The Executive Exit
For senior executives in their 40s and 50s.
Build something you own while you’re still earning a salary, so staying or leaving becomes your choice. Start by finding out how ready you are.
Free, 28 questions, and your score shows on screen before you're asked for an email.
You've spent decades building expertise and a reputation that most people never get near, and the company has paid you well for it. None of that was a mistake, and I'm not going to tell you to resign.
The risk is quieter than that. When one employer pays for the mortgage, the school fees and the life you've built, every big decision about your time and your health ends up running through somebody else's budget cycle, restructure or change of CEO. The salary is not the problem, the dependence on it is.
Your highest earning years are the best time to change that, because the income and credibility you have right now are exactly what it takes to build something you own. Do that well and corporate becomes optional, a choice you keep making rather than the only option left.
There are three stages, and only the first one is something to do today. The rest happens over months and years alongside the role you already have, until you're no longer relying on the salary to keep everything running.
Answer 28 questions across seven areas, from money and income to health and your exit plan. Your score and the gap holding you back show on screen, and if you want the full report with a 30-60-90 day plan, I'll email it to you, free.
The Corporate Exit System is ten kits you work through beside the job, starting with the Five-Year Retirement Planner, which gives you your Freedom Number and a date to plan against. It's a one-off US$49.50, and your report points you to the kits to open first.
This is the long part, and it's where things actually change. You build one asset, then the next, while the salary keeps paying for the build. Exodus is the implementation support for this stage, for people who've done the groundwork and want help running it.
Meet Darren
In 53 seconds, why I started making different choices while I still had the corporate career, and why the planning matters more than the day you walk out.
I spent three decades as a senior cybersecurity executive at Standard Chartered Bank, S&P Global, Qantas Airways and IBM. While I was still employed I co-founded two businesses in the evenings and at weekends, so when I left in 2024 I was stepping onto something that already existed rather than starting from nothing.
I got plenty wrong along the way. I started later than I should have, I confused being busy with building, and I ignored what the hours were costing my health until I couldn't any longer. Here's the timeline of how corporate became optional for me, and where there's a public source I've linked it.
Read my full storyThe first business, started while I was still in a full-time executive role.
A career accelerator for cyber leaders, bootstrapped alongside the day job to more than 5,000 members across 80 countries. cyberleadershipinstitute.com
An SC Magazine cover in 2016, Top 100 CISOs globally in 2017 and 2022, SANS Innovator of the Year and a Cyber OSPAs award in 2022, and the inaugural CSO30 Leadership Award in 2023.
By then I had built two seven-figure businesses alongside the role, so I left with income already coming in rather than leaving first and working out what came next.
I work with senior executives on making corporate optional for themselves, and I'm now writing The Executive Exit from the New South Wales coast near Coffs Harbour.
When you finish the assessment, your score, your tier and your weakest area show on screen straight away. If you'd like the full report, I'll email it to you as a PDF, written for the tier you land in rather than as a generic guide. It covers:
If you go on to build, the report shows which kits in the System to open first for your tier, and the Five-Year Retirement Planner is where you get your Freedom Number and a date to plan against.
These come from people I've coached and mentored over the years. None of them is a review of the Corporate Exit System, so I've labelled what each one is about.
About Darren's coaching
"Darren provided me with actionable tools and strategies to lead with unshakable confidence and strike out on my own to build my own business."
About Darren's mentoring
"I've now started two of my own businesses alongside my successful career. Darren inspired me to take the leap and now with his ongoing mentorship everything is possible."
About working with Darren on an exit plan
"Working with Darren has given me the structure and support to turn my Executive Exit vision into action. It has helped me make real progress in building the business."
Find out where you are today, and you'll know which part of your exit to build first, so the decision to stay or go is yours by the time it matters.
Get My Free Exit Readiness ScoreNot ready for that yet? You can read about the book, get the free Playbook, see what Exodus is, or .
The Private WhatsApp Community
Leave your WhatsApp number if you want a place in the private group. I read every profile myself, so it is not automatic. The Playbook lands in your inbox either way.
You'll receive The Corporate Exit Playbook free
The complete diagnostic workbook delivered to your inbox immediately on signup.No spam. No selling your data. Unsubscribe with one click.
