How Chris Gladwin Raised Over $100M and Achieved a $1.4B+ Exit
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How Much Could You Sell Your Company For?
If a private equity firm or strategic acquirer made an offer to you today, would you take it? Would you know if it's a fair deal? Are you in the position to close a deal?
Getting acquired could transform your life.
Founders don't realize that it usually takes 12-24 months to prepare a company for a successful exit, the sooner you have a plan in place, the greater the potential outcome.
If you want to get acquired, we can help. Book a free discovery call with our team of experts to explore your options and discuss getting a plan in place that could change your life.
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How To Build Businesses Investors Can't Resist; with Chris Gladwin
This week, I'm thrilled to talk with a true tech veteran, Chris Gladwin, a serial entrepreneur and currently the CEO and co-founder of Ocient. Chris shares his journey through multiple successful ventures, including Cleversafe (acquired by IBM for over $1.4 billion) and MusicNow.
He provides valuable insights into raising capital, navigating market cycles, and building resilient tech companies, plus a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, having raised hundreds of millions of dollars across various market conditions. Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, Chris' practical advice and real-world stories make for a great listen!
Here's what you're in for:
07:54 - Strategies for raising capital vs. selling companies
11:03 - Navigating fundraising in different market cycles
23:43 - Understanding valuation models and market trends
30:17 - Avoiding overvaluation and excessive burn rates
37:38 - The benefits of being bought rather than selling
39:35 - How Circuit City acquired Music Now
ABOUT CHRIS GLADWIN
Chris Gladwin is a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple successful exits under his belt. Currently, he is the CEO and co-founder of Ocient, a software company providing solutions for the world's largest data analyzing systems. In 2004, Chris founded Cleversafe, which became the largest and most strategic object storage vendor in the world. Under his leadership, Cleversafe had over 1,000 patents granted or filed. After raising over $100M, Chris led the company to a $1.4B exit in 2015 when IBM acquired the company.
Chris's experience spans various sectors, including data storage, digital music, and enterprise software. Before Cleversafe, Chris founded MusicNow and Cruise Technologies and led Zenith Data Systems' product strategy. He started his career at Martin Marietta as a database developer and holds an engineering degree from MIT.
Connect with Chris Gladwin on:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-gladwin-7ba42b/
Website: https://ocient.com/
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