Exit-Ed: Stories From Grind to Sale

Gabriela Smith

Exit-Ed: Stories from Grind to Sale Join us on Exit-Ed, the podcast where successful founders share the untold stories behind building, scaling, and selling their companies. In each dynamic episode, we go beyond the headlines to explore the challenges, strategies, and pivotal moments that shaped the journeys of entrepreneurs from each corner of the globe. From the long nights spent grinding to the high-stakes negotiations that led to rewarding exits, our guests provide practical insights, hard-won lessons, and inspiration for anyone on the path to success. Whether you're an entrepreneur preparing for a sale, an investor looking to understand founder dynamics, or a business leader seeking new growth strategies, this podcast is for you. Learn from those who've been there. Get Exit-Ed.

Last refreshed: August 15th, 2025 at 9:20 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Ep. 5 - Legal Battles and Cocktails: THIS Founder is Raising the (Can!) (feat. Tatiana Chamorro)

In this energizing and honest episode of Exit-Ed , host Gabriela Smith speaks with Nicaraguan-born founder and Dallas-based entrepreneur Tatiana Chamorro. Tatiana opens up about her evolution from college student and young mom to serial founder, franchise builder, and now Chief Marketing Officer of an innovative cocktail startup. Her journey is packed with sharp business insight, heartfelt lessons, and deeply personal reflections. Tatiana walks us through her early entrepreneurial roots—selling ...

Aug 11, 2025•53 min•Ep. 5

Ep. 4 - Faith, Finance, Growth, and REAL Life (feat. Skip Johnson)

In this deeply candid episode of Exit-Ed , host Gabriela Smith sits down with entrepreneur Skip Johnson for a raw, reflective, and highly practical conversation about what it really takes to scale a business—and then let it go. Skip, a former architect turned financial services founder, shares the winding path that led him from small-town Minnesota to co-founding a retirement planning firm that scaled from a team of two to over 70, earning accolades like the Inc. 5000 and Minnesota Fast 50. With...

Jul 21, 2025•53 min•Ep. 4

Ep. 3 - Charisma, Grit & the Grind (feat. Andy Smith)

In this episode of Exited: Stories from Grind to Sale , host Gabriela Smith welcomes Atlanta-based entrepreneur Andy Smith to explore the candid highs and lows of building, scaling, and exiting businesses. Andy opens up about his transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, driven by a sense of frustration and confinement in traditional roles. In 2007, he co-founded his first company with a partner from the Netherlands, launching an innovative clean energy venture aimed at replacing ...

Jun 30, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 3

Ep. 2 - Disrupting ‘I Do’ (feat. Ashley Hawks)

Episode 2: Disrupting ‘I Do’: How This Exit-Ed Founder Revolutionized the Wedding Industry Hosted by Gabriela Smith In this episode of Exit-Ed , Gabriela Smith sits down with visionary founder Ashley Hawks to discuss her remarkable journey from helping out in her mother’s bridal shop to co-founding, scaling, and ultimately exiting Forever Bride , a company that revolutionized the wedding industry. Ashley shares how growing up surrounded by tulle and tradition gave her insight into the emotional ...

Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 2

Ep. 1 - Not Just Unicorns

In this debut episode of Exit-Ed , host Gabriela Smith lays the foundation for a bold new podcast that dives deep into the untold stories of everyday entrepreneurs who’ve built, scaled, and exited real businesses—without the flash and fame. Gaby, an attorney-turned-founder, shares her perspective from almost two decades of experience working with entrepreneurs from inception to exit. From multi-million-dollar acquisitions to navigating lawsuits, family tensions, and burnout, she’s seen it all. A...

May 19, 2025•9 min•Ep. 1

Exit-Ed: Behind the Curtain of Exits

In the trailer for Exit-ed , host Gabriela Smith introduces a podcast dedicated to shining a light on the untold, real stories of entrepreneurs who have built and sold their companies—without making the national headlines. Drawing on her dual identity as a lawyer and entrepreneur, Gabriela shares her perspective on how entrepreneurial journeys are rarely linear, often underrepresented, and vastly more diverse than the high-profile unicorn exits featured in the media. The podcast will explore the...

May 12, 2025•3 min

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