The Exit Playbook: Secrets to Selling your Brand (from a CPG Investment Banker)

If you're the founder of a scaling brand, you've likely thought about selling your business. But when should you start preparing, and how do you find the right buyer?

In this episode, we discuss mergers and acquisitions with Charles Lanceley, Managing Director of Alantra's consumer team. Alantra is a leading investment bank specialising in consumer brands.

Charles has worked on major deals, including Fuel 10K, Strong Roots, and Grenade, and shares what makes a brand valuable—from strong financials to a compelling investment story.

He explains why building a business solely to sell is a mistake and how focusing too much on an exit can hurt your chances of achieving a great one. You’ll learn why being ‘for sale’ is never ideal, how the best deals happen behind the scenes, and why top M&A advisors don’t just find buyers—they already know who’s in the market.

We also cover common founder mistakes, like underestimating due diligence and not preparing for the workload of an exit. Charles highlights how an advisor can ease this process, letting founders stay focused on running their business—because if performance dips, so does the deal’s value.

Finally, we discuss how private equity and trade buyers view businesses differently, the impact of market cycles, and why the best way to maximise your exit is to build a brand buyers can’t ignore.

Whether you're considering selling soon or just want to create a lasting brand, this episode is packed with essential insights. Enjoy!

Useful links:

Connect with Charles on LinkedIn

Learn more about Alantra

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Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm

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If you're a founder, you already know how much of your energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with your consumers.

But don’t forget that scaling a CPG business also comes with a maze of legal complexities that can make or break your business journey. From contracts, term sheets and regulatory compliance to protecting your brand's intellectual property as you expand, it's essential to get it right.

And that starts with the right legal partner.

So we're thrilled to introduce Joelson, a leading commercial law firm that specialises in guiding the founders of scaling CPG brands, as Brand Growth Heroes' sponsor.

With long-term relationships with clients like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze, and Pulsin, Joelson is also famous for advising the innocent founders in their landmark sale to Coca-Cola! As a female team, we are especially impressed by Joelson's commitment to championing female founders in CPG.

Not many law firms are also BCorps, nor do they specialise in helping founders navigate the legal challenges of scaling without stifling the creativity and momentum that got you here in the first place. So thanks, Joelson—we’re delighted to have you on board.

If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, why don't you drop them a line at hello@joelsonlaw.com!

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You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth.

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Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.