Join us as we dive into the incredible journey of Dean Forbes, a business leader who turned challenges into triumphs. Discover how he sold KDS to American Express for 125 million euros after being thrown out of their building twice. Learn about his early struggles, being £89,000 in debt at 18, and the pivotal lessons he learned, like never taking anything personal in business and always having competitive leverage. Explore the process of selling Forterro for 1 billion euros, and how he made American Express raise their offer from 6 million to 125 million. Gain insights into the keys to being an effective CEO, the unique challenges he faces as a Black CEO in Europe, and how higher interest rates impact M&A deals. Understand how tech companies determine their valuations and how Dean overcame imposter syndrome. This story is a testament to the power of perseverance, strategic thinking, and leveraging success to negotiate higher equity. Don't miss it! #DeanForbes #BusinessSuccess #Entrepreneurship #NegotiationSkills #CEO #MergersAndAcquisitions #BusinessLessons #TechValuations #ImposterSyndrome #CompetitiveLeverage #BusinessJourney #Leadership #AmericanExpress #Forterro #businesschallenges 0:00 Intro 2:43 Early Career in Football, Experiencing Homelessness, & Starting Sales 11:19 Lessons in Negotiating with American Express 24:30 Why Competitive Tension & Leverage is Key 30:24 What Actually Moves the Valuation Needle in Companies 34:14 Experiences with Racism in European Countries 38:05 The Forterro Story: Selling A Company for 1 Billion Euros 43:35 Relationship with Old Footballing Peers 52:21 Delegating Authority Effectively when Dealing with Different Countries 1:00:13 Creating System for a Company ahead of Exiting 1:04:39 The Most Unique Trait that Leads to success 1:07:06 Dean’s View on other Assets: Real Estate, Crypto, Etc 1:10:47 Outro & Dean’s Foundation