Most Founders Should Sell Their Company Earlier Than They Think
Mike Smith
Spicy Level
The Take
The 'never sell' mentality destroys more founder wealth than any bad product decision. A $20M exit that changes your life is better than a $0 exit chasing a $200M dream.
+Why I'm Right
Survivorship bias makes us only hear about the founders who held and won big
Financial security fundamentally changes your risk tolerance and decision quality
Most companies' best offer comes before their peak, not at it
Founder burnout at year 7-10 degrades the company they refused to sell
?The Counter-Argument
“If you believe in what you're building and the trajectory is strong, selling early leaves enormous value on the table. Regret from selling too early is real too.”
Agree? Disagree? Tell me.
@MikeSmithShow on X. I respond to good arguments.
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