NexChapter | Unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders

About NexChapter | Unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders

Hosted by Raman Sehgal, NexChapter (https://nex-chapter.com/) is the no fluff podcast where post exit founders pay it forward. It is for scaling founders, entrepreneurs, and post exit founders who want the real playbook behind building and selling a business and navigating what comes next. Recorded in The Republic Studio think of it as the republic of founders and entrepreneurs where we share wisdom have fun and celebrate the journey of real accessible entrepreneurs not one in a billion unicorns. Host Raman interviews founders who have sold to unpack the three Ts: Trajectory - the moves that built a business worth buying Transaction - how the deal really happened Transition the post exit reality the messy middle and what is actually working now Unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders.

Publisher

Raman Sehgal

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Apr 2026

Latest episode

18 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   18 Aug 2026

   From Panama Jungle to $90m Exit - Tyler Handley

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Tyler Handley. Tyler is a Canadian entrepreneur best known for co founding Inkbox, a temporary tattoo technology and brand that redefined self expression. Under Tyler's leadership, Inkbox was one of the fastest growing companies in Canada, culminating in its acquisition by BIC for $90M in 2022. He is now redefining the car freshener category with Olauto, as well as being an active investor and advisor. What we cover Scratching his own itch, travelling to the jungles of Panama with his brother to find the technology behind Inkbox, and turning an unusual idea into a global consumer brand Starting with just $15,000, gaming the Kickstarter algorithm, and using scrappiness, technology and branding to create early momentum Why timing mattered so much, with tattoos becoming mainstream, Instagram advertising exploding, and venture capital helping unlock growth from $8 million to $20 million Building Inkbox with his brother, growing to around $40 million in revenue and 170 people, while developing valuable IP alongside the consumer brand The unexpected approach from BIC during a Series B raise, why brand, demographic reach, IP and distribution made the deal compelling, and navigating a legitimate retrade as consumer spending softened Life inside a large corporate after the sale, losing decision making power, walking away early, and eventually building a different kind of business designed to serve his life rather than consume it https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerhandley/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

2. 

   18 Aug 2026

   The Comeback Kid: - Rob hunter

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Rob Hunter. Rob is an eccentric entrepreneur who's pushing 40 and still never held a full-time salaried job. He's been an entrepreneur ever since he was a kid, selling Japanese professional wrestling VHS tapes and DVD's on eBay and his own website to pay his way through an undergraduate degree at the Ivey Business School. After dabbling in real estate, Rob sold his mini student housing empire and got into the ice cream business, opening 7 Marble Slab ice cream stores by the time he was 25. Little did he know that Winter Was Coming, as bankruptcy swiftly set in. Rob embarked a fresh start by moving to Boston to do his MBA at the #1 school in the world for entrepreneurship, Babson College. Over the next several years, he built and eventually sold HigherMe, an HR Tech solution for the restaurant industry that went through Y Combinator in 2015. He also tried to solve the US student debt crisis with Reset Button / Lexria, a venture-backed fintech. Rob is back at it with Foundry, an AI startup that helps small business create, grow, and operate franchise systems. He also does some teaching back at Ivey and at the University of Waterloo. What we cover Scaling too fast with 7 Marble Slab stores, the hard reality of franchising, and eventual bankruptcy at 29 Turning that failure into a tech wedge, using his operator scars to build HigherMe through Y Combinator - The strategic pivot from “video applications” to making mobile hiring simple, including text to apply and removing every bit of applicant friction Why focus won, narrowing to franchised restaurants and using a bottoms up foot in the door approach that eventually landed major franchise networks Choosing a realistic path over unicorn chasing, staying capital efficient, targeting cash flow positive growth, and avoiding too much dilution and liquidation preference risk The deal story, COVID as an unexpected tailwind, using strategic interest to create competitive tension, the emotional LOI moment, and the surreal bank refresh moment when the wire hit https://www.linkedin.com/in/robhunter7/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

3. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Start-up to Exit in 3.5 Years - Jamie Portnoff

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Jamie Portnoff. Jamie is a high-growth executive and entrepreneur who co-founded and served as CEO of Truliant Consulting. In just 3.5 years, she scaled the firm into a premier global pharmacovigilance advisory, culminating in a successful Private Equity (PE) exit via acquisition. Currently, Jamie is a member of the senior leadership team at ELIQUENT, where she leads the global consulting practice she built while also contributing to enterprise growth strategies. With over two decades of technical authority, Jamie is highly skilled in navigating international complexity, M&A integrations, and business transformation. Known for building high-performing teams, she excels at driving success through strategic partnership and operational transparency. Jamie lives in Baltimore with her husband and daughter. What we cover Spotting an opportunity in a pharma safety niche that big firms often underweight, then building a premium advisory around it Scaling with six co founders, being intentional about culture and diversity, and managing the human complexity that comes with that model Reputation-led growth, selling less and delivering more, with founder level ownership on projects driving word of mouth demand Navigating choppy, services based revenue while solving high stakes technical and international complexity for clients An unplanned sale process triggered by visibility and marketing, plus why staying open to conversations with investors and acquirers matters The post deal reality, integrating into a PE backed platform, adjusting to new success metrics, and deciding whether to build again https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-portnoff-2039008/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

4. 

   18 Aug 2026

   From "Possum Practice" Nobody Wanted to a Deal Everyone Wanted a Bite Of - Dr. Michael Filosi

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Dr. Michael Filosi. Michael is a fully-fledged, card-carrying nerd, and he would not have it any other way. He loves to solve hard, interesting, meaningful problems and is ever curious about how to do things better and dive deeper into those areas of life and business that interest him. A dentist by profession and training, Michael turned a worn-out two surgery dental practice with a big heart and great bones into a ten surgery facility in Adelaide, Australia, before exiting via sale in September 2025. When others zigged, Michael zagged. Forget about hard sells and “pushing” dental treatment on patients, Michael decided that his business would focus on looking after people, doing the right thing, and trust that patients would tell their friends and family. Guess what? It worked. A husband to Greta (also a dentist) and father to an eight-year-old daughter, Michael spends his spare time reading and indulging his love of the twin joys of learning and play – be that a board game, a magic trick, a basketball scrimmage with friends, or building a treehouse. Not sure where he is in a crowd? Look for the tallest person in the room, and it is probably Michael. What we cover Buying a non-sexy dental practice that “nobody wanted,” seeing the potential, then expanding a single site into a 10 chair flagship rather than chasing the multi site empire model The pivotal decision to come off the tools, park ego, recruit better clinicians, and turn a founder dependent practice into a business that could run without him How he grew a mature, local healthcare business by dominating digital trust signals, especially Google reviews, and treating it as 'word of thumb' Why the joy disappeared when the work shifted from building to fixing, and how stress has a real physical cost for founders A proactive exit process, including calling likely buyers directly to create competitive tension, and structuring a walk in walk out sale with cash up front and low key person risk Life after the deal, taking time, saying no, and waiting to fall in love with the next hard, interesting, meaningful problem rather than forcing the next move https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfilosi/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

5. 

