Alexander Rink
About Our Guest
With over 20 years’ experience as a 3-time serial SaaS/DaaS entrepreneur, CEO, Board Director, and tech executive, Alexander Rink advises CEOs, Boards of Directors, and venture capital and private equity firms on generating growth and successful outcomes for their businesses.
Alex led 360pi, a former Invest Ottawa portfolio company, to product market fit, profitability, award-winning market leadership, and a successful exit. Heading up M&A, merger integration, and partnerships and alliances at Numerator, the Vista Equity Partners-backed acquirer, provided him with invaluable insight into how to position and lead companies to sustainable growth and successful fundraising and exits.
Previously, Alex was a consultant at Bain & Company and led production material control for a Ford/VW joint venture in Europe.
When he is not strategising growth opportunities or sitting in on web calls, Alex will most likely be found cycling, hiking, or spending time with his family.
About this Episode
Pivoting from B2C to B2B and Selling for 8-Figures
One of Alex’s first business ideas was around selling Guatemalan textures to Portuguese shop owners. It didn’t go very well...
Decades later, Alex came on as CEO to 360pi, a market intelligence company that he pivoted from a B2C to a B2B model – and unlocked massive growth in the process. This ultimately led to an 8-figure exit.
His journey as an entrepreneur taught him many lessons about finding your market, honing your product, and pulling the levers of scale. You’ll learn great tips on how to enter, grow, and sell your business, including his top three tips on how to best time your exit.
What you will learn in this episode
- How to evaluate product market fit
- The pros, cons, and predictability of B2B VS B2C models
- Tracking headwinds and tailwinds in the market
- Why using staged disclosures during due diligence could safeguard your business
Connect with Alexander Rink
Website: https://www.rinkventures.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderrink/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexrink
Show Notes
(8:51) Trying to figure out your path as an entrepreneur is exactly like trying to figure out product market fit. Where do you fit in, what problems can you solve? Alexander Rink had a few stops and starts on his journey before he figured out where he could add the most value.
(15:08) When Alex came on as CEO to 360pi in 2010, the business was a B2C consumer comparison platform. Under his discretion, the company rebranded, realigned, and repositioned in the market to become a B2B SaaS company that offered market intelligence. Here’s why he made that switch.
(23:15) Selling your business at the right time is always the million-dollar question. Alex lays out three key considerations to determine when the iron is hot.
(34:33) 360pi was acquired by a competitor. This is a common type of strategic acquisition, but it comes with some elevated risks: What happens if your competitor is just trying to understand your business better? This process allowed Alex to keep his cards close to hand during due diligence.
(48:41) In acquisitions, you’re not always acquiring (or being acquired) for the numbers. Sometimes it boils down to culture, product entry, or market opportunity. If you’re selling, consider what else might be attractive to your buyer.
