#33 - Laurel Mintz (Basset Furniture & Elevate)

Laurel shares her journey of being thrust into running her father's Bassett Furniture franchise business at 26 when he was diagnosed with stage four cancer.   She details the emotional and professional challenges of managing and eventually selling the over-leveraged business back to corporate, which financially devastated her family.   After overcoming these hardships, Lauren launched her own successful marketing firm, Elevate, which she later transitioned to an ESOP for her employees. She also discusses the inception of Fabric VC, a venture fund supporting women and BIPOC founders, highlighting its unique marketing-driven approach to investment.      00:30 Welcome to The Exit Whisperer 01:11 Laurel Mintz's Story Begins 02:17 Taking Over the Family Business 08:10 Facing Financial Challenges 13:36 Launching Elevate: A New Venture 16:15 The Birth of Fabric VC 21:42 The ESOP Decision 24:08 Fabric VC: Progress and Vision 25:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts