If you’re a founder or CEO who wants to sell the business—but stay on to lead the next phase—this episode is for you.

Charles unpacks the emotional and strategic tightrope of doing both well. Charles Pratt opens up about the unexpected realities of selling a business to private equity — while staying on as CEO. From late-night signing sessions to deep lessons in trust and strategic planning, this episode is a playbook for founders preparing for exit.

You'll hear how Kinder Australia doubled in size in five years, why culture still trumps EBITDA, and what every CEO should do long before starting a sales process.

Key Takeaways

⇛ Treat the sales process as a second job — start early

⇛ Recurring revenue and team continuity attract serious buyers

⇛ Your calm under pressure will define the deal

⇛ Strategic planning only works if implemented

⇛ Culture and leadership are real deal-breakers

Highlights Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to #CriticalFewActions™

00:26 – Meet Charles Pratt and his journey to CEO

02:36 – Preparing Kinder for exit

03:49 – Key wins and hard decisions

05:57 – How innovation created value

07:30 – Inside his CEO Masterclass

10:58 – Decision to sell

11:38 – Managing the sales process and advisory board

24:34 – Life post-sale: expectations vs. reality

31:33 – Charles’ #CriticalFewActions™ for CEOs

Episode Highlights

🟢 “You can’t innovate behind a desk.” — Charles explains why staying close to customers is key.

🟢 “I pitched the company to 10 buyers—and still ran it.” — The hidden workload of a sale.

🟢 “Private equity only looks scary from the outside.” — Why Charles saw PE as a growth partner.

🟢 “Everyone had to win.” — Aligning founders, buyers, and personal ambition.

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by the CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning and Implementation.

It's a 10-month small-group program that helps CEOs build and implement your real world strategic plan—presented and refined with peers, and executed with monthly accountability.

🚀 Join the wait list now. https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/learn-more-about-the-ceo-masterclass/?utm_campaign=ALL&utm_medium=CEOMC+%3D%3E+SIGNUPMC4&utm_source=LT27

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🗣️ We Want to Hear From You

What did you take away from Charles' journey? Have you faced similar tensions between roles as a seller and leader?

👇 Comment below or message John on LinkedIn.

🏷️ Tags & SEO

#CriticalFewActions #PrivateEquity #BusinessExit #CEOLeadership #KinderAustralia #StrategicPlanning #AustralianBusiness #CharlesPratt #BusinessSale #FounderToCEO