Maximizing Founder Exits: Lessons from M&A Advisor Garit Lawson (Forbes Partners)

What separates founders who merely sell from those who maximize outcomes for themselves, their teams, and their legacy? In this episode, Garit Lawson, Managing Director at Forbes Partners, shares two decades of M&A experience working with founder-led and family-owned companies. From consumer products to tech-enabled manufacturing and business services, Garit explains how the right process, partners, and mindset can turn a good transaction into a great one.

You’ll hear a candid case study on Lume Deodorant’s leap from DTC success to omnichannel rocket fuel, why “dogged commitment” is the universal founder trait, and how entrepreneurs can avoid becoming their own bottleneck as they scale. Garit also dives into the human side of deals and why Utah’s ecosystem continues to produce resilient, growth-minded companies.

What You’ll Learn:

• The founder traits Garit sees over and over (and why “dogged and committed” matters)
• Common pitfalls as companies scale and how to avoid becoming your own bottleneck
• Practical steps to decide: venture-backed hypergrowth vs. bootstrapped, profitable growth
• How to select an investment banker: running a competitive process and finding real fit
• The human side of deals: listening, legacy, stewardship, and managing deal fatigue
• Why Utah’s small-business backbone and talent pipeline create durable deal flow

Connect with Garit Lawson:

• Forbes Partners
• Garit Lawson LinkedIn

Want to Connect?
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

Meet the dedicated members of our podcast committee who curate content, organize interviews, and ensure the success of The MountainWest Capital Network Podcast “Welcome to the Winners’ Circle.”

Cheri Waldron, MWCN Executive Director
Jason Roberts, MWCN Podcast Chair and Managing Director, Protiviti
Kevin Jessop, MWCN President and Chief Marketing Officer, IMA
Garit Lawson, MWCN Podcast Vice-Chair, Managing Director, Forbes Partners
Zachary Reed, MWCN Podcast Producer, Senior Associate, PwC LLP
Katie Brown, MWCN Business Operations Specialist
The LaunchPod Media Team.