Do you have an exit strategy when starting a new project?
Starting with the end in mind can completely change how you play the game. It sets the rules from day one and gives you clarity on when it’s time to step away.
I’ve noticed founders fall into two camps:
– Those who just build and see where things go. No exit plan at all.
– Those who always have a clear exit in mind before they even start.
What’s your approach?
Personally, when I start a project, I commit to being in it for at least two years. At that two-year mark, I take a step back and evaluate:
– Am I still interested?
– Is it moving my financial goals forward?
– Has it made the impact on the problem I wanted to solve?
This way, I’m not making emotional, spur-of-the-moment decisions, but I still leave room to adapt.
What works for you? Do you plan the exit from the start or just let it unfold?👇
Replies
It is good to have a plan, but on the way, you never know what will happen.
The fact is that most projects I have seen started (founders had "big eyes" like: yeah, we will be acquired, we will earn big money, yeah yeah yeah"... but... There is BUT – in many cases, their website stopped existing. In other words, they didn't make it.
Even when people plan, circumstances can go totally in another way. Let's take COVID.
@busmark_w_nika yes, but what if you are in 3-4 projects?
You can have a different expectation for each project.
@byalexai that's the better case – to have more than one project so if one thing doesn't go well, I can focus on other things but usually when I split my attention (personally speaking) to many projects, I cannot grow them equally to the acquisition in a fast way. (It is also a good thing to have co-founders – then it is easier with planning as well).
@busmark_w_nika that's why you have partners/employees. Hard to run 5 solo businesses
@byalexai Jotting down the task: Find a co-founder :D
I tend to start with a loose timeline too, it keeps me focused, but still leaves room to adapt if things change
@johannagoulart always! The best approach!
I haven’t exited a project yet, so I can’t claim to have a tested strategy. My assumption is I’d set a success milestone upfront and treat that as the “exit” trigger, whether that’s hitting certain revenue, impact, or learning goals. Until then, it’s all in.
@borja_diazroig by exit I mean even to leave for free/the project to fail.
No need to sell your company/share.
Purposeful Poop
(honestly this feels a bit like engagement bait)
do you really grind on everything for at least 2 years? maybe you start really high ambition projects that require a ton of incubation, but i'm skeptical.
which of the two camps are you in? you said you evaluate at 2 years, but the original question was about your plan when you start. maybe you start with no plan and consider making a plan at 2 years?
what project are you working on these days? what phase is it in?
genuinely curious, and sorry if this came across as harsh, but the original content just scored a bit too high on my linkedin index :)
@catt_marroll No. Very often I realize something isn’t for me much earlier. And I fail. Or sometimes things turn out to be more exciting, and we end up working on them for much longer.
Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding about my point. Right now, I’m working on Forever DAO. This is Plaid for healthcare memory. We’re really in a very early stage. We first started on this topic just three months ago. But if there are no major disruptions, I think I’ll stay active at least until spring 2027, and very likely even after that.
Of course, many projects have been complete failures. Before this, some close friends and I had started a fully offline joint project, but one of them had absolutely no time. And the project stopped. Otherwise, it would have been a 10+ year focus.
I’m the last person in the world who wants to sound like a “LinkedIn guy.” But I always make plans when I start something even if 90% of the time they don’t match how long I actually stay involved. That’s just how I operate.
AFAIC I try not to vision the end too vividly.
I try to remain focused on an interesting financial outcome to avoid shipping for the sake of it and pivot if necessary
If that makes any sense
@mayas_ how often you do it?
1 of my ventures wind up where with reason due to covid-19, where i stood up by 20+ employees to train them for remote workforce in global marketing venture with 10 each for SMM & IM lineups in executive roles who were working before as operations for global warehouse services in US for groceries shifted to marketing domain, where for 1st three months salaries lowered to 2/3 rd of total with no variables and all of them cooperated which was unpredictable, there after gaining multiple clients abroad there pays were raised as per specialization. No exit plans but a hope to let them aware for more better opportunities and thanks to my sales team who work very hard all day for best results.
@ajay27324 Oh, yes, COVID was a complete shock! It definitely changed a lot of plans. But it’s one of those black swan events, so there’s no way to predict it.
What’s your current project?
@byalexai I am building LanceQ - collaborative freelance marketplace after 8 successfully operating ventures including 1 offline (Work from office) and 4 remote (Marketing venture + Global real estate business support + Luxury travel & tourism + Recruitment firm) and rest 3 being operated by hired C-level executives.