Ep 42. The Dark Side of a “Successful Exit” and the Courageous Comeback with Adam Miller
Everyone talks about selling a business.
No one talks about what happens after.
Adam Miller lived the dream exit… until he found out his company was about to be shut down.
That same night, he started the process of buying it back.
This episode is a raw, honest look at the emotional and strategic rollercoaster behind selling, and reclaiming, the business you built from nothing.
You’ll learn:
→ Why a “successful exit” can break your identity more than build it.
→ The red flags in investors and private equity no one warns you about.
→ How to evaluate an offer beyond the money.
→ What to do when your legacy is at risk.
→ How to rebuild with integrity, not ego.
→ And the uncomfortable truth: selling won’t set you free… if you don’t know who you are after the exit.
A must-listen for founders in transition, ambitious leaders, and anyone building, or protecting, a legacy that actually means something.
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Adam Miller is a multi-exit founder, product visionary, and one of the most respected leaders in the bike industry. He’s founded and sold four businesses and in one of the boldest moves of his career, he recently bought back Revel Bikes after selling it to private equity in 2021.
Known for his obsessive commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and customer experience, Adam has built a reputation for creating products people fall in love with and companies grounded in culture, integrity, and passion.
After discovering that Revel was about to be shut down, he stepped back in not just to save the brand, but to rebuild it with deeper purpose and long-term vision.
Today, he leads the revived company with a renewed focus on sustainability, authenticity, and founder-led excellence.
Connect with Adam:
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00:00 – The moment everything changed: discovering Revel was about to shut down
02:15 – Starting the process of buying the company back the very same night
04:40 – The emotional reality of losing the business you built
07:10 – What no one tells you about “successful exits”
09:25 – The dark side of private equity promises
12:05 – Why passion, not numbers, saved the company again
15:30 – Blending lifestyle and business: letting go of the separation
18:00 – Rebuilding a brand with legacy, purpose, and long-term thinking
22:45 – Advice for founders considering selling their business
27:10 – What legacy really means to Adam now