Podcast Summary: Build with Leila Hormozi

Episode: How to Leave without Burning A Bridge (Ep. 334)
Host: Leila Hormozi
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Leila Hormozi dives deep into the art and importance of leaving a company, team, or professional relationship without burning bridges. Drawing from her experience growing acquisition.com and managing teams through rapid growth and turnover, Leila examines the bigger impact of how people exit—not just for departing employees or founders, but for anyone invested in their professional future. She urges honesty, long-term thinking, and resisting the temptation to rewrite history for ego’s sake.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What This Episode Is—and Isn’t—About (00:14–02:24)

• Leila clarifies from the outset that the episode is not about blind loyalty, staying somewhere you’ve outgrown, or protecting founders at the expense of employees or vice versa.

• Key Theme: The key message is much more personal: the compounding impact of how you leave.

  “It’s actually about something so much more simple and so much more personal, which is how you leave… what it costs you, and what it does and compounds over time.”
  — Leila Hormozi (00:59)

2. Why Exits Matter More Than You Think (02:25–05:30)

• When you leave a company, you leave more than a role—you impact relationships and your own future reputation.

• Many underestimate how much leverage they forfeit by leaving poorly.

• As an employer of many young professionals, Leila observes a lack of long-term thinking, especially among those early in their careers.

  “Being patient is a freaking competitive advantage.”
  — Leila (04:06)

3. Good Exits vs. Bad Exits: Real Examples (05:31–08:15)

• Leila contrasts two recent examples of team members who communicated openly and left for understandable reasons (career changes, family priorities)—versus two others who handled their exit poorly, causing unnecessary friction.

• She underscores: You’re always being taught and teaching, especially with less experienced employees. Exits are a skill.

  “Teaching them how to leave gracefully is a skill… also teaching people when it's the right time to leave versus stay is also a skill.”
  — Leila (07:15)

4. Leaving Isn’t Betrayal—But Lying Is Dangerous (08:16–12:44)

• Changing jobs is normal and healthy; Leila no longer takes it personally.

• The real damage is not leaving—it’s lying on your way out.

• She explains how both employees and founders spin the narrative, often to protect their ego, not through malice.

  “What actually damages trust... is not leaving, it is lying on the way out.”
  — Leila (09:41)

• Common exit lies:

  • Employees exaggerating their impact/achievements
  • Founders demonizing those who leave or are let go

• Most of these lies are “a form of self-soothing”—to avoid discomfort and preserve ego.

5. Reputational Risk: Lies Have a Half-Life (12:45–17:30)

• Lies told on exit don’t stay contained. Reputations based on false premises are fragile and require maintenance.

• Industries are small; inconsistencies surface. You can’t control what others say when you’re not in the room.

  “When you lie on the way out, you are borrowing credibility from your future and eventually the bill comes due.”
  — Leila (14:50)

• Example: If you claim you did something you didn’t, verification is just a phone call or DM away.

• Same goes for founders who badmouth employees only for them to succeed elsewhere—the lie boomerangs.

6. A Blueprint for Leaving the Right Way (17:31–21:04)

• Clean Exits = Honesty.

• Agree on what you’ll say about each other; avoid public or private mud-slinging.

  • Best Practices:
    • Tell the truth without casting yourself as the hero or the other as the villain.
    • Separate facts from feelings (“Your feelings are real, but that doesn’t make them a fact.”)
    • Don’t rewrite history to justify the break.
    • Always speak to the relevant party first.

  “If you wouldn’t say it to the people that were involved, then you probably shouldn’t be saying it at all.”
  — Leila (20:11)

7. The Price of Ego vs. The Value of Truth (21:05–26:00)

• Short-term ego-boosting (“look how much I accomplished!”) trades away long-term opportunities and credibility.

• Leila shares multiple instances of ex-employees taking credit for $50M+ in sales, or claiming ownership over brands, which destroys trust and future references.

  “If people tell the truth… I will comment, I will wish them the best. If somebody exaggerates… you will not see me comment on their post. Why? Because I do not endorse lying.”
  — Leila (24:31)

• Teams notice these misrepresentations—damaging future relationships even beyond the founder.

8. Honesty as a Long-Term Career Strategy (26:01–29:12)

• The most successful are those who delay short-term gratification, prioritize relationships, and tell the truth about their contributions.

• No single person is responsible for all company success—success is always a team effort.

  “I don’t believe that you owe a company your life. I do believe that you owe your future the truth.”
  — Leila (28:01)

9. Final Message: Teach, Don’t Tolerate Bad Exits (29:13–31:24)

• Leaders have a responsibility to educate teams on leaving gracefully—a skill that serves everyone.

• If your goal is to help people succeed, support their growth after they leave.

  “If our goal as leaders is to help people become better versions of themselves, part of that means helping them be better versions when they’re not with you too.”
  — Leila (31:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Being patient is a freaking competitive advantage.” (04:06)
• “What actually damages trust... is not leaving, it is lying on the way out.” (09:41)
• “When you lie on the way out, you are borrowing credibility from your future and eventually the bill comes due.” (14:50)
• “If you wouldn’t say it to the people that were involved… then you probably shouldn’t be saying it at all.” (20:11)
• “If people tell the truth… I will comment, I will wish them the best…If somebody exaggerates… you will not see me comment on their post. Why? Because I do not endorse lying.” (24:31)
• “No one person is responsible for anything in a company, not even me… It is a giant team effort to accomplish anything.” (27:10)
• “I don’t believe that you owe a company your life. I do believe that you owe your future the truth.” (28:01)
• “If our goal as leaders is to help people become better versions of themselves, part of that means helping them be better versions when they’re not with you too.” (31:08)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:14 – 02:24: What this episode is and isn’t about
• 02:25 – 05:30: Importance and impact of exits; long-term thinking
• 05:31 – 08:15: Stories of good and bad exits
• 08:16 – 12:44: Why lying occurs and why it's dangerous
• 12:45 – 17:30: How lies affect reputation and career
• 17:31 – 21:04: How to leave well: an actionable framework
• 21:05 – 26:00: Ego vs. truth and lessons from ex-employee stories
• 26:01 – 29:12: Honesty as the cornerstone of long-term career growth
• 29:13 – 31:24: Leaders’ responsibility and closing thoughts

Takeaways

• Leaving isn’t a betrayal; it’s natural. But exiting honestly preserves your reputation, your relationships, and your opportunities.
• Short-term ego protection is never worth the long-term cost.
• The best leaders teach their people how to leave as well as how to stay.
• Truth and honesty are your career’s true building blocks—anything less is self-sabotage.