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By Adam Burroughs
JumpStart Ventures President Jerry Frantz on how the early-stage investor mindset has been affected by market uncertainty and what it means for entrepreneurs.
November 23, 2022
Former Medtronic CEO Bill George On How Ego Can Crush A Deal
Harvard Business School Senior Fellow and former chairman and CEO of Medtronic Bill George on the M&A lessons he's learned over his career.
November 18, 2022
Deal Pulse Cleveland: Rising Interest Rates Impact Private Equity
Interest rates have become a greater challenge, leading private equity to counter by increasing the portion of equity placed into deals to better manage the cost of debt.
November 18, 2022
Entrepreneur Focus: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild Founder, CEO and Managing Partner Kathryn Finney shares her entrepreneurial journey and the impact she's been able to have through it.
November 18, 2022
Deal Pulse Pittsburgh: Rising Interest Rates Impact Private Equity
Interest rates have become a greater challenge, leading private equity to counter by increasing the portion of equity placed into deals to better manage the cost of debt.
November 18, 2022
Revolutionary Security's Race To The Finish Line
Former Revolutionary Security CEO Rich Mahler on the sale of the company to Accenture — the period leading up to the deal, COVID's effect and more.
November 18, 2022
Understand Why Before You Buy
EPIC Systems CEO Michael Higgins on the elements of a deal to consider beyond price.
November 11, 2022
Young People See Startups As A Way To Make An Impact
Ohio Innovation Fund Principal Faith Voinovich on changes she's seen in early-stage investing and shares her view of the broader startup picture.
November 11, 2022
Stay-At-Home Moms Take The Pressure Off Park Place Technologies' M&A Processes
Park Place Technologies Kelly Greene on how she's developed her M&A process during the years.
November 11, 2022
WJ Connell's John Stephenson On What He's Leaving Behind
WJ Connell's John Stephenson on what he learned from his first job, how mentorship has impacted his career, his regrets and his motivations.
November 11, 2022
A Lifetime of Succession for Ideal Group
It may have been out of necessity, but Frank Venegas Jr. began the succession process at a very young age for daughter, Linzie, and son, Jesse. Linzie said she was in a playpen in her father’s office, because they didn’t have the money for sitters and her parents worked long hours. It may have been a hardship then, but its paying dividends today as both Linzie and Jesse have taken over leadership of the company.
November 4, 2022
The Value Of Preparation Before Liquidity Events
JBC Technologies' Joseph Bliss, Proformex's Lou Schneeberger, BNY Mellon Wealth Management's Ronald Ambrogio and BDO's Robert Berdanier on the value of preparation before liquidity events.
November 4, 2022
Dealmakers share their stories, evaluate the current deal market
At the Charlotte Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, a panel of C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, and an M&A financial adviser, led by moderator Greg Wilcox, a First National Bank Regional Manager, explored the state of the deal market and their respective organizational journeys amid a tightening interest- rate cycle, persistently high inflation, and challenging economic conditions.
November 4, 2022
Pitch perfect: The need for newbie entrepreneurs to improve their talk track
Project Olympus' Kit Needham on the areas where fist-time entrepreneurs stumble when seeking their earliest funding rounds.
November 4, 2022
Expert Social Influencers Change the Marketing Landscape
Working directly with brands and retailers, The Desire Company matches them with the right experts to trial, test and review products, producing video reviews for use at the point of sale and across digital marketing channels. These partnerships are proving to drive an increase in conversions, time on site and an increase in marketing effectiveness, resulting in a six times revenue increase for the company in the past 12 months. As a result, brands are taking notice and want in on this new approach.
November 4, 2022
Chain.io Investing in Supply Chain Platform Partnerships
As supply chain issues continue to wreak havoc for businesses both large and small, Chain.io Founder and CEO Brian Glick hopes to alleviate the problems with its cloud-based integration platform, which lets all the different entities in the chain share data between all their systems.
October 28, 2022
Despite Two Retirements, Ralph Della Ratta Is Still Going
Kirtland Capital Partners' Ralph Della Ratta on what he's learned from his four decades in M&A, his keys to success and how that experience will be brought to bear in his newest role.
October 28, 2022
Dry Powder vs Rising Interest Rates
Petra Capital Partners' David Fitzgerald on how raising capital and investment decisions are being affected by conditions in the market.
