This business started with eczema, a barbershop, and a lot of trial and error.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Shane Young to unpack the long road from mixing hair wax in a flat to building, scaling, and ultimately selling a multi-brand consumer business across haircare, skincare, and natural beauty.

We talk about solving your own problem first, learning manufacturing the hard way, surviving near-disasters in new markets, and why owning the hard parts of the value chain became the real source of leverage. Shane also shares what made the business attractive to buyers and how preparation shaped the exit.

A candid conversation about resilience, patience, and building value over decades, not quarters.

Most founders fear board meetings. Marc Stöckli documented more than 200 of them and turned the lessons into a playbook for builders.

In this episode of 2 Commas, Marc walks through the lived reality behind Totemo’s two-decade journey. It is a story of rebuilding after a fractured founding team, competing early in a market no one understood, narrowly avoiding a disastrous sale to a Ponzi scheme, and finally exiting into a global cybersecurity group.

We dig into what strong governance really looks like and why so many founders underestimate the emotional and strategic weight of the boardroom. Marc’s experience across Totemo, Kiteworks and his global leadership role at EO gives a rare window into decision-making at the edge.

A grounded, insightful conversation for founders who want to build well and lead well.

Some exits happen fast. James McGlinn spent twenty years earning his.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with James to trace the long arc of building Eventfinda — from coding websites as a teenager, to taking on a government-funded competitor, to ultimately selling into one of the world’s major ticketing groups.

We talk about the realities founders rarely share: staying alive when you are under-resourced, the power of one well-timed hire, the discipline required to play a long game, and the emotional shift that comes when you finally hand over the thing you built.

A grounded, honest conversation for any founder building something that takes time.

Book launch alert! Join me and other founders, leaders, and podcast guests for an evening launch of my book: 2 Commas: The Founder's Guide to Exits, Wealth, and Freedom. ⁠>> Click here to buy your tickets<<⁠

Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal ⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠⁠⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

You can have drive, passion and grit, but if you’re not solving a real problem for real people, you don’t have a business.

In this solo episode of Two Commas, I unpack the foundation every founder needs before thinking about product, market or funding: problem clarity. We talk about why motivation isn’t enough, why solutions-first thinking kills momentum, and the five reliable ways to uncover a problem that actually matters. I share lived examples from companies like Spanx, Dropbox and Slack, along with the patterns I’ve seen after meeting hundreds of founders.

If you’re building anything right now, start here. This is the work that turns clever ideas into real companies.

Book launch alert! Join me and other founders, leaders, and podcast guests for an evening launch of my book: 2 Commas: The Founder's Guide to Exits, Wealth, and Freedom. ⁠>> Click here to buy your tickets<<⁠

Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal ⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠⁠⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

You can have all the drive in the world — but if you’re not solving a real problem, you’ve got nothing.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I break down the most important question in your entire founder journey: what problem are you actually solving?

I explore why motivation isn’t enough, how to avoid building solutions in search of a problem, and the five ways to uncover a problem that truly matters. From lived experience to research, consequence mapping to daily-active-user thinking, this is the foundation every successful company is built on.

If you’re building anything right now, start here.

Book launch alert! Join me and other founders, leaders, and podcast guests for an evening launch of my book: 2 Commas: The Founder's Guide to Exits, Wealth, and Freedom. ⁠>> Click here to buy your tickets<<⁠

Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal ⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠⁠⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

He sold his business for millions — and found himself fixing coasters to fill the time.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Cornelius Boertjens, founder of Catchi, to talk about what really happens after you sell your business. From the grind of building and the challenges of a 5-year earnout to the strange quiet that follows the deal, Cornelius shares an honest look at identity, purpose, and what comes next for founders after the finish line.

A grounded, candid conversation about freedom, success, and why so many of us struggle with both once we finally get them.

He had weeks of cash left, then came the call that changed everything.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Brendan Roberts, co-founder of Nine Spokes and Aider.AI, to unpack one of New Zealand’s most remarkable founder journeys.

Brendan shares what it’s really like to build through crisis, recover from near collapse, and ultimately sell twice. We talk about timing, resilience, and how luck usually shows up wearing the clothes of preparation.

If you’re navigating growth, pressure, or an uncertain runway, this conversation will remind you what it takes to stay in the game.

Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe

Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Building your business is one game. Selling it is another — and most founders never learn the rules.

In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Chris Small, Managing Director of ABC Business Sales, the firm behind nearly half of all SME business sales in New Zealand.

Chris shares what really drives a successful exit — timing, risk, and what buyers truly value. With data from more than 480 business transactions, he reveals the patterns behind high-value deals, the biggest mistakes founders make, and the five things every acquirer looks for before making an offer.

If you’re 1–5 years away from selling, or just want to build a business that’s worth more, this conversation will give you clarity, timing insight, and real leverage for your future deal.

Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal https://bit.ly/47lfcPU

Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here ⁠https://bit.ly/3WisuYo⁠

Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.