Frank Greeff shares his remarkable journey from working as a chef to building and selling a business for $180 million. Discover how this former runner-up for CEO of the Year navigated the intense year-long exit process, the emotional pressure of keeping the sale secret from 350+ employees, and the surprising "anticlimactic" feeling when the deal finally closed. Learn why talent acquisition is his primary motivation for building in public, how he negotiated a 50/50 merger with a competitor 8x their size, and the mindset shift that helped him transition from individual contributor to leader of a 350+ person organisation. This episode unpacks the hidden realities of entrepreneurship and offers powerful lessons on energy management, reflection practices, and finding purpose after a major exit. 00:00:00 - Introduction to Frank Greeff's entrepreneurial journey 00:04:17 - Why Frank shares his business-building journey so openly 00:08:28 - The Founders Table and building a network of elite entrepreneurs 00:14:25 - Frank's new AI voice assistant for high performers 00:19:19 - Unveiling the new business and launch timeline 00:23:24 - Frank's early life and path from chef to entrepreneur 00:30:22 - Growing from $900K to a major tech business 00:37:22 - The merger that changed everything 00:45:00 - Finding the right advisors for the $180M exit 00:51:00 - The emotional reality of selling a business 00:59:05 - Energy management vs. time management for high performance 01:08:12 - Key CEO lessons and focusing on A-players 01:19:24 - Maintaining motivation after a major financial exit 01:24:09 - The three traits of top 1% performers Want to learn my exact strategy for building a successful property portfolio? Check out School of Property for a step-by-step investing blueprint that's helped thousands of Aussies start and scale their investments: https://schoolofproperty.com.au Follow me for more investing & business insights: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samgordonproperty Business: https://www.instagram.com/australianpropertyscout Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thetoponepercentpodcast Follow Frank Greeff: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankgreeff_ #Entrepreneurship #BusinessExit #StartupJourney #FrankGreeff #AIStartup #BusinessGrowth #TopOnePercent #BusinessTransparency #TalentAcquisition #LeadershipLessons #FoundersTable #BusinessMerger #ExitStrategy #EnergyManagement #PostExitMotivation The content provided on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, business, or legal advice. The hosts and guests of the podcast are sharing their personal opinions and experiences, which may not be applicable to your unique situation. We strongly recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified financial advisor, business consultant, or legal professional before making any financial or business decisions. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is solely at your own risk. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information provided. All information is provided "as is" without any guarantees of completeness, accuracy, timeliness, or results obtained from the use of this information. Any references to specific financial products, companies, or services are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the podcast or its hosts. By listening to this podcast, you agree that the podcast and its affiliates are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided in this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices