I have always been surprised and somewhat bothered by people who ask, “What’s your exit strategy?”. Sometimes I feel like they are really asking, “Where does your ambition end?”.
Or maybe they are asking, “Wouldn’t you rather be doing something different?” Or, “Isn’t work hell?”
The question gets to the root of why you started your business in the first place. As I have said elsewhere, I wanted to build a company where I could work with smart, motivated people to accomplish ambitious goals, and grow and have fun in the process. Making money was also important, but more a consequence of choosing the right business and managing well.
I have found along the way that when we succeed at creating this environment, there have always been new challenges that keep me engaged. When we lost focus, it was less fun. Several years ago, after rejecting a third path of continuing with sub-par results, I saw two possible paths – manage better, or get out. I selected the first path, because I concluded that it wasn’t that hard to figure out what we needed to do; it was more a question having the resolve to do something about it. Taking that path has transformed Ipswitch into a more vital company with broader and deeper expertise and accelerating revenue and profit. We have the extraordinary and very real prospect to build on our strong market positions to accomplish something big. I want to be part of that. I like my job. I haven’t thought of anything that I would rather do. So I plan to keep doing this as long as that continues, as long as I see opportunity, as long as I think I am effective, and as long as I think we can compete.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t plan to be scared to walk out the open door when the time is right. This isn’t about eternity. There is always an exit, eventually. Exits can be the right path. But they should be chosen for the right reasons.
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