October 28, 2022
Deal Pulse Columbus: M&A Outlook in a Volatile Economy
Columbus M&A for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was 29.1 precent lower than the same time period in 2021, while September 2022 deal volume was 57.1 percent lower than September 2021.
October 28, 2022
Economic Conditions Drive Buyer Creativity
Ouroboros Group General Partner Samantha Ory on buyer-seller alignment, her firm’s growth from independent sponsor into its first fund, and how the current economic conditions are affecting the M&A landscape.
October 28, 2022
The Unexpected Outcomes of Royal Capital Group’s Community Development
Royal Capital Group Founder and CEO Kevin Newell discovered that when living conditions improve, so do the mental and physical health of those living in the neighborhoods he’s developed. This approach opened a new capital stream through UnitedHealthcare, which is now the largest private investor, providing $5.4 million in equity funding for one of his latest endeavors.
October 21, 2022
Diligence Your Buyer
Peter Bowe and Barbara Stewart Foundation's Peter Bowe, along with 7th Street Advisors' Andy Cohen and Slate Capital Group's Parker Davis, on the importance of evaluating your buyer and other practical tips for getting your house in order before the deal goes down.
October 21, 2022
Refine Your Growth Strategy
Wolf Organization's Joe Person, Guardian Capital Partners' Peter Haabestad, RKL's Bryan Redding and JPMorgan Chase's Lisa Kopff, share their keys to developing and unlocking an acquisition plan that works.
October 21, 2022
Begin With The End In Mind
MATH Venture Partners' Mert Hilmi Iseri and Mark Achler, along with UBS's James Jack and Michael R. Gatewood, share valuable personal lessons learned over several successful M&A exits.
October 21, 2022
Deal Pulse Northeast Ohio: M&A Outlook in a Volatile Economy
The Northeast Ohio M&A market has faced the same headwinds as the broader U.S. Deal volume for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was 10.1 percent lower than the same time period in 2021, while September 2022 deal volume was 26.3 percent lower than September 2021. Still, Northeast Ohio saw the closing of several noteworthy transactions.
October 21, 2022
Deal Pulse Pittsburgh: M&A Outlook in a Volatile Economy
The Pittsburgh M&A market has faced the same, if not worse, headwinds as the broader U.S. Deal volume for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was 25.6 percent lower than the same time period in 2021, while September 2022 deal volume was 50 percent lower than September 2021. Still, Pittsburgh saw the closing of several noteworthy transactions.
October 14, 2022
How Jordan Hansell Is Applying Past Experiences To Lead Tradepost
Tradepost's Jordan Hansell on launching and growing TradePost, how his experience is shaping his approach in the new venture, as well as a series of recent investments he's made in the real estate space, a sector he says is poised for disruption.
October 14, 2022
Michael Sirpilla On Society Brands’ $204M Raise
Society Brands CEO Michael Sirpilla spoke on Dealmaker TV's DealTalk program about the company’s $204M raise and its growth since its launch in 2020.
October 14, 2022
Adjusting to a disrupted market
Heritage Holding's Alex de Pfyffer and IMB Partners' Tarrus Richardson on about buyers' and sellers' reaction to the changing M&A market.
October 14, 2022
When Acquiring an ESOP, Get ESOP Expert Help
Warren Equity Partners' Michael Ouyang on the process his firm takes when targeting companies that have an ESOP ownership structure.
October 14, 2022
Immunophotonics Makes Strides in Cancer Research
Lu Alleruzzo, a bioengineer with a MBA, had an opportunity early in his career to understand innovation and immediately apply it to society for the benefit of all. That opportunity fueled him and his biotech company, Immunophotonics, to pioneer a field of cancer care called Interventional Immuno Oncology.
October 7, 2022
There’s a Bumpy Road Ahead In M&A
C. Forrest Tefft, head of corporate finance at Northwest Bank, has, over more than four decades in investment banking, raised more than $14 billion in bank capital and was the originator of more than 70 transactions. Tefft discusses some of the hurdles businesses face in a near post-pandemic world and the things they should consider before making any M&A transactions.
