Brian Dukes’ Post

After exiting my business, I promised myself 2 things: 1. I will never be a W2 employee. 2. I will never build another startup. I didn't keep either promise. (shock) So, what happened instead? - I sat on the sidelines for a month. - Then jumped right back into a new business. During my short-lived 'retirement', I did a number of things: - Spent time with family & friends. - Hit a lot of golf balls (indoor). - Planned for future travel. But one puzzle piece was missing from the board. That connection with the business world. The thrill of building and creating something from nothing. And I desperately wanted that connection back. Then, I reconnected with an old friend. We met up and had conversations over numerous cups of coffee. And Exitwise was born. Since then, we have: - Helped many founders sell their businesses for prices way above market value. - Generated tens of millions of dollars for our clients in sale proceeds. - Worked with amazing people across all industries from automotive to AI. - Built connections with the most talented investment bankers, CPAs, and advisors in the M&A arena. - Accidentally started a SaaS business - Had a blast doing it. So, it's safe to say my 'retirement' didn't last long. (who was I kidding) Apparently, entrepreneurship is in my blood. And M&A is my focus. It's what I do. And I have a feeling I'll be doing it for a long time to come. Thinking of selling your business? Drop me a DM. P.S - Get some value? Please reshare this.

May 2023: Sitting in an office space, hands wrapped around my third coffee of the day, with other founders, I met Amit Jain. Like many founders, I carried the weight of big dreams and anxieties. 'You know what made us successful?' he asked, sharing his journey of building from a garage. 'Not the fancy offices or big funding rounds. It was counting every rupee as if it was our last.' That conversation hit home. Hard. Despite having term sheets on the table and products that made investors' eyes light up, we chose a path many called 'old school.' We bootstrapped. Not because we had to, but because we wanted to feel every growing pain, celebrate every small win, and truly understand our business's pulse. Late nights turned into early mornings. Every customer feedback became our gospel. Every team meeting felt like a family gathering. We weren't just building a product; we were crafting our legacy. Recently, over another coffee with Amit Jain (some habits never change), we discussed our raising of Series A plans. His words carried the weight of experience: 'Now that you've built with your heart and hands, choose investors who'll protect that spirit. The right partner isn't the one with the biggest check – it's the one who loses sleep over your vision just like you do.' The truth is: Money can fund growth, but passion fuels innovation. Investors can open doors, but the right ones will walk through them with you Product-market fit isn't just metrics on a dashboard; it's the smile on a customer's face. One should not seek for VCs; but for believers. Partners who understand that our garage-to-growth story isn't just about numbers – it's about the countless 3 AM moments, the celebratory team pizzas, and the unwavering belief that we're building something that matters. As I write this, I'm reminded of every team member who chose to believe in our bootstrap journey, every customer who stuck with us through early hiccups, and every mentor who shared their war stories. Here's to building businesses not just with capital, but with character. 🙌 Would love to hear your story - what moments shaped your entrepreneurial journey? What keeps you going when the nights get long? #StartupLife #EntrepreneurialJourney #BuildInPublic #StartupGrowth  D2C Insider Amit Jain @d2c

In 2011, I forced myself to join a business group. And it changed my life forever. Back then, I was just a 9-5’er. And entrepreneurship felt far out of reach. → I had no savings. → I had no business ideas. → I didn’t even have a 9-5 exit plan. I felt like a tiny fish in a large pond. But I showed up, listened, and soaked up every conversation around me. Suddenly, I was surrounded by people talking about: → Deals being made → Side hustles taking off → Traveling while making money That’s where I met my first mentor. He pushed me to take the leap and start my own business - the first one I grew to 7 figures. 2 years later, I outgrew that group.  So I joined another one. This time, the entry requirement was $1M+ founders. Once again, I was the smallest fish in the pond. And once again, I had to level up. The conversations now? → Building a life of freedom → Launching multiple companies → Using business to create our best lives For the next 10 years, I learned what real success takes.  The mindset. The strategy. The constant evolution. But the truth is: Most people will spend $30K on a car that depreciates...  But won't spend $50 on a group that could 10x their life. I used to be the same until I realised this: The gap between where you are and where you want to be? It’s not knowledge. It’s environment. That's why I created Next Door Hustles - to give early founders the same opportunity I had. Doors open in 7 days for those on the waitlist. Join here: https://lnkd.in/gyAPhuQW

