Daniel Weinand is one of Canada’s most quietly influential founders — the Co-Founder and former Chief Design Officer & Chief Culture Officer of Shopify, the $100B+ commerce platform that reshaped how entrepreneurship works around the world.In this episode of The EXIT Podcast, Daniel reveals the real story behind Shopify’s creation — dropping out of university, moving countries, and building the earliest versions of the product out of coffee shops and 500 sq ft offices.Daniel opens up about designing Shopify’s culture from the ground up, navigating the pressures of hyper-growth, and why his identity after leaving the company sent him on a journey through filmmaking, VC investing, fatherhood, design, and even becoming a music producer and DJ.Timestamps0:00 – Introduction: Daniel Weinand0:01:01 – Origin Story: Dropping out & moving to CanadaDaniel recounts the phone call that changed everything0:03:25 – The first Shopify office0:04:35 – Founder dynamics & choosing Tobi as CEO0:07:01 – Becoming Chief Design Officer without a design degree0:08:46 – Scaling from 7 to 1,000+ employees0:10:09 – Being Chief Culture Officer0:14:50 – Going public: The real emotional impact of the IPO0:17:38 – The truth about design: Light, space, flow & how people work0:23:30 – Life after going publicHow brand visibility changed everything — from recruiting to M&A strategy.0:25:46 – The moment Daniel knew it was time to leave

0:30:46 – Reinvention: Building a media studio, meeting Mike Janke & starting new chapters0:34:41 – Angel investing: “It’s legalized gambling.”0:36:40 – Steve Aoki, biohacking & longevity investingWhy Aoki is one of the hardest-working people Daniel knows0:39:11 – Nutcase: The cashew chocolate milk disruptor

0:43:29 – Becoming a DJ & saying yes to fearFrom never touching CDJs to booking a major festival0:47:15 – Losing $800K on a crypto gaming startupA brutally honest breakdown of failure, timing, crypto volatility, and refunding the community.0:51:16 – Defense tech, critical infrastructure & government innovation0:55:07 – Bucket lists, Keanu Reeves & humilityThe simple things Daniel still wants out of life.0:56:23 – The life philosophy that changed everything0:58:20 – The IPO logo story you’ve never heard1:00:49 – Creativity, failure & reinventing yourself🎧 Subscribe to The EXIT Podcast — where top founders share the real stories of building, scaling, and discovering what life looks like after the exit.

Intro Song: Nutcase by Denial (aka Daniel Weinand)🔗 Follow the Guests & HostsTHE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.groupInstagram – http://www.instagram.com/theexit.group Daniel Weinand - https://www.instagram.com/isthisdenial/Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/

Jack Newton is one of Canada’s most successful and enduring founders — the CEO and Co-Founder of Clio, the legal-tech platform that’s transforming how law is practiced around the world.

In this episode of The EXIT Podcast, Jack sits down with Adrian Salamunovic to share his 18-year journey — from bootstrapping during the 2008 financial crisis to raising a $900 million USD Series F, the largest private round in Canadian tech history.

Jack opens up about how he built a category-defining company, what it takes to evolve as a founder over nearly two decades, and why the best entrepreneurs build for impact, not exits.

🔥 Watch for these key moments:

⏱ 0:00:00 – Introduction & Clio's $900M roundHow Clio became one of the most valuable SaaS companies in Canada and why Jack’s long-term mindset still drives him today.

⏱ 0:00:07 – Jack Newton: Background & Clio's Origin StoryFrom turning down a PhD under AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton to starting Clio with his childhood best friend in Edmonton.

⏱ 0:05:23 – Building Clio: Early Challenges & Division of RolesThe scrappy startup phase — coding, support, and strategy — handled entirely by two founders.

⏱ 0:07:26 – Co-founder Transition: Ryan's Role ShiftWhy Ryan stepped back from operations and how their friendship survived nearly two decades of building together.

⏱ 0:10:20 – Scaling & Mentorship: Learning from OthersHow mentorship from Zendesk, PointClickCare, and global investors helped Jack scale Clio into a SaaS powerhouse.

⏱ 0:15:16 – Clio's Mission & Transforming Legal ExperienceInside Clio’s bold mission to “transform the legal experience for all” — and the trillion-dollar opportunity ahead.

⏱ 0:19:09 – AI & The Future of Legal ServicesWhy AI will revolutionize how people access justice — and how Clio plans to be at the center of it.

⏱ 0:22:07 – Founding Clio During the Financial CrisisStarting up in 2008, the worst possible time to raise money — and how they survived by betting on the cloud.

⏱ 0:27:08 – Fundraising: Series F & IPO PerspectiveJack’s view on IPOs, liquidity, and building a 100-year company that outlasts its founders.