October 7, 2022
Checkpoint Surgical Focused on Growth
Checkpoint Surgical, Inc., a privately held U.S.-based medical device company with proprietary neurostimulation technology for nerve protection and repair, raised $16 million of growth capital in August of 2021. One year later, with those investments in place, the company is shifting into growth mode, a move that comes with substantial changes. Executive Advisor Len Cosentino talks about the raise, his process for vetting investors and how Checkpoint is setting itself up for profitability.
October 7, 2022
From funder to fundraiser
MOBILion's Dr. Melissa Sherman on growing the company and how she's adapted to the fundraising process.
October 7, 2022
Shifting Perspective When Bringing On PE
Serial entrepreneur Stephen Marshall on how founders and CEOs need to prepare their company, and themselves, for major events in a business's lifecycle.
October 7, 2022
Funding options for health care companies
Lawrence, Evans & Co.'s Neil Johnson spoke on funding options for health care companies.
September 30, 2022
Economic Uncertainty And Its Impact On Deal Readiness
Vytalize Health's Kevin Murphy, Vitalxchange's Charu Ramanathan, Gibson Machinery's Lee Gibson, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP's Brandi Weekley and MelCap Partners' Al Melchiorre on economic uncertainty and its impact on deal readiness.
September 30, 2022
Evaluating The Columbus Deal Market
Stonehenge Partners' Sean Dunn, Ice Miller's Chris Michael, Kaufman Development's Ian Labitue, Worthington Industries' Patrick Kennedy and MEMM Capital'sMark Fleming Jr. kick off the Columbus Smart Business Dealmakers Conference with an evaluation of the current Columbus deal market.
September 30, 2022
Reprice? Or walk away?
Gray, Gray & Gray LLP's Derrick Rebello and McCarthy Capital's Bob Emmert, on the sell-side issues that give them pause in diligence.
September 30, 2022
Lessons learned from the supply chain turmoil
LFM Capital's Stephen Cook his view of the situation in middle-market manufacturing and how the firm is dealing with the economic pressures in that sector.
September 23, 2022
Stewart Kohl on missed opportunities
The Riverside Co. Co-CEO Stewart Kohl on what he learned from his first job, how mentorship has impacted his career, successes, lessons learned, work/life balance, and giving back.
September 23, 2022
Supply chain, HR, take on increasing importance in a deal
Mason Wells Senior Managing Director Jay Radtke on how to be an effective buyer in this hyper-competitive and ever-changing environment.
September 23, 2022
Len Caric on hiring mistakes
Serial entrepreneur Len Caric on what he learned from his first job, how mentorship has impacted his career, change as a motivator and work/life balance.
September 23, 2022
Tailor your M&A approach
IDEAL CEO and Director Steve Henn on getting an organization prepared for acquisitions.
September 15, 2022
Finding alignment in a family business
AchieveNEXT's Christin Cardone McClave, and UBS’s Bianca Benedetti-Fang and Julie Fox on how McClave’s family managed through being business partners over the years, why they ultimately decided a full sale was a path they wanted to pursue, and how they have adjusted back to being a family, after the transaction.
September 15, 2022
CreativeCo Capital finds early success through data-driven outreach
CreativeCo Capital's Ashley Gautreaux on the progress her firm has been able to make in a short time and why.
September 15, 2022
Value Creation In The M&A Lifecycle
Congruity 360's Mark Shirman, ARK Behavioral Health’s Peter McLoughlin and Twelve Points Wealth Management’s David Clayman on value creation in the M&A lifecycle.
September 15, 2022
Deal Pulse: The Economic Impact of a Manufacturing Resurgence
In his latest Deal Pulse report, Mike Kostandaras of MelCap Partners assesses the current M&A market, including a discussion of recent deals, a puts a spotlight on domestic manufacturing.
September 15, 2022
ESG’s increasing impact on investment decisions
Black Brain Trust's Angel St. Jean on the rise of ESG, her company’s growth, and the challenges of fundraising.
September 15, 2022
Deal Pulse: The economic impact of manufacturing resurgence
In his latest Deal Pulse report, Mike Kostandaras of MelCap Partners assesses the current M&A market, including a discussion of recent deals, a puts a spotlight on domestic manufacturing.
September 9, 2022
What to consider when considering minority investments
Broadview Group Holdings' Clay Hunter, LoanNEX's Eloise Schmitz, Lewis & Clark AgriFood's Tim Hassler, PNC's Tim Brady and BDO USA's Meg Kellogg on what minority control sales look like, and how planning in advance can lead to multiple bites at the apple.
