Next Exit

Bringing stories and advice from industry leaders, on running a business to maximise your next exit.

Next Exit is a business podcast hosted by Dan Thompson | Kluster, with 13 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Dan Thompson | Kluster hosts Next Exit, a business show with 13 episodes published.

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  Next Exit

  #13: The $35M Decision: Boardroom Calls That Define Exit Valuations, with Betsy Atkins, Google Cloud Advisory Chair & 38 Time Board Director

  Jun 4, 202648 minS0

  <p><b>Betsy Atkins</b> has taken 17 companies through IPOs and served on 38 public company boards, including Wynn Resorts. She chairs Google Cloud's Executive Advisory Board, sits on Apollo's Advisory Board, and has navigated everything from an FBI raid mid-crisis to activist campaigns that replaced entire boards.</p><p>In this episode, Betsy reveals what PE-backed companies get catastrophically wrong when planning exits. She explains why bottom-half performers attract activists, how to position a portfolio company as acquisition gold for strategics, and why boards without tech fluency are presiding over zombie companies. This is boardroom reality from someone who has...

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  Next Exit

  #12: How to Lead a Public Company Through a Strategic and Operational Reset with Joseph Sanborn, CFO of EverQuote

  Apr 23, 20261h 1mS0

  <p>In this episode, Dan speaks with Joseph Sanborn, CFO of EverQuote, about leading a public company through a full strategic and operational reset. Joseph shares how EverQuote navigated a severe industry downturn, exited non-core initiatives, refocused on its data and technology strengths, and rebuilt discipline around cash flow, profitability, and decision-making.</p><p>Drawing on his background in investment banking, corporate strategy, and M&A, Joseph explains how CFOs build credibility during uncertainty, why clarity beats optimism with investors, and how aligning teams around fundamentals ultimately drove a significant recovery in shareholder value. This episode is a practical look...

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  Next Exit

  #11: The Decisions CEOs Make That Create Value with 6-time CEO Patrick Dennis

  Jan 8, 202651 minS0

  <p>In this episode, Dan speaks with Patrick Dennis, a six-time CEO and seasoned private equity operator, about the decisions that create value, and why most leadership teams get this wrong.</p><p>Patrick’s career spans leading global businesses through IPOs, complex restructurings, PE-backed transformations, and multiple exits, including serving as CEO of Avaya during a critical turnaround period. Drawing on decades of experience at the sharp end of decision-making, he explains how the best CEOs cut through noise early, identify the few decisions that truly matter, and avoid the complexity that destroys value.</p><p>From “no-regret” moves in the...

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  Episode #11

  #11: Leading a Public Company Through a Strategic Reset with Joseph Sanborn, CFO at Everquote

  Dec 18, 202559 minS1

  <p>In this episode, Dan speaks with Joseph Sanborn, CFO of EverQuote, about leading a public company through a full strategic and operational reset. Joseph shares how EverQuote navigated a severe industry downturn, exited non-core initiatives, refocused on its data and technology strengths, and rebuilt discipline around cash flow, profitability, and decision-making.</p><p>Drawing on his background in investment banking, corporate strategy, and M&A, Joseph explains how CFOs build credibility during uncertainty, why clarity beats optimism with investors, and how aligning teams around fundamentals ultimately drove a significant recovery in shareholder value. This episode is a practical look...

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  Episode #10

  #10: How to Build a $100B Business That Never Missed a Forecast with Keith Taylor, CFO of Equinix

  Oct 23, 20251h 3mS1

  <p>In this episode, Dan speaks with Keith Taylor, CFO of Equinix, the $100B global digital infrastructure company and one of the longest-serving CFOs in the S&P 500. Keith shares how he helped build Equinix from a 10-person startup into a global market leader that delivered 88 consecutive quarters of revenue growth and missed a forecast only once in 25 years.</p><p>From surviving the dot-com crash and restructuring billions in debt to leading global expansion across more than 75 markets, Keith explains how discipline, adaptability, and long-term thinking have shaped the business. He also breaks down his forecasting philosophy, why capital...

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