What Private Equity Wants — Inside the Mind of a Deal Maker with Kirk Michie
Release Date: 06/17/2025
How Keith Bearden Acquired a Premium CPG Brand—and What Every CEO Should Know About PE Deals
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Keith Bearden isn’t your typical CPG CEO. He’s led multiple private equity-backed companies, built and sold his own consulting firm, and most recently—used investor capital to acquire Alter Eco Foods, the premium chocolate brand he now leads. While Keith didn’t previously own Alter Eco, he was on the board when the PE group decided to sell—and raised his hand to step in and run the business. In this episode, he breaks down what most founders get wrong about PE and how to grow without giving up your company’s soul. 🔥 In this episode, we covered: 🔥 How he stepped in to acquire...
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From Cashflow Crunch to Private Equity Sale: Andrew Kamholz’s 20-Year Build in Precision Manufacturing
The 8-Figure Product CEO
What does it take to build a niche, high-complexity business—and actually sell it? In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Kamholz, founder of Edge Precision Manufacturing, who shares the real story behind his 20-year journey from starting with no capital to selling the company to a global buyer. Andy gets into the tough early years—when he nearly ran out of cash and had to do everything himself. He talks about how he carved out a niche making ultra-precise plastic parts for biotech and medical companies, built a 50-person team, and shifted from being a hands-on engineer to a real CEO....
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From Wellness to Wholesale: How Ashlee Foy Grew a $15M Health Brand
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of the Eight Figure Product CEO Podcast, Luke Peters sits down with Ashlee Foy—co-founder of Renuology and a seasoned health entrepreneur. Starting out as a physician assistant with a passion for wellness, Ashlee bootstrapped her company into a $12–15M success. But the real story? Her bold pivot from DTC (direct-to-consumer) to wholesale distribution—one that transformed her business growth overnight. 💬 In this episode, you'll hear: 🟠 How Ashlee's background in medicine helped shape her product 🟠 Why she shifted away from DTC and how wholesale unlocked scale 🟠...
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Bootstrapping Battery Tech in the U.S. — Adam Black on Solving the E-Bike Problem
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of the Eight Figure Product CEO Podcast, Luke Peters sits down with Adam Black, CEO of Cycling Batteries Corp. Adam’s reinventing the e-bike battery—making it safer, smarter, and fast-charging (under 15 minutes)—without relying on outside investors. He shares how a failed tourism business during COVID pushed him to pivot, invent, and start manufacturing cutting-edge battery tech right here in the U.S. You’ll hear: 🔋 Why today’s e-bike batteries fall short 🔋 How Adam solved the fast-charging problem 🔋 What it takes to bootstrap a hardware tech startup 🔋...
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Tariff Survival Tactics — How to Protect Margins and Navigate U.S. Trade Policy with Luke Peters
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this special episode recorded live with the International Housewares Association (IHA), business advisor and 20-year product industry veteran Luke Peters breaks down how U.S. importers can legally reduce tariffs and keep their profits intact—even with rising trade pressures. Luke grew his own product company, NewAir, and exited to private equity in 2021. He’s been in the trenches dealing with global shipping, customs, and rising tariffs—and now helps other CEOs do the same. In this session, you’ll learn: How companies are getting hit with 55%+ tariffs and what to do about it ...
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From Startup to $50M Exit — How Mark Fackler Built, Sold, and Now Coaches CEOs
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The Eight-Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters talks with Mark Fackler—founder of Stelcom, a $50M engineering consulting firm that started with just two people. Mark shares how he grew the company, successfully exited, and then shifted gears into coaching CEOs full-time through Vistage. You’ll learn: 🔹 How Mark scaled from a small shop to a multi-million dollar firm 🔹 The most common mistakes he sees founders make when trying to grow 🔹 What CEOs miss when planning their exit 🔹 Why preparing early is key—and what tools can help Plus, Luke shares a free tool...
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Tariffs, Supply Chains, and Scaling Furniture: How Jason Shefrin Navigates Global Headwinds
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of the Eight Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters sits down with Jason Shefrin—President and CEO of UB Group, a PE-backed furniture company with $250M–$500M in revenue. Jason runs a global supply chain operation with 300 employees, and sources nearly everything from overseas. Jason shares how he’s managing rising tariffs, freight issues, and operational challenges in a competitive, product-heavy industry. He breaks down how leadership, pricing, and flexibility are key when you're steering a company through uncertain markets. 🔹 How his team navigates international...
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What Private Equity Wants — Inside the Mind of a Deal Maker with Kirk Michie
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The 8-Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters sits down with Kirk Michie, Managing Partner at Candor Advisors—a deal-making pro who’s helped founders sell over $1B worth of businesses. Kirk breaks down what founders really need to know about selling their business, from how private equity thinks, to the hidden traps that can kill your valuation. They talk about what “multiples” actually mean, how tariffs and market shifts are changing deal terms, and what it takes to make your business attractive—not just big. If you’re a founder thinking about exiting in the next few...
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How to Win in AI and Stay Close to Customers — With 3x Founder Eli Portnoy
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The 8-Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters sits down with Eli Portnoy — a seasoned founder who's built and sold two successful companies and is now on his third, BackEngine. Eli shares his journey from building a location-based ad network to launching a cutting-edge AI platform focused on helping businesses deliver better customer service at scale. You'll hear real stories behind his $20M and $40M exits, why staying close to your customers matters more than ever, and how physical product companies can use AI to scale without losing their human touch. If you're a founder looking...
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How Performance Consulting Helps CEOs Scale Faster with Brad Lee
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The 8-Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters sits down with Brad Lee — a performance consultant and former CEO who scaled a medical device company from $85M to nearly $300M. Brad now helps founder-CEOs (typically between $10M–$50M in revenue) fix the hidden problems slowing growth. He shares real advice on where CEOs get stuck, what kind of support they actually need, and how to break through to the next level. Toward the end, Brad also shares how he built his successful coaching business — including what works in pricing, how he finds clients, and how he keeps them. If...
info_outlineIn this episode of The 8-Figure Product CEO, Luke Peters sits down with Kirk Michie, Managing Partner at Candor Advisors—a deal-making pro who’s helped founders sell over $1B worth of businesses.
Kirk breaks down what founders really need to know about selling their business, from how private equity thinks, to the hidden traps that can kill your valuation. They talk about what “multiples” actually mean, how tariffs and market shifts are changing deal terms, and what it takes to make your business attractive—not just big.
If you’re a founder thinking about exiting in the next few years, this episode is packed with honest, real-world advice that can save you millions. No fluff, just straight talk from someone who’s been on both sides of the deal table.
Here’s what you’ll walk away with:
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What private equity really looks for in physical product businesses
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How tariffs and supply chain shifts are reshaping deal terms
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What makes a multiple go from 5X to 8X—and how to get there
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The red flags that spook buyers and how to fix them early
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Tactical advice on getting your house in order before exit
Luke also shares tools like the Exit Readiness Test, which lets founders benchmark where they stand today and what they need to improve. Check your Exit Readiness Score here: apexceo.co
You’ll also hear:
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Why product companies need to act like service businesses in 2025
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How deals are being structured post-COVID and amid global uncertainty
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The difference between “hoping for a buyer” vs. engineering your exit
Whether you're a few years out from a sale or just want to build a more valuable company—this is a practical conversation with zero fluff.