In this concise 7‑minute interview, Professor Pete Alexander hosts serial entrepreneur and former business broker Tom Gledhill. Tom explains his current mission: helping private business owners increase the value and saleability of their companies, noting that only one in five businesses that go to market actually sell, which can jeopardize owners’ retirement plans. He describes the most rewarding aspect of his work as giving back—both through helping owners exit successfully and through personal service as a Meals on Wheels driver and mentor for entrepreneurs. When asked about work‑life balance, Tom stresses the importance of good people, solid systems, and family time, sharing his own experience of overworking his software company before establishing balance. He recommends fellow leaders Kathleen Gage, Paul Edwards, and Penny Zinker as podcast guests. His core advice to leaders is that business isn’t solely about money; private firms should prioritize employee retention, treat staff like family, and consider social‑balance‑sheet benefits such as on‑site daycare. Tom recounts his first job in engineering and early sales, highlighting the pivotal role of supportive managers and mentorship. The episode closes with contact information: Tom is reachable primarily via LinkedIn and his website exitpros.com.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, tell me who you are and what you do.
Hi, I'm Tom Glutfield, Pete, and it's a pleasure to be here. And I am a former business owner, owned several businesses and sold them all. And I'm also a former business broker. And right now I am trying to help other business owners, um, make their company more valuable, uh, increase the, the money that they make and make their company more saleable. When I learned in business brokerage, that only 1 in 5 businesses that went to market actually sold. You know, most of the business owners have the majority of their net worth in the company. So if they can't sell their company, they don't have access to that money that they depended on for their retirement or perhaps their next big venture. So that's my mission now, Pete, is to, is to help business, uh, business owners, uh, make their company saleable. And increase their money and to develop a simple methodology to help them do it.
Wonderful. So Tom, thank you for being on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
Well, working in my industry right now is really giving back, helping people. It just gives me a thrill to see business owners get to a point where they can actually sell their company after having worked with so many that couldn't sell because they really didn't have what business buyers wanted. So that's the key to the whole thing. But, uh, that's what I enjoy about it is helping people. Now, in addition to that, I've also a— I'm a driver on Meals on Wheels, and I've also was a mentor in an entrepreneur organization here that helps entrepreneurs. So, so I'm trying to give back. I've got, um, you know, over 40-plus years of experience in business, and I'm trying to give back, and that's what I enjoy.
That's a wonderful story, and wonderful for you to be giving that service, Tom. Question number 3: I hear from other business leaders that staying in a good work-life balance for them and their team members is a challenge. What are your thoughts?
I think that's critical because as I experienced, and as I understand you experienced, that stress can be a killer. And when you get— when you work too hard and you're just focused on that, you don't enjoy your family. You get really stressed out, and that can really ruin your health. So it's— It's critical to have a balance. Now, when I started out, starting my software company, especially, which was my last company, I was working 18 hours a day, and it affected my health. It was very stressful. But once I got on an even keel, I hired good people, I developed good systems, and those two things, if you have good people and good systems, in place, you can then have free time to either grow the company or, you know, certainly spend more time with your family. But it's a more stress-free environment. And so that— and that's critical. And having a, you know, relationship with your family so you see your children actually grow up and you participate in their activities is really important. I've gone through it. I have 4 wonderful children, and I spend a lot of time with them. And so that balance between work and family is really important.
Couldn't agree with you more. Question number 4: What other business leaders like yourself should be on my podcast?
Well, I think Kathleen Gage would be a wonderful guest for you, and Paul Edwards certainly, and Penny Zinker would be a wonderful guest for you.
Wonderful. I'll reach out to all 3 of them. Appreciate that referral. Question number 5: What insight or advice would you give to other business leaders?
I think the biggest thing I could give them is it's not all about the money. Now, if public company, you— which, you know, most people aren't, don't have a public company, but public companies have a problem because They're so concerned with the short-term earnings, but a private company has more flexibility. And when I— years ago, I worked for a consulting company and they had a social balance sheet. And this fellow was the— the owner was sort of the grandfather of a social balance sheet. And they had a daycare center built in into the company. And, uh, So, you could bring your child and leave them at the daycare center, which was right there, and you could visit them anytime you wanted. And it was part of the benefits of working for that company. And I think, too, during the slow time, maybe even a recession, if you can hold on to your employees as long as you can, you know, don't just lay them off to increase the profits, hold on to them, you know, treat them like family. And, you know, and certainly they'll pay you back for that, but it's really— that's the key, I think. It's not all about the money.
Very sage advice. Question number 6: Tell me about your first job.
My first job, Pete, was in engineering, and I lasted about a year and a half, and I just had my head glued to my project, and I didn't know what was going on even with my own company. I didn't know how sales were. I didn't know, you know, if we were going to survive the next few months. I just did not know. I started— I was hanging out with a lot of the salespeople. They were on the second floor. I used to have lunch with them whenever I could, and I tried to get a sales job with the company I was with, and I I had to move, uh, to California, and I didn't want to do that. So, um, I left the company and got a sales job, and I had a great district manager who was my immediate boss, and his boss was a great guy, and they would come with me on sales calls occasionally, but they always let me call the shots. They would, you know, if I— they would fine-tune whatever I was going to do, but they let me call the shots, and I was really in charge of my territory. I can remember coming back, back one day, came home one day, and I said to my wife, I said, I can't believe I'm being paid for this. So much fun. And, but really my bosses, my immediate boss and his boss made it possible. They were such great guys. They were, you know, super mentors to me. And, uh, and it was a great deal of fun. I loved it.
Yeah. It, it obviously you're showing that what a difference a good manager can make to, to, to the happiness of your job.
Absolutely. All the difference in the world.
So Tom, thank you for being on the show. How can people find you?
Well, they can find me on, on LinkedIn. Um, and they can also find me at exitpros.com, X-I-T pros.com, and, um, on Facebook or LinkedIn. LinkedIn primarily though, I would say.
Perfect. Well, this is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, please go to LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
