I Said No to Millions—And That Decision Made Me Millions More (#425)

Copy of 425 I Said No to Millions -- And That Decision Made Me Millions More
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Jeffrey Feldberg: [00:00:00] Hello there and welcome to a solo episode of the Deep Wealth Podcast. And this is the show that's all about helping you create a business that thrives today and sets you up to extract your Deep Wealth tomorrow. And I'm your host, Jeffrey Feldberg, co-founder of Deep Wealth, and I'm the guy who went from failing out of his parents' attic startup to achieving a 9-figure liquidity event. But let me be clear, my 9-figure exit, it didn't happen by accident and it sure wasn't luck. It was preparation. It was a system and was learning the hard way that the skills that build a business are not the same skills to sell it.

So if you're a business owner and you're thinking about selling one day, and I know you are, whether that's two 2 away, or 22 years away, or you have already been approached by perhaps a future buyer or even investor, this episode might just save you millions of dollars and years of regret. So stick around, because today I'm gonna be revealing the number one [00:01:00] reason why most business exits fail, and more importantly, what you can do about it so that your exit doesn't.

And by the way, if you're new here do yourself a favor right now, subscribe. Please subscribe because every week I bring you strategies from the trenches. Yes. This is not theory. This is not from the textbooks. We leave that to the classrooms this is real talk, and this is the exact same system that I use to say "no" to a 7-figure offer and later, "yes," to 9-figures.

Now, if you're serious about growing your business, and I know you are, and you wanna capture the best deal, instead of any deal, please listen closely. And if you're even thinking about a future exit, I want you to send us an email, send it to success@deepwealth.com. You know, success, S U C C E S S @. Deep wealth.com and in the subject, put "Deep Wealth Mastery."

This is our flagship 90 day program. It's an experience that has changed lives and created legacies. 

[00:02:00] Alright, let's get into it. Let's talk about why most exits fail and what you can do to ensure that yours doesn't.


Let me take a moment here and tell you a quick story because it matters. You see, I wasn't always that guy behind a 9-figure business exit. Far from it, my journey started the same way as many entrepreneurs, business owners and founders. I had a dream, but I had no money and no clue what I was really getting myself into.

In fact, when I started my first business Embanet, I was living out of my parents' attic. I was eating failure for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day in, day out, I was doing everything and I mean everything wrong, and I was doing it in the shadows while my MBA classmates, they were buying homes, driving new cars and enjoying the good life. Me, I was barely hanging on. I had no experience, no team and no outside funding.

But I had grit. I had a vision, and eventually I found my way. That little attic based company Embanet, [00:03:00] it became an industry disruptor in e-learning. 

We went from, who are you to how can we partner in record time? 

One day there was a knock at the door. It was a Fortune 10 company. Yes, a Fortune 10 company that showed up with a 7-figure offer to buy the business.

Now everyone around me, my family, my friends, even advisors, said. Jeffrey, take the money. This is your moment. But I said, no, not because I didn't need the money. Believe me, I did. I said no, because I knew deep down I wasn't ready. I was playing checkers and the buyers were playing chess. 

I didn't know the rules.

I didn't even know the game.

That "no" led to two of the most grueling eye-opening and transformative years of my life. I studied everything I could about mergers and acquisitions, enterprise value, buyer psychology. And the mistakes business owners make when it matters most. I spoke with M&A lawyers, investment bankers, private equity firms, buyers, sellers who won big, and [00:04:00] sellers who lost everything.

And then I started to build a system. 

Now, this wasn't just a checklist, it wasn't just a few tips and tricks. 

This was a battle tested framework. It came from the trenches to turn chaos into clarity and blind spots into value.

When I put that system into action, the one that would later become the Deep Wealth 9-step Roadmap, something remarkable happened. I was having different conversations. I was speaking with many different buyers, and then that same business without any radical changes to the service, to the team we got a 9-figure offer.

I want that to sink in. 

Same business. 

Different system. 

Different preparation. 

Different outcome. 

And here's what I want you to understand. This is not about me, it's about you. Because right now you're probably a lot like I was back then. You've built something special. You've put in the years, the time, the tears, the sacrifices.