Here is why I’m bootstrapping PrelovedTherapy : 1. Starting my first business on eBay taught me how to build a lean startup. Now, I'm hooked on growing businesses only by reinvesting profits. Why change a good thing? 2. I’m too lazy to add another full-time job of looking for investment to my already full-time job of building a business. 3. Black women founders received less than 0.5% of all VC funding in 2023. Sometimes you just have to admit that the odds are stacked against you and create your own game. 4. I don’t know how to ‘move fast and break things’. 5. I meant it when I said freedom and autonomy (or at least I’m trying really hard to mean it). 6. The accelerator/incubator/VC(investing on vibes) world feels like high school all over again. I didn’t particularly enjoy high school. 7. I’m trying to build a life that doesn’t wreck my mental health. Yes, the bootstrapped way is slow and boring. But I like slow and boring. What about you?

Feeling Stuck After Selling My Company at 55: What's Next? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gktPhYnc #EntrepreneurJourney #LifeAfterSelling #NewBeginnings Hey everyone! 👋 So, I’m reaching out here because I find myself at a bit of a crossroads. Here’s the scoop: I’m 55 years old and sold my company about four years ago for $3 million. 🎉 Since then, I’ve dabbled in various projects, but, honestly? It’s been a bit of a flop. None of them sparked that fire in me. 🔥 Now, I’m feeling stuck. I have a ton of interests and lots of energy, but I just can’t seem to engage in anything meaningful. Here are some thoughts I’ve been tossing around: Should I dive into day trading? 💹 What about starting a retail store just to make some money? 🏪 Or should I pursue something more creative, like I did before? The thing is, I built my previous business around a product I created, and diving into another startup feels like scaling Everest at my age, with all the uncertainty involved. Plus, I've never worked for someone else, so the idea of becoming an employee seems out of the question. The real challenge? It's not a lack of ideas—I've got dozens! 🙌 But I can't seem to connect with ...

I love being my own boss, and the thought of ever being forced back into employment fills me with dread! But, as I keep telling people over and over and over again, it's not all a bed of roses and just isn't right for some (or probably most) people. Ibrahim Khan does a brilliant job in one of his latest videos addressing this (link in comments), and I'd highly recommend it to anyone considering ditching a 9-5 to jump on the entrepreneurial roller-coaster. I started my consultancy work as a side hustle back in 2009. I made the decision in 2017 to quit my 9-5... in 2020! I worked like a mule for 2 years (demanding day job + side hustle) to get to a position where I could leave in Jan 2020. That position ended up being £0 in savings, but promises of work to tide me over for 4-5 months! 😕 Made the leap in Jan 2020... and then COVID hit! 😷 I was able to pivot, and things turned out OK in the end (alhamdulillah), but it was not fun! This year, I've delivered two business startup courses, and I've started them both the same way: Day 1- Covering the pros and cons of running your own business and going through some numbers to show why earning a good income from a business is a much slower process than most people think! If they show up for Day 2, I know they're serious. At the end of a one-week business startup course I delivered earlier this year, one of the students came up to me and explained why she didn't think being a business owner was the right path for her. She noted how excited her peers were about the prospect of starting a business, but she realised she just wanted an easy life with low-risk investments. That's when I knew I'd done a good job, God willing.

