What Founders Get Wrong About Selling : Inside the Founder’s Mind with Lord Leigh of Hurley — Co-Founder, Cavendish | House of Lords

Most founders think about exits too late - and in the wrong way.

Lord Leigh of Hurley has spent decades on the other side of the table, advising hundreds of entrepreneurs through high-stakes M&A as Co-Founder of Cavendish Corporate Finance. Today, he also shapes economic policy from the House of Lords  - bringing a rare dual perspective on both business and regulation.

In this episode of Inside the Founder’s Mind, he joins Suleman Sacranie to break down what actually drives capital value, what dealmakers really look for, and how founders can prepare for an exit without losing focus on the business they’re still running.

“Things always take a bit longer than you set out… but you’ve got to follow a plan.”  -Lord Leigh

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What You’ll Learn:

• The biggest mistake founders make during an exit - and how staying profitable can make or break the deal
• Why building for capital value (not just income) is the difference between good and generational outcomes
• How cultural misreads and emotional stress can quietly derail international exits - and what to do about it
• The real mindset of great dealmakers - and why optimism (not bravado) is the hidden ingredient
• What policymakers still don’t get about entrepreneurship - and how founders can influence change

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This one’s for you if you’re:

• Building something you might exit one day (even if that’s years away)
• Trying to understand what acquirers actually care about
• Curious how policy shapes what’s possible for entrepreneurs

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