Maybe you've even had a buyer show up out of nowhere with a quote unquote [00:05:00] generous offer. And I use those air quotes because here's the truth. If you're not prepared, if you don't have the roadmap, you're leaving money on the table guaranteed. 

The fatal mistake is that most business owners think they'll figure it out when the time comes, but by then it's too late. The buyers are already 10 moves ahead, and you're playing defense with your future on the line, and we're talking about not just your legacy, but your financial freedom. 

And that's why I created the Deep Wealth Mastery Program, a 90 day program, to flip the script, to take business owners like you and tilt the playing fields to your favor. I. So you walk into your liquidity event, not just hoping for a good deal, but knowing that you're getting the best one.

Because I'll tell you right now, and I'll say this more than once: 

You don't get the deal you deserve. 

You get the deal, you negotiate. 

And you can't negotiate when you're not prepared. And listen, I get it. You're busy, you've got a business to run, but I'm telling you right [00:06:00] now, this is the work that protects.

Everything that you've built. So when I say the 90 day Deep Deep Wealth Mastery program, this flagship program, I mean exactly that. Listen, it's not cheap. It's not watered down and is not for people looking for that magic bullet. But if you're still with me, if what I shared hits home, then I've got some great news.

You've already done the hard part. You've built something valuable. Now it's time to make sure that you don't lose it in the. Final hour, and that's what this episode and this entire podcast is all about. So stick with me because up next I'm breaking down the exact reason most business owners fail right at the finish line and how you can make sure that you don't.

So let me share some numbers with you. These are real ones, not the kind that sound good in a pitch deck or the ones buyers float around in maybe offers. I'm talking about the numbers that should scare you and motivate you. 

Are you ready? 

Okay, here we go. Up to 90% of all liquidity events fail. [00:07:00] Let me say that again.

*9 0%.* 

So if you're planning to sell your business again, 2 years from now, 22 years from now, and you don't have a plan, you don't have preparation, and you don't have the right team or mindset, you've got about the same odds as flipping a coin and getting heads nine times in a row, and it gets worse.

Of the 10% of exits that quote unquote succeed, and I'm using those air quotes very generously here. 

*Most business owners are leaving 50% to over 100% of their business value in the buyer's pocket and insult to injury, they don't even know it. *

You heard that, right? 

That means even if you quote unquote succeed, you're probably getting half or less of what your company is actually worth.

And here's a punchline that makes me really furious every time most business owners have no idea why and what they've lost, they walk away thinking they got a great deal when the truth is the buyer just walked [00:08:00] away with your retirement, your legacy, and your years of sacrifice at a huge discount. 

Let me give you a personal example.

When that Fortune 10 buyer first came to me with that 7-figure offer, it felt like a dream come true. Everyone told me, take it. My friends, my family, even advisors I respected, but something didn't sit right. I knew there had to be more. And that's why two years later, with the right preparation, and that's the key, the right preparation I said "yes" to a 9-figure deal. 

And again, same company, same product. So you may be asking what changed? 

The short answer is, I did. I learned the rules of the game and I played to win. 

And let's be clear, if I had said "yes" to that first offer, well, I never would've known what I left on the table. And that's what I wanna protect you from, because right now, whether you realize it or not, you're one bad decision away from joining the 90%.

Or worse joining the 10% who still [00:09:00] lose and never even know it. 

So let me ask you this. 

What are you doing to prepare? 

What system are you using to ensure your future buyer doesn't walk away with your wealth? 

And if you don't have an answer, it is time to get one. 

And again, that's why I created the Deep Wealth 9-step Roadmap, the exact system that turned my 7-figure almost into a 9-figure reality, because I've lived it. I've made the mistakes, and now I'm giving you the exact blueprint. 

So here's the deal. If you're listening to this and thinking I'll figure it out later while I've got news for you later, becomes never every day you delay, you put your future, your family, and your financial freedom at risk.

But the good news, you can fix it right now, and that's where we're going to dive in next.


So what's the real reason most business exits fail? 

Well, I gotta tell you, it's not the economy. It's not bad timing, and it's not the market, the interest rates or the buyer [00:10:00] pool. 

Don't shoot the messenger with what I'm about to say next. 

It's you. 

