Most founders discover the frameworks for successful exits too late. Julie Ellis, co-founder of Mabel's Labels, learned them the hard way—and she's sharing exactly what she wishes she'd known before selling to Avery Label after 10 years.

The Story

Four mom co-founders turned a basement operation into one of Canada's most celebrated women-led exits. They built Mabel's Labels from scratch, scaled to 40 people, and navigated a five-month acquisition process. 

What You'll Learn

Julie delivers powerful honesty about both sides of the exit equation:

The IQ Side (What Most People Prepare For)

• Why two years is the "magic time" for tax planning and structural setup
• How their 17-18 tab due diligence spreadsheet revealed gaps they didn't expect
• The reality of normalized EBITDA add-backs and financial preparations

The EQ Side (What Nobody Tells You)

• The identity crisis: selling meant selling friendships and community with it
• Going from four co-CEOs to employee status overnight
• The principle that changes everything: "you have to add before you subtract"
  

The Journey After

Julie shares her path through the post-exit darkness—from a three-day "vacation" to jumping back into transition chaos, taking an interim role at SnuggleBugz, and building a coaching practice to help founders prepare for the entire exit journey, not just the deal itself.

Who This Is For

If you're building toward an exit, working with co-founders, or wondering whether you're creating a job versus an asset, this conversation arms you with the hard truths about partnership dynamics, real preparation timelines, and why the finish line is actually just the beginning.

Show Notes:

00:00 The Birth of Mabel's Labels

06:05 Navigating Co-Foundership Dynamics

12:00 From Idea to Market Success

17:57 Scaling Operations and Strategic Planning

23:48 Preparing for Acquisition

29:53 The Exit Journey and Lessons Learned

31:05 Navigating Financial Normalizations

34:03 The Acquisition Journey

39:47 Transitioning from Founder to Employee

42:39 Cocooning and Finding New Purpose

48:56 Preparing for an Exit: Emotional and Practical Insights

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This episode is brought to you by Exit Horizon. Our mission is to help strategic Canadian founders build systematically toward fulfilling exits using proven methodology from entrepreneurs and advisors who've actually navigated successful deals. We compress the learning curve so you can build with the end in mind from day one, not piece together exit strategies when it's too late. Apply now to join our next cohort or book a quick call to learn more about what might be the right place to start for your business. Visit exithorizon.com.