Explore what it takes to scale strategically, create lasting enterprise value, and position your company for future exit opportunities with Fleur Madden!
August 5th, 2026 | 12:00 PM PT
For high-growth founders, scaling is often the primary focus—but the most successful entrepreneurs build with the end in mind. Whether your long-term goal is acquisition, strategic partnership, private equity investment, or another liquidity event, the decisions you make today can significantly impact your future options and company value.
The Nasdaq Center is excited to welcome Fleur Madden, a 3x-exited founder, investor, and board chair, for a candid conversation on Scaling to Exit. Having successfully built and exited businesses across multiple industries—including beauty, community, and agency services—while expanding internationally, Fleur brings firsthand experience navigating the challenges and opportunities that come with scaling companies for long-term value creation.
In this session, Fleur will share lessons learned from building, growing, and exiting multiple ventures, offering practical insights into what founders should prioritize as they scale. From developing the operational foundations that support sustainable growth to expanding into new markets and preparing for future exit opportunities, founders will gain a clearer understanding of how to build a company that is both scalable and attractive to future investors or acquirers.
Key Takeaways:
- Learn how successful founders make growth decisions that increase long-term company value and future strategic options.
- Understand the systems, leadership, and operational foundations that make businesses more attractive to investors and acquirers.
- Gain insights into expanding beyond your home market while maintaining focus, efficiency, and scalability.
- Hear firsthand lessons from a founder who has successfully built and exited three companies across different industries.
Meet our special guest
Fleur Madden
Fleur Madden is a globally award-winning entrepreneur, CEO, founder, Board Chair, and one of Australia's leading voices on women in business, and business scaling and exits. Over 23 years, she has founded four companies and successfully exited three. In 2025, Fleur was appointed Brisbane's Women in Business Champion by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and was recognized as one of Australia's Top 25 Business Women.
Fleur is the Founder and CEO of The Ginsburg Firm, a consulting group that helps female founders scale or sell their businesses— making money on the way up and out. She is on a mission to close the business exit gap for women: the fact that women are more likely to close their businesses than sell them, and when they do sell, often achieve significantly less than men. This work has seen Fleur win two global Stevie Women in Business Awards in New York, a Silver at the Women Changing the World Awards in Paris, and take to the stage at TEDx to champion change on the business exit gap for women.
Before founding The Ginsburg Firm, Fleur built and sold multiple businesses across different industries. She founded her first company, The Red Republic, at just 23 years old, later selling it 14 years later to a multinational listed on the New York Stock Exchange. She also founded beauty brand Lulu and Lipstick, which she sold in 2016 after its makeup brushes were included in gift bags at the Academy Awards. In 2024, Fleur sold Freelancing Gems, a jobs and community platform helping women redefine the 9-to-5 through part-time, freelance, and contract work.
A passionate advocate for women and girls, Fleur believes that when women thrive, communities thrive. She is the Chairwoman of 4Voices, supporting women experiencing domestic violence and homelessness, and has also supported organizations at Board level or as an ambassador including Women's Legal Service Queensland, The Forgotten Woman, and The Children's Hospital Foundation. Fleur has been featured in media including Marie Claire, Today, Women's Agenda, and Studio 10, and has spoken on stages around the world, from New York to Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Atlanta, South Africa, and Australia.
Her favorite saying and the one that drives everything she does is simple: "Don't play small."
You can follow Fleur and her businesses at the links below:
Instagram: @fleurcmadden @theginsburgfirm @herbusinessexit
The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver free resources, expert guidance, and top-tier mentorship to over 100,000 entrepreneurs worldwide. Your support helps us continue delivering these transformative programs—expanding access to entrepreneurship and driving economic progress for all. Join us and make a gift today to help more entrepreneurs thrive!
All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to nasdaqcenterlive@nasdaqcenter.org with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact hello@nasdaqcenter.org.
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