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.
Poised for Exit
60 - A Second Swing at Entrepreneurship: The Story of Wahiwater
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It was a blast spending time with today's #PoisedforExit guests, Sam and Peter Blankenship, owners and founders of Wahiwater. When we first met in 2018, I was one of the speakers for an event they attended and afterwards we chatted. We worked together for a while as they assembled their start up team, took a break as they raised capital, and now as guests on my show, I got to catch up and hear about everything that's happened.
Being brothers, Peter and Sam knew in their college days that they'd be partners in business. Their strengths magically play off each other and are the epitome of an ideal partnership. Their first swing at business ownership was in the medical industry and they did very well. Eventually, they were acquired, but not without some tough lessons.
Fast forward to today, Wahiwater is a delicious water product that comes in 4 flavor essences. Pure water with plant-based ingredients to enhance the health benefits of the product. Sam and Peter have not only assembled a strong network of private investors, but also an internal team of professional advisers and leadership that together have produced some amazing growth. With the ingenuity, grit and attitude of champions, Peter and Sam have accomplished great things. Yet, they're just getting started! Their motto: "The best idea wins, no matter who thought of it".
Next on the horizon is sparkling flavored water (nutrition focused), immunity water and effervescent tablets too. There's no doubt this company is one to watch, and when they become acquired (which will surely happen someday) you'll find them starting yet another venture.
The lessons and stories they shared in this episode will resonate with any business owner, no matter what stage. To hear about their journey and what's next for Wahiwater, listen here for the full episode.
Find Peter and Sam here and find Julie here.
Thank you to this month's sponsors: Village Bank, Baker Tilly, and Sunbelt Business Advisors.
Connect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLC
Founder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor