Scaling a company is often glamorized. Exits are celebrated. But what really happens in between?

In this exclusive Startup Grind Fireside Chat, we sit down with Anna Søndergaard, Co-Founding Partner & CEO at The Footprint Firm and co-founder of Becksöndergaard Copenhagen, a global fashion brand she helped scale and successfully exit.

With deep experience in business development, sales, distribution, pricing strategy, and professionalizing startups, Anna brings an honest and unfiltered perspective on what it actually takes to build a company that grows and what it means to let it go.

This conversation goes beyond the hype to explore the real decisions, trade-offs, and lessons behind scaling and exiting a global brand.

In this session, we’ll explore:

• What it really takes to scale a brand internationally
• The hidden challenges behind rapid growth
• How to prepare a company for acquisition or exit
• Lessons from working with private equity
• The strategic and emotional realities of exiting a company
• What founders often misunderstand about scaling and selling

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, this session offers a candid and practical look into building and exiting companies that create real value.

🎤 The session will be moderated by Naimul Abd – Regional Director Nordics at Startup Grind, CEO at Connect East, SweBAN, Founder Institute Nordics, Nutty Ventures, and Brim – Brands for Impact.