Private Equity Exit Strategy. What Happens After Selling? - Eric Wiklendt

Long Angle is a private, vetted global community of accomplished entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals who have reached meaningful financial milestones and want to navigate wealth with peers who understand their challenges, opportunities, responsibilities, and ambitions.

Hosted by the founders of the Long Angle community, Navigating Wealth is a podcast for founders, executives, and investor operators who have built significant wealth. Each episode features a guest with an unusual career journey and deep expertise across some aspect of the economy, investing, family, health, or lifestyle.

Today we're thrilled to welcome Eric Wiklendt. Eric is a Managing Director and Partner at Speyside Equity, where he leads middle-market manufacturing investments. With experience as a former manufacturing CEO at Kelix Heat Transfer Systems and leadership roles at Eaton and Hilti, Eric brings an operator's perspective to private equity. He holds a BBA from Notre Dame and an MBA from Wharton, focusing on turning complex manufacturing businesses into high-performing assets.

Key Topics Covered:
• The three exit scenarios every founder should understand (full exit, transition, continuation)
• What to actually expect when selling to private equity vs. a strategic buyer
• How operator-led PE firms differ from traditional investment banking-driven firms
• Why the shift from growth-focused to EBITDA-focused can surprise founders
• Current manufacturing trends: tariffs, reshoring, and workforce challenges
• The impact of AI and automation on manufacturing jobs
• The K-shaped economy and what it means for middle-class manufacturing jobs

Links:
• Learn More About Daily Body Coach: http://www.dailybodycoach.com/navigatingwealth
• Speyside Equity: https://www.spacesideequity.com
• Eric Wiklendt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericwiklendt
• Long Angle Community: https://www.longangle.com/apply-now-nw