It's the business owner, and I say that with love and brutal honesty. The number one reason exits fail is because business owners show up unprepared. 

That's it. 

It's not a sexy answer. 

It's not what the gurus are going to sell you in some flashy webinar, but it's the absolute truth and it's the one thing you can control.

Most business owners make a fatal assumption. They believe that the same skills that built the business are the same ones that sell it.

And let me be perfectly clear, they're not, not even close. You can be world class at building a business and still get crushed at the deal table. 

Why? 

Because selling a business is not a transaction. It's not a handshake and a payout. It's a psychological chess match where the buyer has a playbook and you don't.

Buyers, they've done this before. You haven't. They've got teams of advisors, lawyers, analysts, and negotiators. You've got, well, maybe [00:11:00] your accountant and some gut instinct. It's a slaughter and it's designed to be. 

Think about it, the buyer's goal. Isn't to give you fair market value. 

The buyer's goal is to get maximum value for minimum price and leave you feeling like you've won.

And if you don't know what the Rembrandts in the attic are, the hidden gems that boost your business value. Or your skeletons in the closet, those blind spots that can kill deals. Well, you are toast, plain and simple, and I know this because I was almost one of those business owners, if I had said "yes" to that first 7-figure offer, I would've been high fiving myself all the way to the bank with no idea I just gave away untold millions of dollars. Most business owners never get a second chance. 

Well, I did, and that's why I built Deep Wealth Mastery so you can stop gambling with your future.

The 9-step Roadmap I created doesn't just help you prepare for your exit. It gives you certainty, certainty that when the time comes, you're not getting any deal, you're [00:12:00] getting the best deal because here's the bottom line, you can't wing it. You can't wait until the buyer shows up. You can't think I'll figure it out when the time comes.

That's exactly what 90% of business owners do, and that's why 90% of business exits fail. But that's not going to be you because now you know better. So in a minute, I'm gonna show you how to flip the script, level the playing field, and set yourself up for a life-changing exit. But first, let me introduce you to the exact system I used to do it and how you can use it too.


So now that you know why most exits fail, the question becomes: 

What do you do about it? What's the solution? What's the roadmap? Because hoping for the best isn't a strategy. Neither is waiting until the buyer shows up with an offer and then scrambling to get ready. That's what amateurs do. That's amateur night and amateurs get slaughtered.

But that's not you. 

You're here because you want to win, and that means you need a system, not just any system. A battle tested, [00:13:00] proven framework that puts you in control and tilts the playing field in your favor. 

Enter the Deep wealth 9-step Roadmap. 

Now, this isn't some academic theory. This isn't something I read in a book.

This is the exact system I created, tested and used to turn a 7-figure offer into a 9-figure exit. And in fact, this is the exact same system where I took my failures, yes, as successful as I was, I made some mistakes, reverse engineered those mistakes and put them into the Deep Wealth 9-step Roadmap.

And it's the exact same system that hundreds of business owners have now used to grow their companies, skyrocket their enterprise value and create deal certainty, not just deal hope.

*So what is it? *

The Deep Wealth 9-step Roadmap is your step by step strategy to grow your business today. Position for a liquidity event tomorrow, and extract your deep wealth when the time is right for you. 

It walks you through everything the buyer's hope. You'll never learn [00:14:00] things like how to define your big picture so you know what you actually want from your exit instead of waking up rich and miserable. 

How to uncover your X factors, the hidden gems in your business that insanely increase your enterprise value.

How to identify your future buyer and reverse engineer what they'll pay top dollar for. 

How to run an internal due diligence. Process that finds and fixes problems before a buyer even sees them. 

How to develop a winning mindset that keeps you clear, confident, and in control, even in the chaos. 

How to build your advisory team so you have the best people in your corner, not just the cheapest or most familiar, and even how to master timing and execution because even the right deal at the wrong time can be a disaster. 

Even things like how to uncover skeletons in the closet before your buyer does and flip your Rembrandts into marketing gold and how to launch your growth strategies while preparing for your exit, so your business becomes irresistible to buyers.

Now, [00:15:00] again, this is not theory. 

This is war tested strategy. 

Now, here's where most people get it wrong. 

They think they have to choose, do I grow the business or do I prepare for a sale? 

Wrong question. 

The right system, like the deep wealth roadmap, it does both. It grows your profits today and it sets you up to capture your deep wealth tomorrow, whenever you want your tomorrow to be.

And that's exactly what we do inside the Deep Wealth Mastery Program, our 90 day. Flagship experience.


Now before you say, I don't have the time, or I don't have the money, let me tell you something. If you're thinking of selling your business and you don't invest in preparation, you're not saving money, you're burning untold millions. I've seen it firsthand. 

Business owners who walk away from the deal table thinking they won and they left untold millions of dollars behind all because they didn't know what they didn't know.

So ask yourself this. 

What's peace of mind worth? 

What's full control of your timeline, your terms, and your financial future worth? 

[00:16:00] What's knowing without a shadow of a doubt that you're getting the absolute best deal, not just a deal. 

That's what we deliver. That's what Deep Wealth Mastery is built for.

Over 90 days, you master the 9-step Roadmap, built out with 30 custom launch plans for your business, and you're walking away with absolute clarity and control over your exit. Or your next stage of growth.

You do this on your own time, at your own convenience, through our online learning. Hey, remember I'm the e-learning guy. You immerse yourself in a community of elite founders and real-time advisory from people who've been there, they've done it, and they've sold for life-changing amounts.

This is not a course, it's not a webinar. 

*This is a transformation. *

So if you're even thinking about a future exit, again, whether it's 2 years or 22 years from now, now is the time to prepare because as I always say, preparation, that's the gift that keeps on giving, but procrastination. That's the thief of everything.

So here's what's [00:17:00] next. In just a minute, I'm gonna share real stories from business owners just like you, who came through the program and walked away with more money, more clarity, and more control. But if you already know you're ready, you know this is for you, then send that email to S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM

Again, S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM 

And in the subject line, put Deep Wealth. Let us know you're ready, and myself and the team, we will reach out to you right now. Send that email. Let's talk. Let's make sure that you're a fit, and if you are, let's begin to build the future that you deserve together.

All right we've talked about the problem, we've talked through the solution, but let's be honest, you might still be wondering, okay, Jeffrey, it worked for you, but will it work for me? 

I get it. So let's talk about some of the business owners, people just like you who walked into the Deep Wealth Mastery programs with questions, concerns, and real challenges, and walked out with clarity, confidence, and a roadmap to wealth.

Let's start with Rochelle. Rochelle came into the program [00:18:00] thinking it was all about selling her business. Her words, not mine, but what she discovered shocked her. And I quote: 

"I originally thought the Deep Wealth Mastery program would only help when selling my business. She said, I. I was pleasantly surprised to see how deep off mastery began working on the first day to help grow my profits. My profits are higher today, and tomorrow I'll have a higher valuation." 

That's the power of the system. You don't wait to benefit. You start seeing your ROI right away even if you're not selling anytime soon. 

Then there's Kam. Kam is a no-nonsense operator, sharp, seasoned, but he's also skeptical. But after just one insight in the program, he told us: 

"This one is worth diamonds on top of all the other platinum nuggets you already shared with me." 

And after implementing what he learned, what happened? 

He said, "This will lower my stress level and significantly cut down on opex so that we can focus on our new growth with ease."

That's what we do. 

We reduce the stress, cut costs, and boost [00:19:00] growth while prepping you for the best deal of your life. 

Let me tell you about A. Jain.. This one hit close to home. Jain was this close to accepting an unsolicited offer. Think about it. No preparation, no process, as usual, with an unsolicited offer, the buyer waived a big check right under his nose, and he almost said yes. But then he joined Deep Wealth Mastery, and here's what he said and I quote: 

"Deep Wealth prevented me from making what would've been one of the biggest mistakes of my career. I almost signed on the dotted line with an unsolicited offer. I now realize that I would've shortchanged my hard work and future had I accepted that offer." 

End quote. 

Powerful, right? 

And here's the kicker, in Jain's words: 

"Deep Wealth Mastery has tilted the playing field to my advantage." 

And that's what this is all about. Not just leveling the playing field, tilting it in your favor. 

