Post-Exit Research Period
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After a successful exit, taking an intentional research period can help identify the next big opportunity. Here's the framework discussed by Sam Parr and Shaan Puri.
Core Philosophy
- Take 12-18 months for pure research and thinking
- Remove guilt about not immediately starting something new
- Focus on learning rather than executing during this period
- Allow natural interests and opportunities to emerge organically
Research Period Activities
- Read extensively across different topics
- Have conversations with interesting people
- Interview experts on podcasts to learn from them
- Avoid saying "yes" or "maybe" to new opportunities
- Say "no" to everything until the right thing emerges
Why This Works
- Prevents jumping into wrong opportunities too quickly
- Allows time to identify truly meaningful opportunities
- This period can impact the next 10+ years of trajectory
- Better than rushing into something suboptimal
- Helps avoid getting stuck in "good enough" opportunities
Key Mindset Shifts
- Remove pressure to execute immediately
- Accept that meandering/exploration is valuable
- Understand this time investment can yield better long-term results
- Recognize that with success comes the luxury of patience
- Focus on finding the "one thing" worth going all-in on
Signs You've Found The Right Thing
- Natural excitement emerges
- Clear conviction about the opportunity
- Ability to explain why it matters
- Organic pull toward the idea
- Alignment with personal interests and skills
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing into new ventures too quickly
- Feeling guilty about taking time off
- Saying yes to opportunities out of FOMO
- Not being patient enough to find the right thing
- Getting caught in "good enough" opportunities
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.