In this episode, host Michael Stanley sits down with Zane Tarence, partner at Founders Advisors and author of The 17 Reasons Your Company Is Not Investment Grade. Drawing from his transition from an IBM software engineer to a successful tech entrepreneur and veteran middle-market investment banker, Tarence unpacks what it truly means for a private company to be "investment grade".

He breaks down the critical levers that drive business valuation, emphasizing the power of hiring A-players, weaponizing clean financials through predictive modeling rather than just tax avoidance, and engineering highly valuable recurring revenue streams. Tarence also addresses common founder pitfalls, from customer concentration risks to managing the entrepreneurial ego when working out of the business to build transferable value. Whether you plan to sell soon, raise capital, or scale sustainably, this episode provides a strategic roadmap to giving your private business its own valuation "ticker symbol".

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zane-tarence-22375323/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-k-stanley-jr-mba-cexp™-30916131/

Use our complimentary code KeelPoint_FA to take the Founders' Investment Grade Assessment.

Disclaimer: To provide securities-related services, certain principals of Founders Advisors, LLC are licensed with Founders M&A Advisory, LLC, member of FINRA & SiPC. Founders M&A Advisory is a wholly owned subsidiary of Founders Advisors. Neither Founders Advisors nor Founders M&A Advisory provide investment advice.