E.119 - From Founder-Led Sales to Global Exit in 7 Years: The Complete Lifecycle w/ Simon Black

How do you take a tech startup from a raw idea, through the grind of founder-led sales, all the way to a successful exit? In this episode of WMYT? What Makes You Tick, we explore the complete "circle of life" of a founder with Simon Black.Simon, a UK based tech veteran with over 20 years of experience at companies like IBM and Autonomy, walks us through his seven-year journey founding Awaken Intelligence. We discuss the painful but necessary transition of letting go of sales, a unique "fly-in" strategy for conquering the US market on a budget, and the "FABRIC" of a winning culture.If you are a first-time CEO or founder looking to shortcut your journey and potentially double your exit value, this masterclass is for you.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:• The "Fly-In" US Expansion Strategy: How Simon cracked the US market and secured triple-digit growth without hiring expensive local leadership immediately, saving £100k a year in the process.• Transitioning from Founder-Led Sales: The emotional rollercoaster of handing over the reins, the importance of a playbook, and why hiring junior sales staff too early was a critical mistake.• Culture & The "No Aholes" Rule:** ** Why Simon implemented a strict veto policy on hiring and how the "FABRIC" value system (Fun, Agility, Be the Best, Responsibility, Integrity, Curiosity) held the team together.• The Power of Partnerships: How shifting from 100% direct sales to a partner-led model accelerated revenue and led to a strategic exit.• The Exit: The reality of merging with a US firm and the final acquisition by Capacity to ensure a safe home for the team.🔗 CONNECT WITH SIMON BLACK: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacksimon/FOLLOW RICHARD WASHINGTON : https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Read Richard’s Newsletter Growth Magnet: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928🔔 Subscribe to What Makes You Tick#FounderLedSales #SaaSExit #USExpansion #StartupCulture #TechEntrepreneur #SimonBlack #WMYT