Ryan Sandburg is a seasoned entrepreneur with a keen insight into operational efficiency and business growth. His journey from the construction industry to tech company ownership demonstrates his adaptability and willingness to immerse himself in new sectors. With his proactive approach to problem-solving and expertise in software implementation, Ryan successfully scaled his company, Presearch Inc., to become a leading provider in background checks for employment. His story is one of leveraging skills learned on the job to carve out a niche in entrepreneurship, embodying the spirit of continuous learning and strategic development. "Two years ago, I'd be like, man, if I don't work for a day, I'm kind of screwed. I'm too valuable as an employee. So then it came down to, like, restructuring, getting the employees that I trusted to where I could do that, and that's where I'm now. If, if I needed to take a week off, I wouldn't be sweating at night wondering what they're doing. Like, if. If things are going okay, if I set my email forward on, I don't double check that it's getting handled." Key themes included: 1. Efficiency through shared work processes 2. Evaluating potential business opportunities 3. Building contractor relationships for success 4. Custom software vs. existing solutions 5. Automation importance for scalability 6. Employee training and responsibility 7. Transition from employment to entrepreneurship — Follow Ryan's website: www.presearchinc.com  On LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpsandberg/  — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Robert Clinkenbeard's story begins with the invaluable lessons he gained while employed by another firm, which would later become the bedrock of his journey into entrepreneurship. Embracing the natural pathway of learning, Robert is candid about the numerous mistakes he made in the initial stages of his business venture. It was a process of trial and error, a hands-on experience that taught him more than any textbook could. Together, we'll explore the critical steps a business should take 2 to 3 years prior to a sale, including consulting with CPAs, lawyers, and getting your financials in order. Robert will share personal insights on building a strong seller team and how to position your business attractively for private equity and potential buyers. "Making sure you have the right leadership team in place so that you're almost at a point where you're not necessarily involved too much on a day to day basis... Just making sure things are cleaned up in terms of entities and business structures. I think all those things are super important just to start planning ahead of time rather than rushing last minute."  — Follow Robert On LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-clinkenbeard/  — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Jena Dunay believes in the power of ownership in one’s career, advocating for job seekers to approach their work as valuable contributors. Her expertise lies in coaching individuals, especially senior-level job changers, to hone their storytelling and confidence for career success. With a robust experience in various roles leading up to becoming a chief learning officer, she transitioned back into entrepreneurship to achieve work-life balance and create impactful businesses. Jena's journey illustrates her dedication to personal growth and her drive to empower others in their professional endeavors through her platform, recruittheemployer.com. Here, we chat about building your career through networking, shifting your mentality, presenting yourself well in interviews, and reevaluating success.  "You need to not look at yourself as just a cog in a wheel. You need to look above that cog in a wheel and actually understand how you contribute to the overall picture and then show that you can create value for an organization in that way and know that you're an asset to an organization, not just someone who gets paid."   Topics discussed in this episode: 1. Adopting an ownership career mentality 2. Importance of building professional relationships 3. Nurturing curiosity and generosity in networking 4. Confidence and clarity in job interviews 5. Strategies for effective career transitions 6. Creating scalable, sellable business models 7. Learning from corporate to entrepreneurial success   — Follow Jena at: www.recruittheemployer.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenadunay/  — Find Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy and rely on to grow your own business free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

John Ovrom is the embodiment of entrepreneurial spirit, channeling his vigor into a successful construction business built alongside his family. With the experience of growth, acquisition, and the rewarding challenge of diversification under his belt, he transitioned from owner to consultant, guiding others through the intricate dance of business exit strategies. His firm, Exit Consulting, manifests John's expertise and empathetic approach to mentoring business owners grappling with the emotional and logistical complexities of selling their life's work. Stitching together a narrative of transformation and new beginnings, John's journey underscores the value of professional guidance and the art of gracefully stepping away to embrace change. I chat with him about figuring out your exit plan, when to implement it, and what to expect afterward.  "What is the definition of an exit? Is an exit the last check you receive from the payoff? Is it the last day you worked after staying on for a year or two or three for your earn out? Is it that day? Because then you still give it. Is it the day you close?" Topics discussed in this episode: Letting go of control for sale 2. Embracing change for business readiness 3. Emotional aspects of business exit 4. Challenges in price increases 5. Importance of management systems 6. Setting goals for exit strategy 7. Value of exit planning consulting — Follow John at www.exitconsultinggroup.com Email at jovrom@exitconsultinggroup.com LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnovrom/ — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Eric Johnson, a seasoned entrepreneur with a knack for building relationships, shifted from the hospitality industry to real estate, diving into sales' human side. As the CEO of various software platforms and a principal at Modus Coaching and Consulting, he dedicates his expertise to guiding entrepreneurs toward success through genuine connections and trust. His own venture into network marketing led to the creation of Teamsy, a ground-breaking platform devised to bridge the technology gap in the network marketing industry. Through years of diverse experience, Eric has honed a philosophy that champions the power of relationships in driving business growth, ensuring that each interaction is anchored in authenticity and service. I chat with him about networking and building successful relationships in the business world.    "Just connect with people as a human being. And through those connections, people respond to just a human connection, like, how is your Christmas? How are things going with your kids? Just talking to people? What happens is as you create conversations and you're just a normal person, having conversations gives you a chance to get to know people, gives you lots of opportunities to help people, connect them to people, you know, refer things to them, give them your opinion on, you know, that's going to create opportunities to talk about real estate in a natural way."   Topics discussed in this episode: 1. Importance of relationship selling 2. Value of customer referrals 3. Opportunities in real estate 4. Building business systems 5. Networking and personal connections 6. Entrepreneurship via employment skills 7. Trust and quality relationships — Follow Eric at LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericphafflejohnson/ — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

