• Breakout

The Earn-Out Years: Life Inside the Acquirer

October 15, 2026 · 02:15 PM – 02:55 PM
Breakout 1

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Moderator

John Kirkpatrick

John Kirkpatrick

Managing Director, Partner

STS Capital Partners

Panelists

Brianna Blaney

Brianna Blaney

CEO & Co-Founder

Pocketed

Acquired by Deloitte Canada

Kenda Shaheen

Kenda Shaheen

Partner

Dentons

The deal closed, but you are not done. For most founders, selling means years still inside the acquiring company, hitting earn-out targets, integrating teams, and answering to a parent that does things differently. It is where a good exit can quietly lose half its value, or where the smart operators protect their number and their people. This is the tactical session on the part nobody warns you about: what actually happens after you sign and before you are free.

Session Focus:

  • Structuring an earn-out you can actually hit
  • Retaining your team through integration
  • Managing a new boss and lost autonomy
  • Knowing when to stay and when to walk