And then there's William S., thirty years in business. You'd think there wouldn't be [00:20:00] much left to learn. But here's what he told me: 

" I've been doing my business for 30 years, and I'm amazed at what I now know and what I didn't know. I have confidence and know I'll make far fewer mistakes from my future liquidity event." 

And it didn't stop there.

William went on to say: 

"The Deep Mastery Program has transformed the KPIs we're using to accelerate our growth and profits. I didn't have the time for the program, but I made the time and I'm glad I did. What I learned goes far beyond any other executive program or coach I've ever experienced." 

And that's the kind of feedback that lights me up because it proves that when you invest in the right preparation, the results ripple across your business and your life.


Now, why am I telling you this? 

Because I want you to know this works not just for me, not just for quote unquote other people, but for business owners across industries, across countries, and across every kind of business model. 

Whether you're in year 3 or year 30, whether you've had offers or haven't even thought about [00:21:00] an exit when you're scaling.

You're stuck or successful, and you just wanna protect what you've built Deep Wealth Mastery was built for you. And just like the business owners, you'll walk away with a proven roadmap, customize launch plans, a stronger, more valuable business, and deal certainty when it counts the most. 

But most of all, you walk away with peace of mind, the kind that only comes from knowing that you're ready, that your exit whenever it comes, won't just be any deal.

It's the absolute best deal. 

So here's what I want you to do. 

If even part of you is saying, this might be what I've been looking for, again, send that email to S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM. Success S-U-C-C-E-S-S at Deep Wealth, D-E-E-P-W-E-A-L-T h.com, and in the subject put Deep Wealth Mastery, and then once we get that myself, my team will reach out.

We'll set up a phone call. We'll be the first to tell you that it's a fit or it is not a fit. And then we'll [00:22:00] personally walk you through the next steps because your future buyer, well, I gotta tell you, they're preparing for the negotiation and it's time that you did too.

Listen, I've shared the stats. I've told you the story and you've heard exactly how and why Deep Wealth Mastery works. But let me say this, because it's important. This program is not for everyone and believe it or not, I say that with pride.

We're not here to help tire kickers, dabblers, or the, I'll get to it laters. We work with serious business owners who know that their exit is the single most important financial decision of their life and who treat it that way. If you're looking for a quick fix or some passive info that you'll half read between meetings, this is not it.

This is the 90 day full throttle, Deep Wealth Mastery experience that rewires how you think about your business, your future, and your wealth. And frankly, I don't care how successful you are today because I've worked with seven and eight figure founders who didn't know what they didn't know, [00:23:00] and were one signature away from getting taken to the cleaners.

Not because they're foolish, but because they were unprepared. And in this game there are no do-overs, one shot, one exit, one deal, get it right and you secure your legacy, your financial freedom, and generational wealth. 

Get it wrong. Well, you spend the next decade wondering what could have been. 

So I'm gonna ask you straight.

Are you willing to bet. Everything you've built on the hope that your buyer, quote unquote, plays fair, or are you ready to play the game to win? 

Because here's the truth, your buyer is preparing for the negotiation. 

Your buyer does this all day long. They're working with advisors, they're running models, they're looking for leverage.

Now, I'll tell you something else that might surprise you. 

We don't accept everyone into the Deep Wealth Mastery program. We actually cap enrollment. We handpick founders who are coachable, committed, and ready to execute. This isn't some automated webinar or evergreen course. This is hands-on high touch and highly [00:24:00] customize because that's what it takes to get results that last, and because of that, spots are limited always. 

So if you're thinking that sounds great, maybe I'll circle back next quarter. 

Let me be blunt. 

You'll either be too late or you'll already have made a mistake. You can't undo. 

Buyers don't wait for you to be ready. The market doesn't care that you're not prepared. 

And opportunity?

Well, it shows up when it wants, not when it's convenience. 

So here's what I want you to do right now. 

Right now send that email to S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM. 

Again, S-U-C-C-E-S-S at D-E-E-P-W-E-A-L-T-H.com. 

S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM 

In the subject line. Put Deep Wealth Mastery, we'll reach out. We'll have a brief conversation to see if you're the right fit and if we can help you achieve what you want most.

And let me say this loud and clear. If you're accepted, you'll walk away with more clarity, more confidence, and more certainty than you ever had. If you're not accepted, we'll point you in the right [00:25:00] direction, no hard feelings, but you'll owe it to yourself, your family, and your future to at least find out.