⏱ 0:30:53 – Advice for Founders: Personal LiquidityWhy taking chips off the table early can actually make you a better, bolder founder.

⏱ 0:34:29 – Acquisition Strategy at ClioHow Clio’s M&A strategy is entirely product-led — acquiring startups that align with its long-term vision.

⏱ 0:39:19 – Founder Advice: Gold Mines & LandminesHiring lessons, investor alignment, and the biggest mistakes to avoid when scaling.

⏱ 0:45:39 – Leadership, Vision, and the Role of CEOHow Jack’s role evolved from builder to visionary — and why product obsession still defines Clio’s culture.

⏱ 0:47:31 – Running and Personal Recharge AnalogiesThe mindset of a marathon runner — and how consistency, not speed, builds generational companies.

💬 About Jack Newton

Jack Newton is the Co-Founder and CEO of Clio, the world’s leading cloud-based legal software. Under his leadership, Clio has grown to serve 150,000 legal professionals across 130 countries and has become one of the most respected SaaS success stories in North America.

🎧 Subscribe to The EXIT Podcast — where top founders share their real stories of building, scaling, and redefining what success looks like after the exit.

💬 Leave us a comment and don't forget to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode – it helps us grow and reach more founders.

🔗 Follow the Guests & Hosts

THE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.group

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/theexit.group

Jack Newton – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackbnewton/

Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/

In this episode of The EXIT Podcast, we sit down with Solon Angel, the founder of MindBridge and now co-founder of Remitian https://remitian.com (formerly Taxpay), a man whose success is defined not by wealth, but by integrity, grit, and purpose.

Solon shares his remarkable journey from growing up amid poverty and violence in Brazil to building one of Canada’s most successful AI ventures.

His story is one of resilience, accountability, and relentless character, a man who believes in keeping his hands clean and head held high.From grinding corporate in Silicon Valley to leading multimillion-dollar enterprises, Solon opens up about the cost of entrepreneurship, the discipline of doing hard things, and the duty of founders to build responsibly.

He also shares how he’s now channeling that fire into Remitian; an AI startup simplifying how accountants and citizens pay taxes — making one of accounting's biggest pains bearable through automation and design.

🔑 You’ll Learn:

How Solon built and scaled MindBridge into a global AI company

Why integrity and accountability are non-negotiable for true success

The mental “exit” every founder faces after the scale-up

Why partial liquidity matters for founder sanity

How his upbringing shaped his philosophy of work, purpose, and pride

The vision behind Remitian — and why paying taxes can be an act of civic duty

📍 About Solon Angel: Solon Angel is an entrepreneur, investor, and builder known for his role in creating MindBridge, a leading AI platform transforming financial auditing. Now at Remitian, he’s redefining how governments and citizens connect through technology. Solon has lived in over six countries, speaks multiple languages, and remains a champion of integrity, purpose, and hard work in every venture he touches.

🧠 Subscribe to The EXIT Podcast for more unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve built, sold, and reinvented themselves.

Hosted by Adrian Salamunovic

🎧 Presented by The EXIT Group® & Morgan Stanley

Timestamps

0:00:00 – Introduction & Solon’s Definition of Startup Success

0:01:19 – The Evolution of Commerce/Trust & Technology

0:04:38 – AI’s Role in Magnifying Human Capabilities

0:05:14 – Solon’s Career: California to Canada & Early Challenges

0:08:18 – Lessons in Entrepreneurship & Corporate Culture

0:09:12 – Startup Mindset and Personal Hardship

0:13:23 – Transition into AI, Exceptional Based Reporting

0:16:07 – Starting MindBridge: Motivation, Funding, and Early Wins

0:22:47 – Building Out the MindBridge Team & Co-founders

0:26:30 – Growth, Management, and Mental “Exit”

0:32:44 – Staying Beyond the Exit, Helping Startups, New Ventures

0:42:23 – Vision for Remitian

0:44:52 – Lightning Round: Advice & Success Definitions

0:47:38 – Episode Wrap-up & Closing Thoughts

💬 Leave us a comment and don't forget to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode – it helps us grow and reach more founders.

🔗 Follow the Guests & Hosts

THE EXIT GROUP® https://www.theexit.group

Instagram @theexit.group

Solon Angel – https://www.linkedin.com/in/innovationforall

Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/

What does it really take to sell your company for life-changing money?

In this episode of THE EXIT, I sit down with Mark Macleod — former CFO of Shopify and FreshBooks, founder of SurePath Capital, and the coach behind over $1B in successful exits — to uncover the real truth behind the startup exit process.

