Josh Payne didn’t.
He built StackCommerce, a content + commerce platform powering white-labeled stores for brands like CNN and Business Insider. But from day one, he had a personal target: make his stake worth $50 million.
To get there, he raised a modest seed round, avoided dilution, and kept his customer acquisition costs low. When he sold, he still owned 75% of the company—enough to hit his number.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
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Grow without raising round after round
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Preserve equity by aligning capital and exit strategy
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Time your exit around economic cycles (download our free ebook on timing your exit)
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Use affiliate revenue to drive profitable growth
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Reframe your identity after a life-changing exit
Quote of the Week
Half the founders were like, we’re gonna build a billion dollar company… The other half were kind of more like me… If I own 75% of the company and I sell for 75 million bucks, I would be happy with that.
Deals
DMC Power, a high-growth designer and manufacturer of connection systems for utility substations and high-voltage transmission infrastructure, has been acquired by Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE: HUBB) for $825 million in cash.
DMC Power, backed by Golden Gate Capital since 2023, has over 350 employees, operates manufacturing facilities in California and Mississippi, and services customers across North America. The company anticipates $130 million in revenue and $60 million in EBITDA by 2026, reflecting a forward valuation multiple of 13.75x EBITDA.