   18 Aug 2026

   From Global Pharma Niche to Local Community Events - Robin Kerbel

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Robin Kerbel. Robin is an entrepreneur and strategic leader with more than three decades of experience building and scaling global healthcare communications businesses. She co-founded Six Degrees Medical in 2005, growing it into an internationally recognized consultancy serving life sciences clients across North America, Europe, and beyond. After nearly 20 years at the helm, Robin led the successful sale of Six Degrees Medical to Reverba Global in 2024, helping guide the integration while serving as Chief Strategy Officer. In early 2026, Robin transitioned out of Reverba to explore her next chapter as a post-exit founder, focusing on new ventures, community-driven initiatives, and advisory work. She brings a founder’s perspective on scaling with purpose, navigating M&A, and redefining identity and impact after an exit. What we cover How Robin built a highly respected niche medical communications agency by starting lean with contractors, then recruiting senior talent with strong reputations that naturally generated referral driven growth The power of scientific rigor and interactive education as a clear differentiator in a crowded pharma services market Why investing in leadership, process, and EOS before a sale made her operationally redundant and significantly strengthened the business - The key value drivers behind the transaction, including geographic presence in Canada and the UK, blue chip global clients, and a deeply experienced science team Why culture fit and strategic alignment mattered more than headline price when choosing the right buyer How she mentally prepared to leave after nearly 20 years, and why her next chapter now includes building a husband and wife events business rooted in community north of Toronto https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-kerbel-479b333/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

6. 

   18 Aug 2026

   The Trucking Tech Moat - Andrew Kirpalani

   NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Andrew Kirpalani. Andrew co-founded workforce engagement platform WorkHound with Max Farrell in 2015 . He grew the company as it's CTO through 2023 before stepping away from day-to-day operations. He remained on the board of directors from that time until WorkHound's recent acquisition by WorkStep. From 2023 though 2025, he served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Iowa State University's Startup Factory, supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. He has nearly two decades of software development, product management, fundraising and company building experience in varied industries, along with the scars to prove it. Now he's trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. What we cover Why niching into trucking and frontline workers created a real moat, because trust takes years and does not compress even in the AI era How investor perception of market size can matter more than reality, and why “trucking is huge” versus “trucking is tiny” depends who you ask Capital efficient growth, raising just enough to get extra juice without giving away the company, and how timing and macro markets shape value more than founders like to admit The boom and bust of COVID in trucking, and how tailwinds can flip to headwinds quickly in cyclical markets - The shift from VC and angels to growth equity and private equity, including taking some chips off the table and letting employees cash in options for once The long exit journey, stepping off the operating team before the final sale, staying on the board, and the psychological challenge of giving away your toys Post exit life, the sabbatical, the black hole of time, losing the social connection that came from the team, and the slow process of figuring out what comes next https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirps/ Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

7. 

   19 Jun 2026

   Mission, Money, and the difficulty of What Comes After

   Host Raman Sehgal interviews tech entrepreneur Adam Rossi about navigating the emotional and existential challenges of life after selling a successful company.

8. 

   19 Jun 2026

   From Optimising for Exit to Optimising for Intentional Living

   Host Raman Sehgal interviews Joe Rideout, co-founder of Perpetua, about transitioning from optimizing for exit to intentional living after a successful acquisition.

9. 

   19 Jun 2026

   From Combat Cockpit to Power Lines to Private Equity

   Host Raman Sehgal interviews CEO and founder Shenar Wood about leveraging military leadership and operational excellence to build and exit an electric utility services company.

10. 

    19 Jun 2026

    From Exited Founder to Acquirer to Advisor

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews Randy Woods, a twice-exited entrepreneur and M&A executive, about scaling businesses, navigating exits, and advising founders for successful transitions.

11. 

    19 Jun 2026

    Two Exits. And More Yet to Come...

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews serial entrepreneur and investor Ryan Atkinson about building A-player teams and securing high-value clients for two successful company exits.

12. 

    19 Jun 2026

    Husband and Wife Business, Built to Sail

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews Ryan and Kristin O'Leary about building and exiting their fintech company Sonapay, revealing lessons on bootstrapping, scaling, and navigating life's next adventures.

13. 

    8 Jun 2026

    John Rood - Beyond the Exit: what happens next

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews John Rood, author of "Beyond The Exit," exploring the emotional and practical realities founders face after selling their businesses.

14. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NexChapter interview with Ray Chang - From Exit to Encore: Building a Business for Joy

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews Ray Chang about building a business for joy and finding an encore career after his first exit.

15. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NexChapter interview with Ujwal Arkalgud - Killing the Services Cash Cow to Build a SaaS Exit

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews cultural anthropologist and exited entrepreneur Ujwal Arkalgud about transforming a services business into a SaaS exit by understanding buyer psychology.

16. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NexChapter interview with Dmitry Dragilev - 4 x Exits... working 3 Hours a Day!

    Host Raman Sehgal interviews Dmitry Dragilev, a four-time acquired SaaS founder, about building businesses that serve life and achieving time freedom.

17. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NexChapter interview with Ned MacPherson - 20 Hour Rule: Growth, Exit and Life After the Deal

    NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Ned MacPherson to unpack a remarkable journey from solo operator to private equity backed exit. Ned is a growth focused operator who has held senior roles including Chief Marketing Officer, Head of Growth, and Head of Revenue. He has led growth initiatives for more than 60 businesses across Direct To Consumer, SaaS, mobile applications, B2B, and ecommerce. His work sits at the intersection of data, experimentation, behavioural psychology, and execution. After scaling his agency, Ned sold the business to a private equity backed strategic buyer, rolled meaningful equity into the next chapter, and now operates in a senior leadership role while continuing to pursue new challenges inside and outside of work. Connect with Ned - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-m-3029a120/ What we cover- How Ned built and positioned a highly differentiated growth and CRO business- What made the company attractive to private equity buyers- Why the transition after the deal has been more positive than most founders expect- The 20 hour rule and how deliberate practice applies to business and life after exit Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

18. 

    14 Apr 2026

    NexChapter interview with Kristen Closson - The Impact Entrepreneur: Scaling With Purpose

    NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. In this episode, Raman Sehgal sits down with Kristen Closson. Kristen is a 3X founder and healthcare operator with a focus on building practical, high-impact companies. She is the co-founder of Viewgol, a healthcare revenue intelligence platform and global teams acquired in 2023, as well as MonArk ABA Therapy, which provides services to autistic children, and Vlush, a women’s health brand focused on evidence-based vaginal care. Across healthcare technology, services, and consumer health, Kristen is known for building businesses grounded in real-world problems, trusted data, and thoughtful execution. Today, she’s focused on being a student of AI and supporting MonArk and Vlush. Connect with Kristen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenclosson/ What we cover - How Kristen built and scaled global teams starting in India through persistence and trust - Why starting with contracting before hiring full time teams reduced risk and enabled scale - How customer obsession became the ethos to drive the real engine of growth of India - Why multi founder teams benefit from facilitation and coaching - How building buyer relationships early created a competitive exit process - The emotional complexity of selling a business and navigating the messy middle - Why purpose driven work matters even more after exit Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. Connect with Raman.

19. 

    7 Apr 2026

    This is NexChapter - welcome to the show!

    Welcome to NexChapter! NexChapter is the home of unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders. Recorded in The Republic Studio, this show is for founders who are scaling businesses and founders who have sold and are figuring out what the hell happens next. Post exit founders are the small group of entrepreneurs who built a company, sold it, and then had to figure out what came next. Each episode explores the real story behind the exit, the decisions that mattered, and the personal transition that follows when the deal is done. Each episode follows the 3Ts: Trajectory: how the business was built Transaction: how the deal really happened Transition: what life looks like after the exit Your host Raman Sehgal is the author of the best selling book The Floundering Founder, Toronto Chapter Lead at Post Exit Founders (PEF), investor, and founder of several niche firms and platforms in the pharma and biopharma services space, one of which he sold a majority stake in to private equity. He created NexChapter to capture the hard earned wisdom of founders who have been through an exit and are willing to share what really worked, what surprised them, and what comes next. For first access and updates, join the email list: https://nex-chapter.com/, and connect with our host, Raman on LinkedIn.

Who has been a guest on NexChapter | Unfiltered wisdom from post exit founders

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Adam Rossi
• Joe Rideout
• Shenar Wood
• Randy Woods
• Ryan Atkinson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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