Exiting a Business Speakers

An exiting a business speaker is someone who shares insights, strategies, and personal stories about successfully transitioning out of a business - whether through a sale, merger, IPO, or other exit strategy - in a public speaking format.

These speakers typically have firsthand experience with the exit process. They might be founders who sold their startups, CEOs who led acquisitions, or advisors who've guided multiple exits. Their talks are often featured at entrepreneurship summits, investor conferences, mastermind groups, and podcasts.

What sets them apart from general business speakers is their focus on the final phase of the business lifecycle. While some speakers talk about growth or marketing, exiting a business speakers zoom in on valuation, negotiation, due diligence, emotional readiness, and life after the exit.

They may also cover niche topics like earn-outs, founder equity, legal pitfalls, or how to prepare a business for sale years in advance. Their role is to demystify the exit journey and help others avoid common mistakes.

In short, an exiting a business speaker is a guide for entrepreneurs who are thinking about - or actively planning - their next big move out of the business they built.

When you're building a business, it's easy to focus on growth and forget about the endgame. That's where an exiting a business speaker becomes essential - they shine a light on what happens when it's time to move on.

First, they bring clarity to a process that's often opaque. Selling a business isn't like selling a car. There are layers of legal, financial, and emotional complexity. A speaker who's been through it can walk you through what to expect, what to avoid, and how to prepare - long before you're ready to exit.

Second, they help normalize the emotional side of exiting. Many founders struggle with identity loss or regret after selling. Hearing someone articulate those feelings - and how they navigated them - can be incredibly validating. It's not just about the deal size. It's about what comes next.

Third, they offer frameworks and strategies that save time and money. Whether it's how to structure your cap table or how to negotiate earn-outs, their insights can prevent costly mistakes. Think of them as a shortcut to wisdom.

And finally, they inspire action. A great speaker doesn't just inform - they motivate. They make you think, 'Maybe it's time I start planning my exit too.' That mindset shift can change the trajectory of a business.

Exiting a business speakers educate, inspire, and guide audiences through the complex journey of leaving a business. Their work spans multiple formats and functions, depending on the audience and setting.

They often speak at events like startup summits, investor meetups, and industry-specific conferences. For example, a speaker who exited a fintech company might headline a panel at Money20/20, while someone who sold a DTC brand might speak at an eCommerce Fuel Live event. Their talks typically cover topics like:

- Preparing a business for acquisition
- Navigating due diligence and legal hurdles
- Understanding valuation and deal structures
- Managing team transitions post-exit
- Coping with the emotional aftermath of selling

Beyond live events, many exiting a business speakers appear on podcasts, webinars, and virtual summits. They also contribute to online courses, write guest articles, or host their own content channels. Some even consult or coach founders one-on-one.

In essence, they act as translators - turning complex exit experiences into digestible lessons. Whether you're a solo founder in Bali or a CEO in Berlin, their goal is the same: to help you exit smarter, faster, and with fewer regrets.

Becoming an exiting a business speaker isn't just about having a great exit story. It's about turning that story into a valuable lesson others can learn from. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Identify Your Exit Narrative.
- What kind of business did you exit? Was it a successful acquisition, IPO, or a strategic shutdown?
- Highlight the challenges, decisions, and outcomes. Audiences love transparency and real takeaways.

2. Define Your Core Message.
- Are you teaching others how to prepare for an exit? Or how to maximize valuation?
- Your message should be actionable. Think frameworks, checklists, and strategies.

3. Build Your Speaker Page.
- Use platforms like Talks.co to create a professional speaker profile.
- Include your bio, talk topics, past speaking engagements, and a high-quality photo.

4. Start Small, Then Scale.
- Offer to speak at local business meetups, online summits, or industry webinars.
- Use these gigs to refine your talk and gather testimonials.

5. Connect with Hosts and Event Planners.
- Talks.co is great for connecting with virtual summit hosts looking for niche experts.
- Reach out on LinkedIn or through speaker bureaus. Tailor your pitch to their audience.

