Exit Story: One Founder’s War with Private Equity—and the $500M Ending

When Rich Galgano was 25, he left a sales job in wire distribution to start Windy City Wire. Within nine months, he was doing over $1 million in sales—while fighting a lawsuit from his former employer. Fast forward 30 years, and Galgano had built the dominant low-voltage cable distributor in the U.S., sold it for just under half a billion dollars, and stayed on as CEO. 

In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, you discover how to: 

• Differentiate a commodity product in a sea of sameness 

• Pick the right partner—and avoid the wrong one 

• Structure a minority recap to take chips off the table without losing control 

• Handle a failed sale and come back stronger 

• Buy your company back (and why it may save your life) 

• Time your exit when the business is thriving 

Galgano’s story is a masterclass in pulling yourself up by the bootstraps. From gambling addiction to patents disputes, partner exits, and private equity offers—he’s seen it all. 

Show Notes & Links

Connect with Rich on LinkedIn

Down to the Wire

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Definitions

Due-Diligence: This is a comprehensive appraisal of a business or investment undertaken before a merger, acquisition, or investment. It seeks to validate the information provided and uncover any potential risks or liabilities.

Earn-out: This is a financing arrangement for the purchase of a business, where the seller must meet certain performance goals before receiving the full purchase price. It reduces the buyer’s risk and aligns the interests of both parties post-acquisition.

Look-Back Provision: This provision in an insurance policy allows claims to be made for injuries or illnesses that occurred before the policy was purchased, based on the stipulation that the insured was unaware of the illness or injury at the time of purchase.

About Our Guest

Rich Galgano

Founder and former CEO of Windy City Wire, which he built from scratch and sold for nearly half a billion dollars—a remarkable exit that followed a turbulent personal journey into recovery and transformation.

Rich is a veteran entrepreneur and motivational thinker, formerly in the low-voltage wire and cable industry. Overcoming a history of compulsive gambling in his 20s, he launched Windy City Wire after getting sober—and led the company to scale nationwide before selling it at the top.

He’s also the author of Down to the Wire, a bestselling memoir praised by icons like Paul Stanley and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, chronicling his rise from addiction to building a thriving business on his own terms