoping it will all work itself out when the time comes? Whether selling is right around the corner or still years away, building with the exit in mind can be the difference between a smooth transition and long-term regret.
In this episode of The Exit, Steve sits down with Alex Seydel, a former M&A attorney turned business exit strategist and co-founder of Ripple’s Edge Advisors. After working on countless transactions, Alex has seen firsthand why so many founders walk away dissatisfied, not because they sold, but because they sold to the wrong buyer, in the wrong way, without proper preparation.

 -- Alex Seydel is an M&A attorney turned business exit strategist and the co-founder of Ripple’s Edge Advisors, where she helps founders grow with the exit in mind by maximizing value, attractiveness, and readiness long before a deal is on the table. Drawing on years of experience working across complex transactions, Alex partners with business owners to reduce risk, increase transferability, and position their companies for higher-quality exits at stronger multiples. A former Division I soccer player at the University of Iowa, she brings a competitive, disciplined mindset to every engagement, and when she’s not talking exits, you can usually find her discussing sports, Lane 8, or hanging out with her Golden Retriever, Thumper.

 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-seydel/ 
 Website - https://www.ripplesedgeadvisors.com/ 

 -- (00:00) Alex’s path from M&A attorney to exit strategist.
 (02:30) Why so many founders regret exits even after successful closes.
 (03:20) Getting clear on what you want before preparing to sell.
 (05:15) The biggest misconceptions founders have about exit readiness.
 (06:50) How to think about timing, growth, and selling without burnout.
 (09:25) Gender dynamics at the deal table and trusting your instincts as a founder.
 (14:15) Understanding advisor incentives and navigating intimidating deal calls.
 (16:50) What actually drives valuation beyond revenue and EBITDA.
 (18:45) Testing owner dependence and improving transferability.
 (20:05) The most common mistakes sellers make when choosing buyers.
 (22:00) Why maximizing cash at close often matters most.
 (22:50) Creative deal structures and smarter earn-outs.
 (25:30) Advice Alex would give herself ten years ago.
 (26:40) What Alex is working on now and where to find her.

 -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You’ll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/