Stock Your Shaving Cream: Interview with Sean Griffey

Elizabeth Shea sits down with Sean Griffey, co-founder and former CEO of Industry Dive, to discuss his journey of building a bootstrapped media company and navigating two successful exits. Sean shares how he and his co-founders left stable careers to launch niche industry publications at a time when investors were chasing "the next Buzzfeed” and why their contrarian strategy paid off. He reflects on the differences between partnering with private equity and running a competitive sale process to a strategic buyer. He also touches on the importance of financial transparency and the role of strategic communications in appealing to prospective buyers. This episode is for founders looking to maximize their enterprise value and find a buyer who aligns with their culture and long-term vision.