Brian Dukes is a seasoned entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and digital marketing pioneer who has spent over two decades at the intersection of automotive technology and enterprise growth.
His journey began in Big Five consulting, followed by an MBA from the University of Michigan, where he bypassed the traditional corporate route to dive into a startup joint venture with Ford Motor Company. This experience served as the launchpad for his career as a co-founder of Shift Digital, a leading technology and digital marketing agency that revolutionized the industry by synchronizing digital performance across global automotive brands and their massive dealer networks. Under his leadership, the firm became a recognized industry leader, deploying a proprietary technology suite to manage billions in digital marketing spend for manufacturers like Ford, Chrysler, and BMW.
Today, Brian is a Managing Partner at Exitwise, an M&A advisory platform where he leverages his 20 plus years of operational and transaction experience to help founders prepare for and execute life changing exits. Having sat on both sides of the table as a founder and an advisor, Brian is deeply passionate about removing the stigma around exits and empowering business owners with the strategic insights and financial hygiene needed to maximize their company's value.
“I believe that an exit isn't just a transaction; it is the ultimate culmination of a founder's hard work and vision. My mission is to ensure that every entrepreneur I work with is not just ready to sell, but ready to capture the full value of the legacy they have built.”
Schedule a call with an Exitwise advisor to learn more about engaging Brian to Maximize Your Exit™.
As a co founder of Shift Digital, Brian Dukes helped build the premier lead management, digital marketing, and enterprise data platform for the automotive industry. The firm’s massive scale and dominant market position led to a significant strategic investment by PPC Enterprises in 2016. This transaction validated the immense value of Shift Digital’s specialized B2B SaaS and service model, providing the founders with a successful realization of value while positioning the company for its next phase of global expansion.

Give us a call to learn how helpful an Exited Founder can be when selling your business.
Todd Sullivan
CEO, Exitwise
Increase in Sales Price
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Accelerated Time to Exit
This Exited Founder offers personal M&A experience and deep professional networks in their respective industries to help you Maximize Your Exit.™
Every Exited Founder’s goal is to make sure you create the exit you deserve. Engaging is easy!
An Exited Founder is an entrepreneur who has founded or cofounded a company and successfully exited his or her company through an IPO, M&A transaction, recapitalization or secondary share transaction. Exited Founders have joined ExitWise to help their fellow founders maximize their exits.
An Exited Founder brings expertise in building a company, M&A deal-making, a network of potential buyers, and experience navigating complex financial, legal and employment issues. An exited founder can not only be a great personal mentor during your exit process but can also help maximize your company's sale price, reduce risks, and ensure a smoother transaction.
Exited Founders typically offer:
- M&A education Founder Mentorship
- Business valuation advice
- Access to top M&A experts to build your M&A team
- Incredible personal networks with strategic investors and buyers in their industry
- Negotiation skills with potential buyers
- Deal structuring and transaction experience
- Advise on Coordination of legal, financial, and tax professionals
- Assistance with due diligence
- Advice on major personal and professional decisions throughout the M&A process
Our Exited Founders have free access to Exitwise valuation services and have visibility into private transaction data in their industry. Exited founders assist investment bankers that use various methods, such as comparable company analysis, discounted cash flow analysis, and market trends, to assess the value of your business. Exited Founded can also factor in your industry dynamics and your growth potential to help negotiate an optimal sale price on your behalf.
Industry experience: Ensure they have exited a business in your sector.
Track record: Ask about their personal exits and how they have helped other business owners with M&A.
Network: A strong personal and professional network of potential buyers is key.
Communication: Choose someone you can trust and communicate with easily.
Industry Stature: Exited founders bring different levels of credibility to your team which can have a dramatic effect on how buyers value your business.
The process can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months or longer, depending on market conditions, the size of your company, and the complexity of the transaction. Exited Founders absolutely help expedite the process.