I want you to remember this, and please listen carefully. 

*You don't get the deal you deserve. You get the deal, you negotiate. *

And if you don't prepare, you're negotiating from a position of weakness. Don't let that be your story, not when you can have a playbook right in front of you. So let me ask you something.

If this episode hit home, if something I said made you stop and think, then now is your moment. You've got two paths in front of you if you're honest with yourself. 

Path number one, you do what most business owners do. You wait, you get busy, you tell yourself, you'll get serious later. You say, yeah, I have years ahead of me. I have a big runway. I'm not thinking about retiring. I am young. I don't have the time. I'd rather be doing something else. Okay, fine. And then one day you get an unsolicited offer, or even worse, you hit burnout or even worse than that one of the skeletons in the closet that you never knew [00:26:00] about it puts you out of business.

And then either you have no business, or if you still do have a business, you're gonna show up to the deal table unprepared, outmatched, and ready to give away the business that you built at a fraction of what it's worth. 

Or path two. You make a decision. You know, you don't have the time, but you decide you're going to find the time. You decide that your business is worth preparing for, that your wealth is worth protecting, and that your legacy is worth maximizing. 

If that's you, if you're ready to take control, then here's your next step. Right now, send an email to S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM. 

Again, S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM. 

We'll set up a call.

It'll be a brief one. We'll go through where you are now, where you want to be, if there's a fit we'll walk you through how Deep Wealth Mastery, what they can do for you personally, specifically, and powerfully. And again, if you're not a fit, we will be the first ones to tell you. No pressure, no judgment, [00:27:00] no pitch, just the truth. 

But if you are a fit, then get ready for 90 days. That will change the way of how you think, operate, and ultimately how you exit your business. Because Deep Wealth Mastery isn't just about getting more for your business, it's about becoming the kind of leader who gets more from life. 

And hey, before you go, make sure you hit that subscribe button wherever you're listening, because here's what's gonna be coming up.

By the way, before we keep going, do me a favor, do yourself a favor. Hit that subscribe button on whatever channel that you're listening to this podcast, because when you subscribe to the Deep Wealth Podcast, here's what's coming. 

Every week I bring you the exact strategies, stories, and secrets that most business owners never hear until it's too late.

We're talking real world tactics behind the scenes M&A, insights and conversations with the sharpest minds in the business, all designed to help you build a business that thrives today and sells for a premium tomorrow. So if you're serious [00:28:00] about your future, if you're done with the fluff and ready for truth that moves the dial, then hit subscribe.

Better yet, leave a quick review and share this episode with a business owner who really needs to hear it. 

Because in a world full of exits that fail and legacies, that fizzle, Deep Wealth exists to help you win and win big. Remember, you get one shot at your business exit. 

You better make it count.

Capture the best deal, not just any deal.

Before we wrap up, let me leave you with this. 

You didn't build your business by accident. I know that. You know that you sacrificed, you pushed, you endured what most people wouldn't even attempt, and you created something of real value, something that matters. It's making a difference to you, to your team, to your customers, the marketplace, all of your stakeholders.

But when it comes to your exit, the stakes are even higher because you only get one shot, one deal. One decision that could unlock your freedom, your legacy, and yes, pun intended, your deep wealth. 

[00:29:00] Or on the flip side, you could destroy it. And the hard truth, most business owners blow it, not because they're not smart, not because they're not successful, but because they were unprepared.

That's not gonna be you not anymore, because now you know the truth. You know that your best deal doesn't just happen. You engineer it, you prepare for it, and you earn it. So don't wait right now. 

Send that email to  S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM 

Again,  S U C C E S S @ DEEPWEALTH.COM. 

In the subject, put Deep Walk Mastery and we'll reach out to you. We'll have the conversation, you'll get the system, you'll get the clarity, you'll get the certainty, and you'll walk into your future exit with confidence, control, and power. 

You've already built something great. Now let's make sure you get everything it's worth.

So there you have it. I'm Jeffrey Feldberg. This is The Deep Wealth Podcast, and as always, may you continue to thrive and prosper while you remain healthy and safe. I'll see you in the next episode.