6. Record and Share Your Talks.
- Post clips on LinkedIn, YouTube, or your Talks.co profile.
- This builds credibility and helps event organizers see your style.

7. Keep Evolving.
- Update your content with new insights, trends, and case studies.
- Stay relevant by attending industry events and networking with other speakers.

Remember, your exit is just the beginning of your speaking journey. The real value lies in how you teach others to navigate theirs.

To be an exiting a business speaker, you need more than just a compelling exit story. You need the tools, positioning, and delivery to turn that story into something that educates and inspires. Let's break it down:

First, you need credibility. That usually means you've exited a business-whether through acquisition, IPO, merger, or even a strategic closure. The key is that your experience offers lessons others can learn from. It doesn't have to be a billion-dollar exit, but it should be meaningful and well-articulated.

Next, you need a clear message. What's your angle? Are you helping startup founders prepare for acquisition? Are you showing bootstrappers how to position for a buyer? Your message should solve a problem or answer a question your audience has.

Then there's the platform. You need a speaker page that showcases your expertise. Tools like Talks.co make this easy. You can list your topics, add testimonials, and connect directly with event hosts. This is your digital resume as a speaker.

You'll also need presentation skills. That doesn't mean being a TED Talk-level performer from day one, but you should be able to communicate clearly, engage your audience, and deliver value. Practice helps. So does watching other top speakers in your niche.

Finally, you need a network. Connect with summit organizers, podcast hosts, and conference planners. Use platforms like Talks.co to get discovered, and don't be afraid to pitch yourself. The more you speak, the better you get-and the more your reputation grows.

Yes, exiting a business speakers do get paid-but how much and how often depends on several factors. Let's unpack it.
At the top end, high-profile speakers who've exited unicorn startups or led billion-dollar mergers can command fees ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per appearance. These are often keynote slots at global conferences or corporate retreats.
Mid-tier speakers-those with solid exits and a growing brand-typically earn between $1,000 and $10,000 per talk. They might speak at industry events, online summits, or private masterminds.
Then there are emerging speakers. If you're just starting out, you might speak for free or for travel reimbursement. But don't discount the value of exposure, lead generation, and credibility building at this stage.
Here's a quick breakdown:

Speaker Tier	Typical Fee Range	Example Venues
Celebrity Exiters	$50,000 - $100,000+	TED, Web Summit, Fortune 500 events
Mid-Level Experts	$1,000 - $10,000	SaaS conferences, VC panels, podcasts
New Speakers	Free - $1,000	Online summits, local meetups

Pros:
- Speaking can be a high-margin revenue stream.
- It builds your brand and authority fast.
Cons:
- It's competitive. You need a unique angle.
- Travel and prep time can be intense.
So yes, they get paid-but the real question is: how well are you positioning your story and value?

Exiting a business speakers make money through a mix of direct and indirect revenue streams. It's not just about the speaking fee-though that's a big one. Let's break it down:

1. Paid Speaking Engagements.
- This is the most obvious source. Fees vary based on experience, notoriety, and audience size.
- Example: A founder who exited a SaaS company might get $5,000 to speak at a B2B tech summit.

2. Workshops and Masterclasses.
- Many speakers offer deep-dive sessions for accelerators, VC firms, or corporate teams.
- These can be priced per session or per attendee.

3. Online Courses and Digital Products.
- Turn your exit knowledge into a course. Platforms like Teachable or Kajabi make this easy.
- Bundle your frameworks, checklists, and templates.

4. Consulting and Advisory Roles.
- After a talk, attendees often want more. That's where consulting gigs come in.
- You might help startups prep for acquisition or advise PE firms on founder psychology.

5. Books and Licensing.
- Publishing a book can open doors to higher speaking fees and bulk sales.
- Licensing your content to training companies or universities is another passive income stream.

