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- Exitwise Weekly M&A Newsletter
In this week’s edition of the Exitwise M&A Newsletter:
CASHING OUT: On episode 38 of the Cashing Out podcast, Todd Sullivan hosts Kim Kaupe, a self-proclaimed “accidental entrepreneur” that has experienced the worlds of both Corporate America and startup life… check out the story of her rise to the founder mountain-top, her peaking over the edge of the M&A cliff, and ultimately deciding to decline an inbound offer so she could continue to build her media empire…
EXITWISE SPOTLIGHT: This week, we have a special announcement - as we continue to add to our incredible team of former founders, business owners, and M&A professionals… we are extremely excited to announce our newest high-profile addition - Matt Damman
CASHING OUT PODCAST | E38 | KIM KAUPE
On today's episode of the Cashing Out podcast, Todd Sullivan is joined by Kim Kaupe, an exceptional entrepreneur, coach, Board member, business owner, Keynote Speaker and media personality.
Kim thinks of herself as an “accidental entrepreneur” who uses her business education to garner success in the experiential marketing space. She’s worked with industry pillars such as Oprah, KISS, and The New York Mets to bring one-of-a-kind experience to fans around the world.
Her previous companies, ZinePak and The Superfan Company, garnered global praise. From being named one of The Wall Street Journal’s "Startup of the Year" to being featured on Season 5 of ABC’s hit primetime show, Shark Tank ABC, securing offers from 4 out of 5 sharks.
Kim has been featured on Forbes 30 Under 30, Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40, Inc. Magazine's 35 Under 35 and been awarded EY’s Young Innovator of the Year Award. She regularly contributes commentary on business, entrepreneurship and entertainment to media outlets such as Rolling Stone, Forbes and Entrepreneur Media in addition to being featured on television networks, such as her appearance as a judge for 2019 Miss USA pageant LIVE on Fox.
Currently, Kim is the Founder of Bright Ideas Only and the weekly host of the Coffee With Kim podcast.
In this episode, Todd and Kim discuss her incredible journey to entrepreneurship, and the adventures of creating a number of ultra-successful businesses and media agencies.
Kim also dives into the experience of trying to sell one of her business in 2022, and the decision to pull out of the deal because it was not aligning with her values.
We hope you enjoy the conversation with Kim Kaupe!
SPOTLIGHT
Exitwise Is Growing…
We are thrilled to welcome Matthew Damman to Team Exitwise! Matt will join as a Managing Partner of the firm, bringing over 20 years of management and C-level expertise as both a founder and operator. He has successfully completed numerous M&A transactions, both for his own companies and as an advisor, making him a true authority in the field. At Exitwise, Matt will leverage his lifetime of professional learnings to support and educate lower-middle market business owners on M&A best practices. |  Matt Damman | Managing Partner |
With a deep understanding of all aspects of the M&A process, including founding, operating, buying, and selling companies, he is uniquely positioned to relate to our clients and provide them with authentic partnership.
Matt's previous roles include serving as the President of Aleva Stores, where he co-led a revenue platform of e-commerce sites and Amazon FBA selling, generating over $60 million in revenue. His expertise in P&L management and M&A was instrumental in leading two acquisitions and guiding a successful spin-off of their Amazon Services business to private equity.
Prior to Aleva, Matt led an investment group in the purchase and turnaround of Commando Lock Company. Through strategic initiatives, such as new branding, sales and marketing efforts, he positioned the company as a leader in the industry, securing national retail placements and winning multiple U.S./DLA Military contracts. The business was eventually sold to a strategic buyer, showcasing Matt's exceptional deal-making abilities.
Before his time at Commando Lock, Matt served as the President of Fonegear LLC, a renowned consumer electronics company. He spearheaded global distribution partnerships with prestigious brands like Harley Davidson, Fuse, Mossy Oak, and Real Tree, driving substantial sales growth. His leadership played a pivotal role in the successful sale of the company to a strategic buyer.
During his early career, Matt was with Nite Capital, a hedge fund, before being entrusted by the founder to launch a boutique investment bank. He played a pivotal role in creating one of the first public wind power companies in the U.S., showcasing his innovative thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Beyond his professional achievements, Matt's entrepreneurial spirit led him to invent and bring to market an award-winning children's toy called Walkie Chalk LLC. With his creative problem-solving skills, he turned an idea from his driveway into a product sold in national retail chains such as Walgreens, Hobby Lobby, TRU, Michaels, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Matt even had the opportunity to pitch his invention on Shark Tank ABC, securing a deal with Mr. Wonderful.
Please join us in welcoming Matt Damman to our firm as the new Managing Partner! We are confident that his expertise, strategic thinking, and passion for connecting great people and ideas will drive our firm and our clients to even greater success.
REFER & EARN
It Pays to Refer a Founder…
When you refer a business owner to Exitwise, we'll educate the owner on the full M&A process, timelines and fees. We'll then help each business owner decide if a sale of the business is the right next step.
If an exit is the best option, we'll help hire the top team of M&A experts to maximize the sale of each business.
Anyone who refers to a business owner to Exitwise will earn a commission on each completed transaction.