 |
The Business Behind Your BusinessAuthor: Paul Sweeney
Conversations to help your business grow and thrive. Its like having your own board of expert advisors in your pocket.The Business Behind Your Business is the go-to podcast for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone looking for practical business ideas and strategies. Hosted by Paul Sweeney, each 1530 minute episode dives behind the scenes of real businesses to uncover the challenges, solutions, and strategies that drive success.Whether you're exploring how to make money, launch a new venture, or scale your existing business, our expert guests share actionable insights on entrepreneurship, marketing strategies for small business, financial planning, leadership, and more.From startup tips to advanced business strategy, we bring you the tools and advice you need to build a thriving business one smart decision at a time. Language: en-us Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Thinking About a Private Equity Exit? Avoid These Costly Founder Mistakes
Episode 211
Monday, 16 February, 2026
If you’re a business owner thinking about private equity, growth, or an eventual exit, this episode could save you years of stress — and potentially millions of dollars. Most founders only learn how private equity really works after they’ve signed a term sheet, when it’s often too late to negotiate from a position of strength. Paul Sweeney is joined by Alexis Sikorsky, founder of KnightScale Partners and a former CEO who successfully scaled and sold his own software company in a $100M+ private equity exit. You'll learn:What private equity buyers are actually looking forHow deals are structured, and what you should have in place before you ever start the conversationA deeper understanding of private equity - it's not 'funding' in the traditional sense, how it differs from venture capital, and why so many founders misunderstand the processWhat private equity firms really buy (profitability, growth, and operational discipline)The importance of understanding your numbersWhy time horizons, autonomy, and alignment matter more than headline valuationsHard-earned lessons on due diligence, common red flags, and tactics founders must watch out for — including how deals can quietly change during the processThis conversation is an essential listen for founders approaching the $5–15 million revenue mark, feeling stuck at a growth plateau, or wondering whether private equity is the right exit path for them. It’s a practical, honest look at how to prepare your business, protect your interests, and make informed decisions about your next chapter.Alexis Sikorsky is a strategic advisor to founders who are serious about scaling fast and exiting strong. With a nine-figure private equity exit under his belt, Alexis isn’t speaking from theory—he’s lived the entrepreneurial highs and lows across decades of company building, boardroom negotiation, and international leadership. His flagship book Cashing Out lays out the APEX methodology, a four-part framework (Assess, Plan, Execute, Exit) that demystifies the journey to private equity for founders feeling stuck or overwhelmed by growth and decision fatigue.Alexis founded, scaled, and sold New Access, a Switzerland-based software company, ultimately closing a $100M+ exit and transitioning into a new chapter as a Special Advisor to ambitious CEOs. Today, through Sikorsky Consulting and KnightScale Partners, he works with growth-stage businesses, typically doing $5M+ in annual revenue, who want to engineer their next chapter or PE exit. A straight-talking alternative to cookie-cutter coaches, Alexis is often referred to as "The CEO Whisperer" for his candid insight and ability to diagnose issues in minutes. He supports leaders who are weighed down by their own business, helping them build vision, unlock cash flow, and scale toward freedom. He's also on a mission to serve founders priced out of one-to-one consulting through his mastermind programs, offering a rare blend of lived experience and practical strategy.LinkedInwww.asikorsky.comwww.knightscalepartners.comSupport the showhttps://thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/Connect with us:Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram
