Welcome to The Exit Game!

A newsletter demystifying the acquisition process for all.

In my six years as a founder, I have come across all sorts of startups, some of whom had interesting exits. I love hearing these stories but founders rarely mention them publicly.

Apps we use daily like YouTube, Instagram, and Whatsapp were once small startups with big dreams and stories to tell. Their acquisitions took them to the next level and introduced them to an audience in the billions.

It’s hard to argue that YouTube would be where it is right now, if they didn’t have the resources of their acquirer Google at just the right time. And that’s just one success story.

But what goes on behind the scenes and how do these deals happen? That’s what I intend to tackle.

Learning about exits through osmosis

I’m fascinated by every part of how companies work. There isn’t a part of a start-up that founders don’t touch. Like any good workout, you put the reps in and then you grow as a result.

There is one area where most founders never build up reps. It’s usually a one-off in the lifecycle of their business.

It’s the exit.

Most founders don’t know what happens when they’re placed in this scenario. They don’t know what to expect and they don’t know the rules of the game.

This is why I’m starting The Exit Game.

I want to demystify the acquisition process and the thinking around it. By reading the stories of other startup exits, you can build up the reps for when you find yourself in the same situation.

Okay, but why are you writing this?

Here are a few things I love: startups, founders, teaching, good stories and writing - especially the last one. A big goal for this year has been to write more long-form pieces. I can’t see a better way to do this than to marry all of these interests together.

This newsletter will be most beneficial for those who have a startup or plan to start one. That being said, anyone who works within tech or wants to know more about it will benefit from understanding how the ecosystem works.

Most posts will follow a long-form format, and will usually focus on one of the following:

1. Stories of acquisitions and how founders navigated them

2. Q&A with seasoned acquirers, showing you how to play the game

3. Educational pieces to fill in knowledge gaps

If the above interests you, then subscribe below 👇