The Founder's Second Act

The Founder’s Second Act is a podcast for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and business owners navigating one of the most important—and often avoided—moments in business: what happens next. Whether you’re thinking about selling your business, planning a leadership transition, exploring succession, or simply questioning your role as a founder, this podcast gives you a strategic and human lens on how to exit well.Hosted by Paden Hughes, a strategic advisor to founder-led companies, each episode breaks down the real dynamics behind business exits, succession planning, valuation, leadership transitions, and founder identity. You’ll hear practical insights, real-world case studies, and honest conversations about what it actually takes to build a company that can run—and sell—without you.This isn’t just about maximizing valuation. It’s about designing a transition that protects your legacy, your team, and your next chapter.Because the truth is: most founders don’t fail at building businesses—they fail at exiting them.If you’re a founder thinking about:selling your businesssuccession planningstepping out of day-to-day operationsreducing founder dependencypreparing your company for acquisitionor navigating your identity beyond the businessThis podcast will help you think more clearly, act more strategically, and build a business that can outlive you.The best exits don’t happen when a buyer shows up.They happen years earlier—when the founder starts preparing.