Part 6: The exit
📰 Medium · Startup
Learn from a startup founder's experience on the importance of focusing on your own product and not getting distracted by competitors, and how to navigate the exit process
Action Steps
- Analyze your competitors, but don't let them dictate your product decisions
- Focus on building a unique value proposition for your product
- Develop a robust exit strategy, including understanding the acquisition process
- Build a strong network of advisors and mentors to guide you through the exit process
- Stay adaptable and open to changing market conditions and opportunities
Who Needs to Know This
Founders and entrepreneurs can benefit from this lesson to avoid common pitfalls and stay focused on their own vision, while also understanding the exit process
Key Insight
💡 Staying focused on your own product and vision is crucial, while also being prepared for the exit process
Share This
Don't let competitors distract you from your vision! Stay focused on building a unique value proposition and develop a robust exit strategy #startups #entrepreneurship
Key Takeaways
Learn from a startup founder's experience on the importance of focusing on your own product and not getting distracted by competitors, and how to navigate the exit process
Full Article
Title: Part 6: The exit
URL Source: https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series/part-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509?source=rss------startup-5
Published Time: 2026-04-30T20:54:12Z
Markdown Content:
# Part 6: The exit. The acquisition that wasn’t. | by Elliot Seror | The Fitshot Series | Apr, 2026 | Medium
[Sitemap](https://medium.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml)
[Open in app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medium.reader&referrer=utm_source%3DmobileNavBar&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Sign up
[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)
[](https://medium.com/?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Get app
[Write](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fnew-story&source=---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------new_post_topnav------------------)
[Search](https://medium.com/search?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Sign up
[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)
## [The Fitshot Series](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series?source=post_page---publication_nav-a119d67254ea-ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
·
[](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series?source=post_page---post_publication_sidebar-a119d67254ea-ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
A behind the scenes look at building, scaling, and almost selling Fitshot.
# Part 6: The exit
## The acquisition that wasn’t.
[](https://medium.com/@elliot.seror?source=post_page---byline--ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
[Elliot Seror](https://medium.com/@elliot.seror?source=post_page---byline--ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
3 min read
·
Just now
[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fvote%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&user=Elliot+Seror&userId=a3fc239cb1b1&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------clap_footer------------------)
--
[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fbookmark%2Fp%2Fee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------bookmark_footer------------------)
[Listen](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fplans%3Fdimension%3Dpost_audio_button%26postId%3Dee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------post_audio_button------------------)
Share
This is the final part of the [Fitshot series](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series). In [Part 5](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series/part-5-the-fire-e3c8877eead5), I shared how I survived a summer of firefighting as 30,000 new users flooded the app.
## The wrong turn
I’ll admit it, I broke a cardinal rule of startups. I let the competition get into my head, and it led to some bad product decisions.
> “Every minute I spent thinking about competitors was a minute wasted.”
>
> _Paul Graham, YC_
In a single week, two competitors appeared out of
URL Source: https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series/part-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509?source=rss------startup-5
Published Time: 2026-04-30T20:54:12Z
Markdown Content:
# Part 6: The exit. The acquisition that wasn’t. | by Elliot Seror | The Fitshot Series | Apr, 2026 | Medium
[Sitemap](https://medium.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml)
[Open in app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medium.reader&referrer=utm_source%3DmobileNavBar&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Sign up
[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)
[](https://medium.com/?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Get app
[Write](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fnew-story&source=---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------new_post_topnav------------------)
[Search](https://medium.com/search?source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------------------------)
Sign up
[Sign in](https://medium.com/m/signin?operation=login&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=post_page---top_nav_layout_nav-----------------------global_nav------------------)
## [The Fitshot Series](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series?source=post_page---publication_nav-a119d67254ea-ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
·
[](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series?source=post_page---post_publication_sidebar-a119d67254ea-ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
A behind the scenes look at building, scaling, and almost selling Fitshot.
# Part 6: The exit
## The acquisition that wasn’t.
[](https://medium.com/@elliot.seror?source=post_page---byline--ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
[Elliot Seror](https://medium.com/@elliot.seror?source=post_page---byline--ee82d524a509---------------------------------------)
3 min read
·
Just now
[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fvote%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&user=Elliot+Seror&userId=a3fc239cb1b1&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------clap_footer------------------)
--
[](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F_%2Fbookmark%2Fp%2Fee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------bookmark_footer------------------)
[Listen](https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fplans%3Fdimension%3Dpost_audio_button%26postId%3Dee82d524a509&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2Fthe-fitshot-series%2Fpart-6-the-exit-ee82d524a509&source=---header_actions--ee82d524a509---------------------post_audio_button------------------)
Share
This is the final part of the [Fitshot series](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series). In [Part 5](https://medium.com/the-fitshot-series/part-5-the-fire-e3c8877eead5), I shared how I survived a summer of firefighting as 30,000 new users flooded the app.
## The wrong turn
I’ll admit it, I broke a cardinal rule of startups. I let the competition get into my head, and it led to some bad product decisions.
> “Every minute I spent thinking about competitors was a minute wasted.”
>
> _Paul Graham, YC_
In a single week, two competitors appeared out of
DeepCamp AI