Greg Malpass didn’t set out to sell.
He set out to solve customer problems and that mindset turned a solo consultancy into one of the largest Salesforce partners in the world, 1,100 employees, 1,800+ clients, and multiple product spinouts, culminating in a 2022 acquisition by Salesforce and a $100M+ exit for Traction Guest.
Greg’s story is a case study of how exits aren’t events; they’re the result of continuous strategic choices. From customer-led growth to reclaiming product IP during acquisition, Greg built a company that was both resilient and highly acquirable.
Key takeaways:
- Follow your customers, not the hype. Greg’s growth came from staying close to client needs, not chasing trends.
- Build for the exit before it’s on the table. Advisory relationships, clean ops, and deal-ready infrastructure matter early.
- Be ready to evolve your role. As your company scales, so should your mindset and your leadership team.
How do you sell a company, keep the best parts, and turn internal innovation into future wins?
Greg Malpass didn’t just exit; he engineered a strategy that let him scale, spin out, and stay in control. His story challenges everything founders assume about what it means to sell.
1. Grow With Your Customers, Not Just a Market
Greg didn’t build Traction through flashy ads or VC-backed blitzscaling. He built relationships. His reputation as “the Salesforce guy” spread as his customers moved to new companies and brought him with them.
“My customers started performing in their careers, getting poached, and then my phone would keep ringing.”
That customer-led momentum created an organic growth flywheel. But it only worked because Greg deeply understood their problems and delivered repeatable, opinionated solutions.
The takeaway? If your customers aren’t advocating for you in their next job, you’ve missed a compounding growth opportunity.
You need to build for loyalty, not just satisfaction.
2. Kill Your Own Business, Before Someone Else Does
Traction on Demand was a services firm, but Greg wasn’t content with that. His team actively tried to disrupt their own core business by spinning out product companies, like Traction Guest, which sold for over $100M.
“One of the things we were doing inside of Traction is we were trying to figure out how we were going to kill Traction.”
This internal tension between services and software forced innovation. Not every spinout worked, but enough did to meaningfully impact the company’s exit value and create an entire second wave of ventures under Uncommon Purpose.
You have to ask yourself: how would a well-funded competitor put you out of business? Then start building that product yourself.
3. Don’t Wait to Build Your Deal Infrastructure
By the time Salesforce came calling, Greg already had trusted advisors, clean financials, and a board ready to shift into M&A mode.
“Build a bunch of deal infrastructure around you…so we could activate that instantaneously.”
This wasn’t luck. Greg began forming his board early—long before there were outside investors and turned casual mentorships into formal governance. He also planned employee liquidity through an ESOP and knew exactly who needed to be retained post-acquisition.
Even if you’re not ready to sell, operate like a company that could. The prep you do now smooths the path later and maximizes your leverage.
4. Understand What You’re Selling and Who’s Buying
When the Salesforce deal materialized, Greg assumed they’d want the entire Traction portfolio, including its innovative software IP. But Salesforce only wanted the services business.
“They bought the services organization, didn’t want products…I then paid Guidepost out…and we reclaimed all the software.”
Because of this strategic clarity and pre-set deal terms with investors—he was able to retain the high-growth product businesses and launch Uncommon Purpose, a new holding company focused on innovation.
You need to know what parts of your business are valuable to which buyer. Every acquirer has a strategic lens. Don’t assume they see your value the way you do.
5. Play to Win but Know When You’re Playing Not to Lose
One of Greg’s most candid reflections came before he raised outside capital:
“I was starting to play not to lose, not play to win.”
It’s a critical moment for many founders. Growth creates pressure. Payroll grows. Risk aversion creeps in. Greg recognized the shift and brought in capital and experienced leadership to re-energize the business and eventually unlock the next phase of growth.
You need to pay attention to your mindset. If you’re protecting what you’ve built instead of pushing forward, it might be time for a strategic shift, capital, leadership, or exit.
Greg Malpass didn’t follow a traditional path and that’s exactly why his story resonates. He built a company that listened to customers, innovated from within, and stayed true to its culture all the way through to acquisition.
For founders thinking about their next chapter, Greg’s journey is a reminder that exits aren’t just financial transactions. They’re strategic inflection points. And the best outcomes are built long before a deal is on the table.
What to do next:
- Start building real advisory relationships, before you need them
- Think about how your customers could pull you into new markets
- Design your company so it’s acquirable, not just successful
When the right opportunity comes along, you don’t want to scramble. You want to be ready.
That’s what TechExit.io is all about. We bring together real stories, tactical insights, and battle-tested strategies from founders, investors, and dealmakers who’ve been through it and come out stronger.
Whether you’re building toward an exit, raising capital, or just want to stay prepared, TechExit.io is where the real conversations happen.
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