6. Affiliate and Sponsorship Deals.
- If you speak at virtual summits or host your own, you can earn from affiliate links or sponsors.

In short, the most successful exiting a business speakers treat speaking as the front end of a larger business model. The talk is the hook-what happens after is where the real money often lies.

The income of exiting a business speakers varies widely based on their experience, niche, and brand presence. Let's look at the numbers and what influences them.
Top-tier speakers-think founders of companies like Instagram or WhatsApp-can earn $50,000 to $100,000+ per keynote. These are rare, but they set the ceiling.
Mid-level speakers with notable exits (e.g., a $10M acquisition or successful IPO) often earn $5,000 to $15,000 per event. They may also supplement with consulting or online courses.
Entry-level speakers just starting out may earn $500 to $2,000 per talk, or speak for free to build their brand and get leads.
Here's a sample income breakdown:

Speaker Level	Avg. Fee per Talk	Talks per Year	Estimated Annual Income
Top-Tier	$75,000	10	$750,000
Mid-Tier	$7,500	20	$150,000
Entry-Level	$1,000	25	$25,000

Factors that impact earnings:
- Niche: Tech and finance speakers often earn more than those in niche lifestyle industries.
- Geography: US and European markets tend to pay more than emerging markets.
- Format: In-person keynotes pay more than virtual panels.
So while some exiting a business speakers make six or seven figures, others use speaking as a lead generator for higher-ticket services. It all depends on your strategy.

Hiring an exiting a business speaker can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to six figures, depending on who you're booking and for what purpose. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:

1. Virtual Events:
- Emerging Speakers: $500 - $2,000.
- Mid-Level Experts: $2,000 - $10,000.
- High-Profile Names: $10,000 - $50,000.

2. In-Person Conferences:
- Travel & Accommodation: Often additional unless bundled.
- Keynote Speakers: $15,000 - $100,000+.
- Breakout Session Speakers: $3,000 - $10,000.

3. Private Workshops or Corporate Training:
- Half-Day Session: $5,000 - $15,000.
- Full-Day Session: $10,000 - $30,000.

4. Licensing or Content Use:
- If you want to record and reuse the talk, expect to pay extra for licensing rights.

Variables that affect cost:
- Speaker's notoriety: A founder who exited a unicorn startup will cost more than a regional entrepreneur.
- Event size and prestige: Global summits pay more than local meetups.
- Customization: Tailored talks or workshops usually cost more.

If you're booking through platforms like Talks.co, you can often filter by budget and see speaker fees upfront. That transparency helps match the right speaker to the right event without surprises.

Steve Case: Co-founder of AOL, Case has become a prominent voice on startup exits and regional innovation. His talks blend business strategy with policy insights.

Ben Horowitz: After selling Opsware to HP for $1.6B, Horowitz became a sought-after speaker on scaling and exiting. His talks are brutally honest and packed with tactical advice.

Sophia Amoruso: Though her exit from Nasty Gal was unconventional, she speaks candidly about failure, reinvention, and the realities of business exits.

Reid Hoffman: Co-founder of LinkedIn, Hoffman's insights on exits, acquisitions, and scaling are legendary. His talks often explore the intersection of entrepreneurship and ethics.

Barbara Corcoran: After selling her real estate company for $66 million, she became a fixture on Shark Tank and a popular speaker on business exits and reinvention.

Daymond John: Known for FUBU and his role on Shark Tank, John speaks frequently about brand exits, licensing deals, and long-term equity strategies.

Howard Schultz: While not a traditional 'exit', Schultz's transition from CEO of Starbucks into public life and back again offers deep insights into leadership and legacy.

Jessica Livingston: As a co-founder of Y Combinator, she's not an exiter herself but has mentored hundreds of founders through exits. Her talks are gold for early-stage founders.

Elon Musk: Though better known for building, Musk's exits from Zip2 and PayPal shaped his early capital strategy. His rare talks on exits are highly influential.

