In 2008, Touraj Parang's award-winning startup, Jaxtr, had 10 million users, raised nearly $20 million from top-tier Silicon Valley investors, and seemed poised to sail straight through the Great Recession. By January of 2009, Jaxtr’s only hope for survival was to find a buyer. But it was too late. In Exit Path, Touraj draws on the lessons learned from that chaotic experience and extraordinary successes that followed once he and entrepreneurs he advises made creating and executing an exit strategy a priority. For too long entrepreneurs have been failing to establish the requisite relationships and properly prepare for the most important milestone in their life cycle: a sale to an acquirer. But in today’s hyper competitive and interconnected business world, that is no longer an option. In this first-of-its-kind, comprehensive guide, you'll discover the surprising reasons few startups succeed while many fail and learn how implementing an exit strategy early will empower you to take charge of your startup’s ultimate fate, maximizing its potential for success while mitigating the risks of failure. Arranged in four parts, Exit Path walks you through actionable steps to devising and executing an effective exit strategy, starting with a fresh new perspective on the critical importance of creating a viable sale option for your startup. You'll learn why creating your exit strategy is necessary well before you're contemplating an exit, regardless of the stage of your startup; how to create one; how to sustain its execution over time through personal and business relationships; and how to approach and negotiate with acquirers for an outcome best aligned with your values and ambitions should the need arise. Whether you are an entrepreneur, investor, or advisor, the expert advice and insights you'll find in Exit Path will help you take charge of your destiny and unlock your startup’s hidden strategic potential and options.