Poised for Exit
Welcome to the Poised for Exit podcast! Poised for Exit is an under 30-minute strategic planning guidance podcast for busy small business owners. Each week you’ll hear certified exit planning advisor, Julie Keyes, talk with a range of entrepreneurs and professionals about preparing your business for a future transition. Guests at every stage of company ownership will share their personal stories and lessons learned about topics such as the anatomy of the exit planning process, developing a growth strategy, how to sell on your terms, exit planning for women small business owners, handling business diversity, and how to sell a family business. Whether you’re planning an exit in the near future or not, this show will provide you with the same action-oriented content that Julie utilizes while consulting with Keyestrategies clients. Building an exit strategy can be overwhelming, especially with all the decisions and details you have to consider. “Poised for Exit” will simplify the process and help you unwrap the unknowns, giving you more confidence in your planning process. Previous episodes are available for download, so if you are new to our show, you can listen to them in any order that suits you. Join us each week for timely, relevant content that will surely impact your business exit outcome! Subscribe to our newsletter below to receive your weekly episode link and stay updated on new strategic planning content. Find “Poised for Exit” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and others. Thank you to our Sponsors: Sunbelt Business Advisers and JAK CPA's. A special note of thanks to Tyler Keyes who produced the music for the “Poised for Exit” show.
Episodes
294 episodes
A Real Exit Story: How Preparation and the Right Advisory Team Drove a Premium Outcome
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Shaun Jackson, business broker with Calhoun Companies, steps in as guest host ...
How Business Owners Can Build Philanthropy Into an Exit Plan
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Jennifer Vickerman Akaolisa, Gift Planner at Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, joins us to discuss how...
Exit Planning Starts Day One: How to Build a Business That Can Actually Sell
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Stacey Bartelson, Financial Advisor at Edward Jones, discusses why...
Employee Ownership as a Business Exit Option
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Steve Storkan, Executive Director at The Employee Ownership Expansion Network, discusses ...
Partnerships, Not Transactions: The Mindset Behind a Stronger Business
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Darin Lynch, Founder and CEO of Irish Titan, shares what it really takes to build a strong, scalable busi...
Building Your Exit Around Your Future, Not Just Your Business
In this episode of Poised for Exit, Jon Marquet and Brenna Johnson of
10 Years of Impact: How the Twin Cities EPI Chapter Is Raising the Bar for Business Exits
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we welcome back Todd Krough, Private Wealth Advisor with UMB Bank and President of
From Invisible to Investable: Why Visibility Matters for Manufacturing
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Deepa Krishnamurthy, Co-Founder and CEO of Nterprisers, Inc. about the o...
Legal Pitfalls That Derail Business Sales and How Owners Can Avoid Them
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Ailana McIntosh, Business and Real Estate Attorney at Hellmuth & Johnson.
Stop Winging the Future: Why Business Owners Need Intentional Planning
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we are joined by John Schwalbach of Freedom Financial Partners,...
What Sellers Should Understand Before Partnering with Private Equity
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Ben Axelrod, Managing Director at
Why Value Must Be the North Star in Exit Planning
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we are joined by Karim Ghandour, Founder & CEO at Le...
What Business Owners Must Get Right to Scale a Regulated Service Business
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Judy Praska, Owner & President of three Fastest Labs locations in the Twin Cities ...
Why Most Exits Fail and How Planning Changes Everything
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Michael Winn, Co-Founder and Partner at Chartered Wealth ...
Moving to a Lower-Tax State: Strategies and Requirements for Business Owners
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we’re joined by Mark Kravietz, Managing Partner and Founder of Ali...
How Buyers Value Businesses in 2026 and Why Preparation Matters More Than Timing
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we speak with Andy Kocemba, President and CEO of Calhoun Companies, about how buyers ...
Building a Construction Business with a Small Team
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we speak with Alexis Bostrom, founder and CEO of Big Wolf Siteworks, about how sh...
Reflecting on 2025 and Planning for 2026: Exit Planning Insights from Poised for Exit
In this annual recap episode of Poised for Exit, I reflect on 2025, share what stood out over the past year, and look ahead to what is coming in 2026. I also revisit how the show began during the early days of the pandemic,...
Preparing for a Clean Exit: Legal Lessons from Real-World Business Transitions
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we welcome James Olsen, Partner at Seiler Law PLCC, for a practical discussion o...
Estate and Tax Planning for Business Exits
Episode Reprise We’re excited to bring back this timely conversation as business owners focus on year-end planning and tax strategy. This episode remains especially relevant right now, and we’re thrilled to resha...
How to Plan Your Exit Before You Need One: Insights from a Seasoned CEPA
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we sit down with Gordon Bell, CEO and Founder of The Midland Group and fellow ...
The Hidden Cybersecurity Risks Every Business Owner Should Know: Part 2
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we welcome back Steve Enzler, Owner and CEO of Tangible Values, for the second half of our deep dive into the cybersecurity threat...
Keeping the Family Aligned as the Business Grows
In this episode of Poised for Exit, we talk with Jon Keimig, Executive Director of the University of St. Thomas Family Business Center and a leading voice in multi-generation f...