How to Build a 7-Figure Company from Scratch (with Mac Lackey)

My guest today is Mac Lackey, an entrepreneur who has founded and sold six companies, each with 7-and 8-figure exits - including two back-to-back internet businesses during the dot-com boom.In this episode, Mac breaks down the exact mindset and playbook that helped him turn businesses into life-changing exits. He shares the story of advising one company who was struggling to sell for $25 million… and guiding them to restructure and close for $42 million in cash just months later.Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by CapitalPad, the marketplace that connects acquisition entrepreneurs with investors who want exposure to small-business deals. Operators list live deals in one place; investors get standardized terms, governance, and distributions. If you are raising for a deal, or you want to back great operators, visit https://capitalpad.com/ - A deal-by-deal private equity investing platformOur sponsor Spacebar Studios builds and runs your newsletter end to end, so you stay top of mind with founders, brokers, LPs, talent and your customers without adding to your workload. Strategy, writing, design, sending, and list growth are handled. HoldCo Builders listeners also get a two-week free trial. Start with a free intro call at https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquireWe discussed:0:00 Who is Mac Lackey + Spanish football club owner0:34 Early life: football-first, scholarship, brief pro career1:28 First company3:06 Early internet wave (1998 eight-figure exit in mid-20s)5:24 Post-exit: acquirer IPOs (’99); starts a football media company9:08 Building the largest non-televised football content shop:14-month sale (2000) during dot-com crash12:20 The “strategic value vs financials” lesson and buyer’s lens14:50 Sponsor: CapitalPad20:14 Engineering a bidding war in London; fast LOI from competitors27:53 Sponsor: Spacebar Studios29:02 Third company: interim CEO, roll-ups, misaligned risk appetites and sells stake (which later becomes a nine-figure outcome)33:23 Life design shift: optimizing for freedom of time after first child48:08 Exit DNA: optionality, 10–100x ROI examples; common fixes (founder dependency, buyer math, estate/tax prep “two years + 1 day”)1:02:52 Bet on peopleSupport our Sponsors:CapitalPad: https://capitalpad.com/SpaceBar Studios: https://www.spacebarstudios.co/inquireReach out to Mac: https://maclackey.com/mikk/Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/6lr5bE3SNZF2uEE7Nb0DHh?si=cP_nAarhRmep1lvnR6uk5gSubscribe on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holdco-builders/id1695713724Follow Mikk/PrivatEquityGuy on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuyThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.