2 Commas: The $multi-million exit show with Josh Comrie

2 Commas: The $multi-million exit show with Josh Comrie

by Josh Comrie

Entrepreneurship

Season 4

How to keep going - when it all seems too hard

You can have drive, passion and grit, but if you’re not solving a real problem for real people, you don’t have a business. In this solo episode of Two Commas, I unpack the foundation every founder needs before thinking about product, market or funding: problem clarity. We talk about why motivation isn’t enough, why solutions-first thinking kills momentum, and the five reliable ways to uncover a problem that actually matters. I share lived examples from companies like Spanx, Dropbox and Slack, along with the patterns I’ve seen after meeting hundreds of founders. If you’re building anything right now, start here. This is the work that turns clever ideas into real companies. Book launch alert! Join me and other founders, leaders, and podcast guests for an evening launch of my book: 2 Commas: The Founder's Guide to Exits, Wealth, and Freedom. ⁠>> Click here to buy your tickets<<⁠ Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal ⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe⁠⁠ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠⁠⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Why most businesses fail before they even begin

You can have all the drive in the world — but if you’re not solving a real problem, you’ve got nothing. In this episode of 2 Commas, I break down the most important question in your entire founder journey: what problem are you actually solving? I explore why motivation isn’t enough, how to avoid building solutions in search of a problem, and the five ways to uncover a problem that truly matters. From lived experience to research, consequence mapping to daily-active-user thinking, this is the foundation every successful company is built on. If you’re building anything right now, start here. Book launch alert! Join me and other founders, leaders, and podcast guests for an evening launch of my book: 2 Commas: The Founder's Guide to Exits, Wealth, and Freedom. ⁠>> Click here to buy your tickets<<⁠ Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal ⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe⁠⁠ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠⁠⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Cornelius Boertjens: I built to sell, then wondered, what next?

He sold his business for millions — and found himself fixing coasters to fill the time. In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Cornelius Boertjens, founder of Catchi, to talk about what really happens after you sell your business. From the grind of building and the challenges of a 5-year earnout to the strange quiet that follows the deal, Cornelius shares an honest look at identity, purpose, and what comes next for founders after the finish line. A grounded, candid conversation about freedom, success, and why so many of us struggle with both once we finally get them.

Brendan Roberts: Is this NZ's first AI exit?

He had weeks of cash left, then came the call that changed everything. In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Brendan Roberts, co-founder of Nine Spokes and Aider.AI, to unpack one of New Zealand’s most remarkable founder journeys. Brendan shares what it’s really like to build through crisis, recover from near collapse, and ultimately sell twice. We talk about timing, resilience, and how luck usually shows up wearing the clothes of preparation. If you’re navigating growth, pressure, or an uncertain runway, this conversation will remind you what it takes to stay in the game. Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal https://www.joshcomrie.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit ⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Chris Small: Inside the numbers: the state of NZ business sales

Building your business is one game. Selling it is another — and most founders never learn the rules. In this episode of 2 Commas, I sit down with Chris Small, Managing Director of ABC Business Sales, the firm behind nearly half of all SME business sales in New Zealand. Chris shares what really drives a successful exit — timing, risk, and what buyers truly value. With data from more than 480 business transactions, he reveals the patterns behind high-value deals, the biggest mistakes founders make, and the five things every acquirer looks for before making an offer. If you’re 1–5 years away from selling, or just want to build a business that’s worth more, this conversation will give you clarity, timing insight, and real leverage for your future deal. Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here ⁠https://bit.ly/3WisuYo⁠ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit ⁠https://www.joshcomrie.com/⁠ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Jonny Mirkin: Before I sold it, it hospitalised me

He built a fast-growing tech company, raised millions, and sold it in an eight-figure exit. But before that, the business nearly killed him. In this episode of 2 Commas, I talk with Jonny Mirkin, founder of Nomos and now GivenWell, about what happens when ambition turns on you. From burnout that landed him in hospital to the years of therapy that followed, Jonny shares the brutal lessons that changed how he leads, builds, and lives. It’s not just a story about selling a company. It’s about what success really costs and how to come back from losing yourself along the way. Receive weekly business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox by signing up for 2 Commas Journal https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here https://bit.ly/3WisuYo Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit https://www.joshcomrie.com/ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Nathan Morgan French: From gambling addiction to successful exit

Every founder has a story. But few have one that takes a turn like this. In this episode of Two Commas, I talk with Nathan Morgan French, a founder who built, scaled, and sold a telco business, but only after confronting something far deeper than business itself. What Nathan went through changed how he thinks about focus, discipline, and what success really costs. It’s a story of collapse and comeback, and the quiet strength it takes to rebuild when no one’s watching. Subscribe to the 2 Commas Journal to receive business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here https://bit.ly/3WisuYo Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit https://www.joshcomrie.com/ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Justin Hamilton: I built it, then bought it back

What if the smartest way to start a company… is inside someone else’s? In this episode of Two Commas, I sit down with Justin Hamilton, co-founder of Davanti, to unpack one of the most unusual founding stories I’ve come across — how three consultants built a thriving, entrepreneurial business inside Spark, then bought it back, scaled it, and sold it in one of New Zealand’s most impressive consulting exits. We dig into how Justin and his partners turned corporate constraints into creative freedom, the art of building culture within a giant, and how to navigate buyouts, partnerships, and earnouts without losing your sanity. If you’ve ever wondered how to build something exceptional inside a big organisation — or how to know when it’s time to take it out on your own — this episode will give you the playbook. Subscribe to the 2 Commas Journal to receive business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here https://bit.ly/3WisuYo Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit https://www.joshcomrie.com/ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Why most founders aren't entrepreneurs - Part 2

I’ve seen too many founders build businesses they end up resenting, not because the idea was wrong, but because they never stopped to ask: what do I actually want from this? In this episode, I introduce the five levels of foundership—from lifestyler to entrepreneur—and explore the rewards, risks and sacrifices at each stage. Some of the happiest people I know are lifestylers who never wanted anything bigger. Some of the most miserable are entrepreneurs who should have stayed operators. Wherever you are on the journey, this framework will help you figure out which level is right for you, so you can build a business that fuels the life you want, instead of consuming it. Subscribe to the 2 Commas Journal to receive business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here https://bit.ly/3WisuYo Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit https://www.joshcomrie.com/ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

Why most founders aren't entrepreneurs.

Season 4 kicks off with a special solo episode where I go deep on the founder’s burden: the pressure, the sacrifices, and the simple but confronting question: what do you really want from your business? Drawing on my own journey from burnout to clarity, I unpack why defining your true goals and what you’re willing to sacrifice is the key to building on your own terms. Subscribe to the 2 Commas Journal to receive business insights and real exit lessons straight to your inbox https://bit.ly/47lfcPU Download the first 2 chapters of my upcoming book, 2 Commas, for free here https://bit.ly/3WisuYo Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/joshcomrie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit https://www.joshcomrie.com/ to see how I can help you on your business journey.

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