Whitney Wolfe Herd: After leaving Tinder and founding Bumble, her IPO exit story is a powerful case study in resilience and vision.

Daniel Ek (Sweden): The Spotify founder speaks globally on scaling and strategic exits, especially in the European tech scene.

Nir Eyal (Israel/US): While best known for behavioral design, Eyal's exit from AdNectar and his talks on product-market fit and acquisition readiness are top-tier.

Melanie Perkins (Australia): Canva's founder hasn't exited yet, but her talks on building for acquisition-readiness and long-term value are globally respected.

Jack Ma (China): Though Alibaba's IPO was more of an entry than an exit, Ma's talks on founder succession and stepping back are deeply insightful.

Patrick Collison (Ireland/US): Stripe hasn't exited, but Patrick's talks on building for long-term acquisition value and investor alignment are widely cited.

Ritesh Agarwal (India): Founder of OYO, Agarwal speaks on scaling and exit strategy in emerging markets, offering a unique non-Western perspective.

Natalie Massenet (UK): After selling Net-a-Porter for $540M, her talks on luxury e-commerce exits and founder transitions are highly regarded.

Chamath Palihapitiya (US/Sri Lanka): Known for SPACs and early Facebook days, Chamath's talks on IPOs and exits are provocative and data-driven.

Marc Andreessen (US): Co-founder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz, his insights on exits, especially in the VC world, are globally influential.

Julie Bornstein (US): After leading Stitch Fix through IPO and exiting, her talks on DTC brand exits are a masterclass in strategic growth.

Let's get real about what it means to be an exiting a business speaker. There's a lot of noise out there, and not all of it's helpful. So here are a few common misconceptions that might be holding you back - and the truth behind them.

1. Myth: You need to have sold a billion-dollar company to be taken seriously.
Nope. While unicorn founders like Stewart Butterfield (Slack) or Melanie Perkins (Canva) might grab headlines, the reality is that audiences crave authenticity and practical insights. A founder who exited a $2M SaaS business with a clean earn-out and lessons learned about team transitions can be just as valuable - sometimes more so - to a room full of entrepreneurs in the trenches.

2. Myth: Exiting a business speakers only talk about money.
This one's flat-out wrong. Sure, valuation and deal structure come up, but the best speakers in this space dive into mindset shifts, emotional readiness, leadership exits, and even post-sale identity crises. Think of someone like Bo Burlingham, author of 'Finish Big' - his talks focus on the human side of exits, not just the spreadsheets.

3. Myth: You need to be a polished, TED-style speaker.
Not even close. Many of the most compelling exiting a business speakers are raw, direct, and real. They're not there to perform - they're there to share. Whether it's a founder from a rural manufacturing business or a digital nomad who sold a dropshipping brand, what matters is clarity and relevance, not stage theatrics.

4. Myth: There's only one type of exit worth talking about - the big acquisition.
Actually, exits come in all shapes: employee buyouts, family succession, private equity roll-ups, even shutting down with dignity. Speakers who've navigated these less-glamorous exits often deliver the most grounded, relatable insights. And audiences love that.

5. Myth: Once you've exited, your speaking career is automatic.
It's not. You still need to build your platform, clarify your message, and find your audience. Tools like Talks.co can help match you with the right podcast hosts or event organizers, but you've got to do the work to stand out. More on that in the resources section.

When it comes to exiting a business speakers, success doesn't follow a single script. Let's look at a few standout examples that show just how varied - and powerful - these journeys can be.

In the UK, John Warrillow, author of 'Built to Sell', turned his experience selling a marketing automation company into a global speaking career. His talks blend storytelling with frameworks, helping founders understand how to design businesses that are actually sellable. What makes John's approach resonate is his ability to break down complex financial and operational concepts into relatable, founder-friendly language. He didn't just exit - he built a methodology around it.

