Susan Wojewoda: The Business of Selling (and Buying!) Businesses

It's just as important for the acquiring entity to understand what's the bench strength here? Who's really driving sales at the end of the day? Where's my creative engine, uh, within the company? And of course, there's always the, the question at the end of the day, can we remove the founder and can the business continue on without him or her?

[upbeat music] Welcome to PR Adjacent.

I'm your host, Ellie MacNevin.

I began my career as an editor before moving into PR and eventually founding The Birdie Agency, which I sold last year.

Working in PR, I quickly realized that getting a brand noticed was only one small piece of the growth puzzle.

I became obsessed with everything surrounding it, and especially what happens after you have someone's attention.

Today, I work one-on-one with founders to figure out where growth is getting stuck.

I look across the entire brand from positioning and PR to email, social, and the customer journey, then connect the pieces so more attention turns into action and sales.

On PR Adjacent, I bring in the specialists I trust to go deeper into each part of that puzzle and unpack what is actually driving brand growth now.

On today's episode, I'm talking with Susan Wojewoda, second-time podcast guest and chief revenue officer at Town & Country Living, a multi-brand home textiles company owned by Prospect Capital.

At Town & Country, Susan leads sales, marketing, licensing, and partners with Prospect on acquisition strategies.

Over her career, Susan has driven growth for brands like Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, Lacoste, and Lilly Pulitzer, and previously served as president of Scandia Home.

She brings a unique vantage point on private equity, having worked both with companies being acquired by PE firms and with PE-backed portfolio companies pursuing acquisitions of their own.

Today, we're talking all things acquisition, what it really takes to buy and sell a business.

Let's jump in.

It's just as important for the acquiring entity to understand what's the bench strength here? Who's really driving sales at the end of the day? Where's my creative engine, uh, within the company? And of course, there's always the, the question at the end of the day, can we remove the founder and can the business continue on without him or her?

[upbeat music] Welcome to PR Adjacent.

I'm your host, Ellie MacNevin.

I began my career as an editor before moving into PR and eventually founding The Birdie Agency, which I sold last year.

Working in PR, I quickly realized that getting a brand noticed was only one small piece of the growth puzzle.

I became obsessed with everything surrounding it, and especially what happens after you have someone's attention.

Today, I work one-on-one with founders to figure out where growth is getting stuck.

I look across the entire brand from positioning and PR to email, social, and the customer journey, then connect the pieces so more attention turns into action and sales.

On PR Adjacent, I bring in the specialists I trust to go deeper into each part of that puzzle and unpack what is actually driving brand growth now.

On today's episode, I'm talking with Susan Wojewoda, second-time podcast guest and chief revenue officer at Town & Country Living, a multi-brand home textiles company owned by Prospect Capital.

At Town & Country, Susan leads sales, marketing, licensing, and partners with Prospect on acquisition strategies.

Over her career, Susan has driven growth for brands like Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, Lacoste, and Lilly Pulitzer, and previously served as president of Scandia Home.

She brings a unique vantage point on private equity, having worked both with companies being acquired by PE firms and with PE-backed portfolio companies pursuing acquisitions of their own.

Today, we're talking all things acquisition, what it really takes to buy and sell a business.

Let's jump in.