We talk about:

- The biggest mistakes founders make during an exit

- The psychology of selling your company (and what comes after)

- Why most earn-outs are traps

- How Marc built his post-exit life around mindfulness, purpose, and founder performance

- Tactical advice on aligning with acquirers and investment bankers

- Why your physical and mental health are the #1 growth tools as a founder

If you're building, scaling, or selling a venture-backed startup, this is the episode you can't afford to miss.

Subscribe for more real conversations with world-class founders, investors, and M&A experts.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction of Mark Macleod

01:00 Mark's Background in Venture-Backed Startups

02:15 Yahoo Purchasing Facebook?

04:30 What Makes for a Successful Acquisition?

06:24 Why I Avoid Earnouts

07:55 Psychological Aspects of Selling a Company

09:55 Founder Burnout and Recovery Time

12:36 Importance of Being Present

13:20 Fitness and Mental Health for CEOs

20:00 The Role of Coaching in Startups

21:34 Operational Experience in Coaching

26:20 Two Things You Need to Succeed in Business

29:04 What Founders Get Wrong Pre-Exit

32:30 Should Founders Work With I-Bankers and When?

41:28 Avoiding Exit Landmines

48:24 Coaching and Providing Tough Feedback

49:44 Creating a Massive Business You Never Want to Exit

🔗 Follow the Guests & HostsTHE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.group

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/theexit.group

Mark Macleod – https://www.linkedin.com/in/themarkmacleod/

Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/

#startup #founderlife #exitstrategy #venturecapital #marcmacleod #adriansalamunovic #theexitpodcast #shopify #freshbooks #burnout #startupcoach #founderhealth #startupmistakes #mna #founderexit

Marc Lafleur: From Rock Bottom to Multimillion Dollar Exit – The EXIT Podcast

In this episode of The EXIT Podcast, we sit down with Marc Lafleur, the co-founder of truLOCAL, who went from facing depression to exiting a multimillion-dollar meat delivery company. Marc opens up about how hitting rock bottom gave him the clarity he needed to take big risks, how he bootstrapped his way to 8 figures, and why the real work started after the exit.

From mental health to hustle culture, from raising capital to learning to let go, this one is raw, inspiring, and packed with lessons for any founder or aspiring entrepreneur.

🎧 Listen now to learn:

The truth about what drove Marc to start truLOCAL

The mindset shift that helped him break through fear when nobody believed in him

How he approached scaling without losing the soul of the brand

What he wishes more founders talked about post-exit

📍 About Marc Lafleur:
Marc is a Canadian entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for mental health in business. After exiting truLOCAL in a major acquisition, he’s focused on inspiring the next generation of builders to find purpose beyond the money.

🧠 Subscribe to The EXIT Podcast for more unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve built, and sold their companies – and what came next.

💬 Leave us a review if you enjoyed this episode – it helps us grow and reach more founders.

🔗 Follow the Guests & Hosts

THE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.group
Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/theexit.group

Marc Lafleur– https://www.linkedin.com/in/marclafleur1/
Adrian Salamunovic – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansalamunovic/

#TheEXITPodcast, #MarcLafleur, #truLOCAL, #StartupExit, #FounderJourney, #EntrepreneurStory, #FromRockBottom, #MentalHealthForFounders, #BuildToExit, #ExitStrategy, #StartupLife, #BusinessPodcast, #EntrepreneurMindset, #FoundersUnfiltered, #PodcastInterview

In this trailer, get a sneak peek into the raw, unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve built, scaled, and ultimately exited their companies. From heartbreak to high-fives, Adrian Salamunovic dives into the real stories behind the business headlines.

This isn’t just about term sheets and valuations. It’s about identity shifts, personal growth, and life after the wire transfer.

Whether you’re dreaming of your own exit, in the trenches of building, or just fascinated by the mindsets of high-performing entrepreneurs, THE EXIT gives you a front-row seat to the turning point.

Subscribe now. Full episodes launching soon.

What does it really take to build a multi-million dollar digital empire without selling out?

In this episode of THE EXIT, I sit down with Neil Patel — digital marketing legend, founder of NP Digital, and creator of companies like Crazy Egg and KissMetrics — to uncover the raw truth behind entrepreneurial success.

We dive deep into:

• The hunger that drives a first-generation immigrant entrepreneur
• Why most founders regret selling their companies too soon
• The real cost of success (hint: it's not about money)
• Balancing family, health, and business ambitions
• How to create a business you never want to exit
• The critical mistakes founders make when scaling
• A brutally honest look at building wealth, maintaining purpose, and creating a life beyond just making money.

If you're an entrepreneur, startup founder, or anyone dreaming of building something meaningful, this conversation will change how you think about success.

Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with world-class founders.

🔗 Follow the Guests & Hosts

THE EXIT GROUP® – https://www.theexit.group
Instagram – / theexit.group

Neil Patel – / neilkpatel_
Adrian Salamunovic – / adriansalamunovic