Entrepreneurship is addictive. I realise that now. Two years ago, when my co-founder and I were exhausted from five years running our business and in the final stages of preparing the deal to sell to a private equity firm, I would’ve told you that I was looking forward to taking some time out, to recharging and then working out what I do next – and it would not have been entrepreneurial. Build another business? No chance, I’d have told you.
Fast forward to now, well-post past that exit, and my co-founder and I (yes, the same co-founder) are gearing up to launch our next venture!
Back in 2018, I co-founded a mentoring platform with a simple idea in mind: that mentoring should be more accessible, structured, and scalable. What began as a side project eventually evolved into a global technology business, supporting hundreds of thousands of people in mentoring relationships around the world.
What’s often not spoken about is what comes after the exit. Everyone loves a startup story, and most people imagine the acquisition as the finish line – that champagne-popping exit moment. And sure, there’s some of that (I took a holiday, bought a house and went from having no savings to having quite a lot), but for most founders, the end of one venture is just the beginning of another.
The early days
The early days were intense. Any startup founder will tell you that, I’m quite sure. As a founder, you’re doing pretty much everything – marketing, product development, sales, strategy, finances, legals, investor relations, technical support, customer support – everything. When resources are limited and the ambition is great, routine becomes more than just helpful – it becomes a lifeline.
For me, every morning began with a plan for the day. I got into a routine, which I’ve written about a number of times, focused on the 5 am starts.
Startups are by nature chaotic, but I’ve found that routine gives structure to that chaos. My co-founder and I built all important rhythms into our workflow – weekly check-ins, monthly targets, and quarterly reviews. These routines undoubtedly helped us stay focused, even when the task at hand felt overwhelming and the path ahead was often unclear. In a world that glorifies the so-called “hustle” and agility, it was routine that allowed us to make agility work.
Eventually, we began to attract attention, and prospective clients began approaching us. Selling became a lot easier, the challenge of building something had subsided, and we were left running the operations side of the business. Essentially, we’d made the business a success. After careful consideration and several conversations between my co-founder, our investors and me, we decided it was the right time to sell and exit, so we went out to the market, subsequently receiving the right offer. One that not only valued what we’d built but had the vision and capability to take it further and make exit a success.
Post-Exit Reflections and Restarting
The days immediately following the acquisition were strange. In many ways, nothing changed. My co-founder and I were staying on in our roles – as is often the case in an acquisition. The only real difference was an immense feeling of pressure lifting.
Suddenly it wasn’t our business anymore. We had our jobs to do, and we were good at them, but the future and the vision of the business were for our acquirers to decide. But it gave me time to reflect on what we’d achieved and how far we’d come. I realised how much of my progress had come from consistent, almost ritualistic behaviours – those small daily routines that added up to big momentum. That was the spark behind my new venture, uRoutine.
Ironically, it was the very thing that kept me sane during the exit journey – routine – that inspired my next venture. I said at the start that entrepreneurship is addictive, and it really is. I wasn’t trying to find a new business to build. In fact, I think it found me. There were countless habit trackers and productivity tools, but none that truly helped people design their day with intention or use accountability to get things done. Nothing that felt human, flexible, or empowering.
This time, I’m building with the benefit of hindsight. I know where common pitfalls lie. I understand the value of staying lean, listening to users early, and creating clear frameworks for growth. And most importantly, I’ve seen first-hand the power of routines to drive not just productivity, but peace of mind.
Ed enjoying life after exit
Key Lessons I Learnt
Reflecting on the full arc of my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve come to believe that success in business – and in life – rarely hinges on dramatic breakthroughs. Instead, it’s the result of small, consistent actions repeated over time. Starting small and showing up every day. Listening more than you speak, especially to users. Relying on systems rather than fleeting bursts of motivation. And knowing, when the time comes, that letting go can be the bravest and most necessary move of all. These aren’t flashy lessons, but they’re the ones that stick – and they’re what I’m bringing with me into this next chapter.
Exiting a business doesn’t mean exiting ambition. If anything, it sharpens it. The experience gave me perspective, taught me patience, and reminded me that clarity is more valuable than speed. This time, as I build my next venture, I’m approaching things differently – not slower, necessarily, but more deliberately. I’m building for depth, not just scale. For value, not just valuation.
My mission now is to help others discover the power of structure in a world that often feels unstructured. Routines aren’t restrictive – they’re freeing. They give you space to focus on what truly matters. And while I’m still on the journey of building, learning, and growing, I do so now with the confidence that comes from experience. I know now that this probably won’t be the last business I build, but who knows.
If you enjoyed this article, you may enjoy one of my books, which are packed with stories from other entrepreneurs talking about their experiences in building businesses from startup to exit.