Many founders, myself included, get to a point in their journey where they wonder, "Have I Done Enough?". 👇 Since 2007, I've been launching, building, acquiring, and exiting blue collar businesses... Because I like to get inside these business, a lot of my days are absolute 💩 shows... That's ok, I love it and somehow feel made for this... But, through this journey I've learned that life if about a lot of things (other than business)... Business is fun to talk about and challenges us (at least me), but most people just want to have the time to focus on family, health, community, hobbies, etc... But, this little distraction/noise/bug gets in our ear... it tells us "we are not enough". Friends, you are enough... not because of your business, but because you showed up today... because you gave it your all... because you are you... ---------------------------------------------------- If we haven't met, my name is Andy Smith and I'm passionate about sharing the entrepreneurial journey because I love it so much. Started out as an engineer when I maxed out my basketball career in high school... But, in 2007 I jumped into entrepreneurship and that changed my life forever. I'm focused on partnering with investors and blue collar founders to acquire, build, and grow legacy businesses.

The last couple of years have been tough for many founders, and I know they’re doing everything they can to keep the company moving forward. Even if you’ve had an exit, cash isn’t unlimited, and the financial pressure is real. Your co-founders might be in different situations, too — juggling personal cash flow needs (the average founder is 42). Here’s what I’m seeing in our community: > Some founders are consulting a few hours a week to keep things steady. 📊 > Others are taking part-time gigs just to make ends meet. 🕐 > Many have dipped into savings, maxed out credit cards, or tapped into their 401(k). 💳 But here’s the thing: Don’t give up on your dream. 🚀 Do whatever it takes to survive, but stay true to your vision. Make sure you’ve got a solid support system around you—friends, family, fellow founders. Lean on your network, share the load, and keep pushing. Your resilience is your greatest asset. Keep going. You’ve got this! 💪✨ #founders #startups #building #selling

Feeling Stuck After Selling My Company at 55: What's Next? Answers: https://lnkd.in/gcrZie5z #EntrepreneurJourney #LifeAfterSelling #NewBeginnings Hey everyone! 👋 So, I’m reaching out here because I find myself at a bit of a crossroads. Here’s the scoop: I’m 55 years old and sold my company about four years ago for $3 million. 🎉 Since then, I’ve dabbled in various projects, but, honestly? It’s been a bit of a flop. None of them sparked that fire in me. 🔥 Now, I’m feeling stuck. I have a ton of interests and lots of energy, but I just can’t seem to engage in anything meaningful. Here are some thoughts I’ve been tossing around: Should I dive into day trading? 💹 What about starting a retail store just to make some money? 🏪 Or should I pursue something more creative, like I did before? The thing is, I built my previous business around a product I created, and diving into another startup feels like scaling Everest at my age, with all the uncertainty involved. Plus, I've never worked for someone else, so the idea of becoming an employee seems out of the question. The real challenge? It's not a lack of ideas—I've got dozens! 🙌 But I can't seem to connect with ...

Working at a start-up, everything is moving at 100mph. The goalposts are always changing, and no day is the same as before. I love it. However, it's clear to see why so many start-ups struggle to grow beyond their infancy. Scaling a company isn't an easy gig, and you have to overcome an abundance of challenges, each one weirder than the one before. So, when I look at what we've achieved in this past month alone, I get a little bit excited. We have: ⭐ Hired 2 new sales staff ⭐ Had our strongest week on record ⭐ Had our strongest month on record ⭐ Redesigned our CRM system ⭐ Released a new ad campaign to all social media platforms ⭐ Near-doubled our daily inbound leads ⭐ Seen a 300% increase in referrals ⭐ Restructured our front-end and back-end sales processes ⭐ Automated, and introduced AI to our pipeline 🎵 Listened to some fantastic office music 🎮 Played a few too many computer games on our lunch I can't wait to see what next month brings, and I'm very excited to be helping drive growth for our awesome little company. National Business Rescue is offering a completely unique solution to debt relief. We take away the need for liquidation/insolvency, and instead give you the tools to offset your debts and continue trading in a profitable manner. If you are struggling with the debts against your business, or want to look at routes for improving your growth, I'd highly recommend giving us a call 📞 #startups #debtrelief #newbusiness #debt