Matthew Diteljan co-founded a startup with just $1,500 and scaled it into a national advertising platform targeting high schools. After a partner buyout and burnout, he exited the company—but not without hard lessons. In this raw, honest conversation, Matthew shares how his dream exit turned into unexpected post-sale turmoil, what he’d do differently, and what every founder should consider before pulling the trigger on a deal.

Key Takeaways

• Starting with constraints forces creativity and sharpens focus.
• Bootstrapping helps you stay lean—but can limit scale if you resist outside capital.
• Partner alignment is critical; buyouts can get messy without strong communication.
• Abdicating leadership too early can trigger chaos; train successors with care.
• Walking away from a subpar offer can bring stronger, unexpected buyers.
• Your investment banker works for the deal—stay in control of your own vision.
• Financial freedom doesn’t guarantee peace—post-sale fallout can be brutal.
• Think beyond the exit: what kind of life and legacy do you really want?

Links & Resources

• Matthew Diteljan
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diteljan/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattditeljan/

• Subscribe to the Podcast:

  • Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.

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  • Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.

• Connect with Bruce & the Community:

  • LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt

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  • Email:

    • podcast@eckfeldt.com

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What do you do when the dot-com bust kills your $15M funding round just two weeks before closing? In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt speaks with Roy Vella, co-founder of NetAbacus (later Rivio), who faced a sudden capital crisis in 2000. Instead of folding, he created an employee salary deferral program that extended runway and impressed potential buyers. Roy shares how transparency, co-opetition, and integratable business models shaped the acquisition and his later career at PayPal and beyond. Founders will learn hard-earned lessons about resilience, deal-making, and preparing companies to thrive even when markets collapse.

Key Takeaways

• Crises demand creativity: salary deferral saved months of runway and impressed acquirers.
• Transparency builds trust and accelerates deal-making during tough markets.
• Employee commitment and culture directly affect perceived acquisition value.
• Founders must embrace external visibility—storytelling is as critical as strategy.
• Integration-friendly businesses (API mindset) are far more attractive to buyers.
• Co-opetition often unlocks unexpected deal opportunities.
• Post-exit transitions can be jarring; expect emotional and cultural shifts.
• Strategic investor targeting includes competitors’ backers—who often want diversification.

Links & Resources

• Roy Vella
  • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/royvella

• Subscribe to the Podcast:

  • Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.

• Newsletter & Exclusive Content:

  • Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.

• Connect with Bruce & the Community:

  • LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt

  • Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt

  • Email:

    • podcast@eckfeldt.com

    • bruce@eckfeldt.com

What happens after you sell your company for millions and walk away with no earnout? In this episode, Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with Thomas Michael, a former SAP consultant turned founder who scaled an online training company and exited with a clean deal. Thomas shares how he transformed his business into a subscription model, prepared for acquisition with precision, and what surprised him most after the sale. A must-listen for founders planning their own exits.

Key Takeaways:

• Switching to SaaS doubled the exit multiple through recurring revenue.
• Preparing for an exit can take 1–2 years—start early and organize everything.
• Making yourself unimportant in the business is key to a clean transition.
• Culture by design significantly improves team morale and buyer appeal.
• A good advisory board can add millions in value pre-exit.
• Many buyers will lowball; knowing industry multiples is essential.
• Post-exit identity loss is real—plan ahead for your next chapter.
• Don't underestimate the power of financial and operational clarity in due diligence.

Links & Resources

• Thomas Michael
  • Website: thomasmichaellive.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasmichael1/

• Subscribe to the Podcast:

  • Find From Angel to Exit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Be sure to hit “Subscribe” so you never miss an episode.

• Newsletter & Exclusive Content:

  • Sign up for the free newsletter at eckfeldt.com/podcast for episode transcripts, bonus insights, frameworks, and community updates.

• Connect with Bruce & the Community:

  • LinkedIn: Bruce Eckfeldt

  • Instagram: @bruce_eckfeldt

  • Email:

    • podcast@eckfeldt.com

    • bruce@eckfeldt.com