FOUNDER DIARIES - Joel Dalton on Exits, Employee Ownership & Life After Scale

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights · Jan 2, 2026 · 52m

In this episode of Founder Diaries, Nitin Sharma sits down with Joel Dalton, exited founder of Clone, strategic advisor, and NED, to unpack what really happens after you scale a business — and what founders rarely prepare for.Joel shares the unfiltered story of building Clone into a £7m marketing services business, navigating Covid, founder burnout, financial blind spots, and ultimately choosing an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) as his exit path. This is a candid conversation about founder reliance, designing a business that can survive without you, and reclaiming time, energy, and purpose…