The EXIT: For many entrepreneurs that’s an exciting feeling. But the acquisition process can also be intimidating and even confusing. Part of the reason for that is there are no set rules for how an acquisition occurs. You may not know why a potential buyer is calling, what exactly they want, or what to expect throughout the process. Tommaso shares valuable lessons learned for Startup Founders on how to navigate towards and through the exit.

1. W H E N S O M E O N E WA N T S
T O B U Y Y O U R S TA RT U P
W H AT I T TA K E S

2. twitter @todiba
hashtag #whatitTakes
name Tommaso

4. F O R C E Y O U R S E L F O U T
O F Y O U R C O M F O R T
Z O N E
W H A T I T TA K E S
#statusQuoSucks

5. what every startup
founder should
know on the journey
to the exit?

7. O N T H E WAY T O E X I T
1.The Foundation
2.The Valuation
3.The Transaction

8. what’s the
foundation the
exit relays on?
#theFoundation

9. s@#t
nobody
here to
help!
http://whatitTak.es
#environment

10. D O Y O U WA N T T O
G R O W A M I M O S A S O R A
S E Q U O I A ? Y O U R C A L L
W H A T I T TA K E S
#environment

11. Hulk ain’t
strong if
alone
http://whatitTak.es
#team

12. Y O U R T E A M M U S T T E L L T H E
“ S T O RY ” O N W H Y Y O U F I T
T O G E T H E R W I T H T H E
A C Q U I R E R W I T H
E X C I T E M E N T A N D E N E R G Y.
W H A T I T TA K E S
#team

13. kamikaze!!
http://whatitTak.es
#distribution

14. H O W Y O U R P R O D U C T
G E T S T O T H E
C U S T O M E R I S K E Y T O
A N Y A C Q U I R E R .
W H A T I T TA K E S
#distribution

15. Innovation
=
mindset
:
process
x
value²
-Tommaso db
http://whatitTak.es
#ip

16. G I V E S Y O U R A C Q U I R E R T H E
C O N F I D E N C E T H AT T H E Y
O W N S O M E T H I N G T H E Y
C A N D E F E N D F R O M
C O M P E T I T O R S .
W H A T I T TA K E S
#ip

17. http://whatitTak.es
this blows
my mind!
#USP

18. W H AT M A K E S Y O U
D I F F E R E N T C O U N T S .
T H E R E S T I S U N S E X Y.
W H A T I T TA K E S
#USP

19. gotcha!
#communication
http://whatitTak.es

20. T H I N G S A R E B O I L E D
D O W N T O
R E L AT I O N S H I P S . T H U S
A LWAY S B E P I T C H I N G .
W H A T I T TA K E S
#communication

21. O N T H E WAY T O E X I T
1.The Foundation
2.The Valuation
3.The Transaction

22. why being funded
makes a difference
towards the exit?
#theValuation

23. S TA RT U P
L I F E
S T Y L E

24. THESTARTUPCURVE
-Paul Graham, Y Combinator

25. • Investor lego
ping me
when you
got traction
http://whatitTak.es
#funding

26. The Average
Successful Startup
Raises $41M,
Exits at $242.9M

27. 500k startups launched
annually
less than half pull the plug
year #1
Only about 5% = 25k exit
successfully

29. I T ’ S N O T A B O U T I F O N E
WA N T S G E T F U N D E D -
B U T W H E N I S T H E
R I G H T T I M I N G T O .
W H A T I T TA K E S
#funding

30. what’s a good time
to start working on
the exit?
#theValuation

31. • Acqui-hire
• Life style = private
• Buyout
• Merge
• Acquisition
• IPO

33. M O M E
N T U M
P R O O FN E E D
B Y U S E R S , PA RT N E R S ,
L A R G E C O R P S
T H O U G H T L E A D E R S H I P I N
N E W S PA C E , K E Y
E M P L O Y E E S , P R E S S
M A U / D A U , R E T E N T I O N ,
A R P U , …

34. we will
we will
rock you!
http://whatitTak.es
#momentum

35. B E A LWAY S P R E PA R E D T O
S TA R T W O R K I N G O N T H E
E X I T D E A L . D O N ’ T M A K E A
B U Y I N G O F F E R C AT C H Y O U
O F F G U A R D .
W H A T I T TA K E S
#timing

36. O N T H E WAY T O E X I T
1.The Foundation
2.The Valuation
3.The Transaction

37. how’s the M&A
process like?
#theTransaction

38. eggs-it
sunny side
up please
http://whatitTak.es
#FOMO

39. Let’s
date!
http://whatitTak.es
#lookout

40. together
we concur
the world
http://whatitTak.es
#dataroom

42. you got in
late
http://whatitTak.es
#hr

43. #capTable

44. http://whatitTak.es
#friction

45. no shopping
now my
dear!
http://whatitTak.es
#termSheet

46. • ABS
WTF!
http://whatitTak.es
#negotiation

47. D E A L
Ttiming
Ssynergies
Iinterest

48. you sure
nothing
can go
wrong?
#purchaseAgreement

49. K E E P C A L M A N D D R I N K
T E A … W E A R E I N D U E
D I L I G E N C E
W H A T I T TA K E S
#M&A

50. what’s after
the exit?
#postExit

51. • lego lucky
b#st*rd
http://whatitTak.es
#postExit

52. S I G N O F F E R L E T T E R S
O F E M P L O Y M E N T A N D
Y O U W I L L B E G I N W O R K
AT T H E N E W C O M PA N Y.
W H A T I T TA K E S
#postExit

53. Let’s do
it again
http://whatitTak.es

54. #swagtimes

55. be.whatitTak.es
take survey
1
2get slides

56. swaaag tommaso
blog whatitTak.es
email whatitTakes@swaa.ag
bio t.branded.me