When Kayla Jimenez first joined the IP and litigation sphere, she uncovered a fundamental truth that many professionals encounter: the allure of a prestigious job title isn't always what it seems. While her instincts cautioned her about the company's environment, it was this challenging position that planted the entrepreneurial seeds she would later cultivate. Kayla's transition from associate to partner and eventually to the owner of the practice illustrates a powerful narrative—prioritizing lifestyle choices without sacrificing one's career. Kayla and I unpacked strategies for small-to-medium business growth, emphasizing on scaling, creating shared services, and considering significant liquidity events. Our discussion also highlighted the BRR method in real estate investment—a wealth-building strategy that can complement entrepreneurial ventures, offering a multifaceted approach to financial freedom.   "You don't get rich working a nine-to-five. This is the huge American lie that they tell all the kids, get a good job, go get your doctorate, go get your Ph.D., go become a doctor. Like, work at the work nine to five, or work your salaried position."   Topics discussed in this episode: Leveraging Jobs Beyond Paychecks Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property Social Media's Entrepreneurial Impact Scaling and Exiting Businesses Real Estate Investment Strategies Career Transitions in Law Innovation Through Client Experiences — Follow Kayla at LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-jimenez-b7772939/ — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Pat Flynn is a resilient entrepreneur who turned a layoff from his dream job as an architect during the 2008 Great Recession into a journey of success and inspiration. Less than a year after the layoff, Pat built a 6-figure online business, helping architects pass an exam and chronicling his process on his blog, Smart Passive Income (SPI). SPI has evolved into a premier resource for entrepreneurship and online business, with the award-winning SPI Podcast amassing over 80 million downloads and being featured in the New York Times. Pat is also a prolific author, with publications like "Will It Fly" (2015) and "Superfans" (2019) translated into multiple languages worldwide. Here, we talk about why it's good to start small and the value of feedback.   "Even though it was the worst time of my life, at that moment when I got laid off, it was actually the best thing because it actually kind of unplugged me, if you will, from the matrix I was in and made me look at everything from a different perspective and go, oh, here's an opportunity here."   Topics discussed in this episode: Identifying overlooked opportunities Starting small in business Importance of community learning Balancing focus and exploration Pursuing present happiness Embracing failure as lessons Validating business ideas — Follow Pat at https://patflynn.com/ On Twitter at https://twitter.com/patflynn On LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patflynn3/ On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/patflynn On YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGk1LitxAZVnqQn0_nt5qxw On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/patflynn — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

When I interviewed him four years ago, Cory talked about how working at a traditional job wasn’t for him. Sure, the money, the job security, those things were great, but he hated the work to the point where he couldn’t physically get himself to open the door to his office one day. That’s when he knew he needed a change. Cory’s a good friend and sometimes business partner who has been in the audiobook industry for over a decade. When he started, audiobooks were on cassette tapes! Here, we talk about books and the publishing industry as a whole. "...I assume you want to spend more time with the people you love. That's probably high in your list, and you probably don't want someone telling you to do things you're not good at ... Those are the reasons we start businesses."   Topics discussed in this episode: Sustainable business funding strategies Audiobook publishing innovations Entrepreneurial challenges and growth Importance of niche focus Leveraging personal networks for investment Impacts of early business exits Flexibility and adaptability in entrepreneurship References & links mentioned: www.zoundy.com — Follow Cory at www.oneaudiobooks.com On Twitter at @coryverner On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/coryverner — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Jeff Goins is a writer who's truly left an impact on my creative journey. His blog is a treasure trove of practical advice for aspiring writers, filled with wisdom from his own experiences. Goins' mantra, "You are a writer when you say you are," empowered me to own my identity as a writer. I even worked with him as a writing coach. Here, we chat about how he started with a simple blog and it opened doors for his career. Plus, how he leveraged contacts, experience, and the online course space to achieve a liveable work-life balance to be the husband and father he wanted to be. “If you have the choice between making a lot of money now and never again, or a little bit of money for the rest of your life, take the little bit of money.”   Topics discussed in this episode: Entrepreneurial ventures and leadership Passive income and leveraging scale Transitioning to entrepreneurship Overcoming fear of money Online courses and content creation Writing and publishing success Seeking mentorship and advice References & links mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/You-Writer-Start-Acting-Like-ebook/dp/B007YJEIAS https://adventures.org/ — Follow Jeff at: www.goinswriter.com and www.freshcomplaint.com — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews has helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show and leave me an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you! *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy and rely on to grow your own business free to you. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!

Nate and Dana talk about getting back on the podcasting horse after COVID, how Opt Out Life became Exit Plan, and lessons learned during the pandemic. They chat about how things have changed and choosing a life that meets your needs without having to throw yourself into your business.   “...it was life changing because I realized I could do it all from home.”   Topics discussed in this episode: Work-life balance and family commitments Private equity industry challenges and goals Podcast rebranding and entrepreneurial content Remote work benefits and lifestyle changes Experiences in business acquisitions and exits Pursuing lifestyle over business growth Leveraging employment for entrepreneurial success References & links mentioned: www.danarobinson.com — Follow Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabrobinson/ Follow Dana on Instagram: @danarobinsonofficial Subscribe to Dana’s weekly newsletter at danarobinson.com — If the information in these conversations and interviews have helped you in your business journey, please subscribe to the show, and leave me an honest review.   Your reviews and feedback will not only help me continue to deliver great, helpful content, but it will also help me reach even more amazing entrepreneurs just like you!   *Some of these links might be affiliate links.  Thank you in advance if you choose to work with one of the companies I believe in.  The money I make from your purchase helps to keep the content you enjoy, and rely on to grow your own business, free to you.   Thanks for tuning into this episode of Exit Plan!