Then there's Miko Matsumura, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who exited multiple crypto and tech startups. Miko speaks at global conferences, from Tokyo to Berlin, and his talks often focus on the intersection of exit strategy and emerging tech. What sets him apart is his ability to tailor his message to both startup founders and corporate innovators - a rare skill that's earned him a diverse international audience.

Closer to home, consider the story of a small-town Australian founder who sold her boutique skincare brand to a regional distributor. She now speaks at local business events and online summits, sharing the emotional rollercoaster of exiting a business built on personal identity. Her talks aren't flashy, but they're deeply resonant - especially for solo founders and lifestyle entrepreneurs.

And let's not forget the podcast circuit. Entrepreneurs like Walker Deibel, author of 'Buy Then Build', have carved out a niche by speaking about acquisition entrepreneurship. His appearances on shows like 'Smart Passive Income' and 'The DealMakers Podcast' have helped him build authority and drive sales for his book and courses.

Each of these speakers took a different path - some global, some local, some niche, some broad. But they all share one thing: they turned their exit into a platform for impact and insight. That's the real win.

The landscape for exiting a business speakers is shifting - not just in what audiences want to hear, but in how and where those stories are told. If you're thinking about stepping into this space, here's what's on the horizon.

First, expect more demand for niche expertise. Generalist talks about 'how I sold my company' are giving way to hyper-specific sessions like 'navigating earn-outs in SaaS' or 'exiting a family-owned business without burning bridges'. As more founders get savvy, they want speakers who've walked their exact path.

Second, virtual and hybrid stages are here to stay. Online summits, LinkedIn Live events, and curated podcast appearances are becoming just as valuable as keynote spots. This opens the door for speakers from underrepresented regions or industries to reach global audiences without the travel budget.

Third, the rise of micro-exits is changing the narrative. Not every exit is a $50M payday. More founders are selling Shopify stores, newsletters, or micro-SaaS tools for five or six figures - and those stories are gaining traction. Expect more speakers to emerge from the indie hacker and creator economy scenes.

Fourth, audiences are craving transparency. Glossy success stories are out. Talks that explore the emotional toll of selling, the identity shift post-exit, or even failed exits are resonating more. Vulnerability is becoming a strength on stage.

Here are a few key trends to watch:
- More female and BIPOC founders stepping into the spotlight post-exit.
- Growth of regional speaker circuits in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
- Demand for bilingual or culturally contextualized talks.
- Integration of AI tools to help speakers tailor their message to different audiences.

In short, the future of exiting a business speakers isn't just about bigger exits - it's about deeper stories, broader access, and smarter delivery.

- Talks.co. A smart platform that matches speakers with podcast hosts and event organizers. Great for getting booked if you've got a compelling exit story but no speaking track record yet. Tip: Create a strong speaker profile with a clear niche (e.g. 'Exited a DTC brand via aggregator').

- SpeakerHub. A global directory where you can list your profile, browse speaking opportunities, and connect with event planners. Especially useful if you're looking to break into international markets or industry-specific events.

- Slidebean. If you're crafting a keynote or workshop, Slidebean helps you build slick, investor-style decks fast. Especially helpful if your exit involved raising capital or M&A negotiations - visuals matter.

- Clarity.fm. Want to get feedback on your talk or rehearse with someone who's been there? Book a call with experienced founders or speaking coaches. It's pay-per-minute, so you can get high-quality input without a huge time commitment.

- Airmeet. A virtual event platform that's speaker-friendly and great for hosting your own online workshops or panels. If you're not getting booked yet, host your own event and invite others in your niche.

- LinkedIn Creator Mode. Turn on Creator Mode to showcase your speaking topics, grow your audience, and get discovered by event organizers. Post clips from past talks or share insights from your exit journey.

- Eventbrite. Not just for finding events - you can also list your own workshops or webinars. Great for testing your content and building a following before you pitch larger conferences.

These tools aren't just about getting on stage - they're about building your platform, refining your message, and connecting with the right audience. Use them strategically, and you'll go from post-exit founder to sought-after speaker in no time.