September 9, 2022
Family Business Succession is a Slow, Steady Process
The L’Herbier family was at a crossroads six years ago. The owners of Air Duct Maintenance, Kevin and Debbie L’Herbier, were looking to retire and had to decide what to do with the company they started back in 1996. They approached their children, Dan and Lauren L’Herbier, to see if they had interest in taking over leadership. After a brief period, the siblings decided to begin the succession process. It didn’t go as quickly as everyone had hoped, however.
September 9, 2022
Preparing for sell-side diligence
CMC Materials' Daniel Woodland on issues that arise when selling a business.
September 9, 2022
Accelerating growth through private equity
Schill Grounds Management's Jerry Schill on the company's deal with Argonne and how it will help accelerate the business's growth.
September 2, 2022
Multiple means of raising capital
Oncocyte's Ron Andrews on the company's use of its at-the-market program, how it works, when it's best deployed, and what the raise from it has enabled to the company to do.
September 2, 2022
Build value through the team
Gray, Gray & Gray's Bryan Pearce on strategic business planning and building value in your organization.
September 2, 2022
Ilya Bodner on Bold Penguin's Acquisition
Bold Penguin Founder Ilya Bodner on the company's acquisition, how it decided that was the best choice and the benefits the deal offered.
September 2, 2022
Planning for you and your business's next step
TalentLaunch's Aaron Grossman, Leiden Cabinet Company's Tom Leiden and CM Wealth Advisors Paul Bodnar and Douglas McCreery, spoke at the Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about what liquidity events mean for owners and entrepreneurs and their businesses, and what to expect next.
September 2, 2022
Adjust your sale approach to new market realities
MiddleGround Capital's John Stewart, Doeren Mayhew's Aaron Partridge and Matthew Gurwin on how new market realities require sellers to be more prepared in order to maximize their company's value in a sale.
August 26, 2022
Building a culture of support for startups
Wisconsin Startup Coalition Co-founders Matt Cordio and Peter Welch on the progress the organization has made since its launch in 2020, and how creating a network of support could lead to putting Wisconsin on investors' maps.
August 26, 2022
Pre-transaction must-dos for sellers
Kreischer Miller's Brian Kitchen on maximizing your deal success with pre-transaction tax structuring.
August 26, 2022
A look at M&A in today's food & beverage sector
Prairie Capital Advisors' Terry Bressler and Dan DeLap on how the deal market in the food and beverage sector is playing out this year, their expectations for the near-term, and factors that both buyers and sellers should consider ahead of a transaction.
August 26, 2022
Preparing today for tomorrow’s sale
Onex Inc. President Ashleigh Walters on preparing today for tomorrow’s sale and the subsequent liquidity event.
August 26, 2022
Pushing through the noes
Immaculate Cleaning Founder and President James Barnes on his entrepreneurial journey and the importance of pushing through the noes to get to the all-important yeses.
August 19, 2022
Deal Pulse: COVID's continued M&A impact
The Central Ohio M&A market has exhibited a similar trend as the broader domestic market, as deal volume for the seven months ended July 2022 was 18.6 percent lower than the prior year. Meanwhile, Central Ohio deal volume fell by 24 percent in July 2022 relative to July 2021.
August 19, 2022
Deal Pulse: M&A in a Virtual World
In July 2022, the Northeast Ohio M&A market demonstrated more resilience than the broader domestic market, as deal volume in July 2022 increased by 13.8 percent relative to July 2021. However, for the seven months ended July 2022, Northeast Ohio deal volume was 10.1 percent lower than the prior year.
August 19, 2022
Finding a sale at a crossroads
Fab Fours CEO Greg Higgs on his company's sale to Warn Industries and his post-deal plans.
August 19, 2022
How macro factors are influencing deals
Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors' Bob McCormack, Bortek Industries' Greg Alt, Quotient's Clark Lare, and Bowie & Jensen's William McComas on the factors influencing buy-side deals and post-acquisition integration post-COVID.
August 19, 2022
Jonathan Kasen, Gordon Scott on buying Hilliards Chocolates
As investors, Gordon Scott and Jonathan Kasen were comfortable analyzing businesses. But to prepare to acquire a company, they went to textbooks.
August 12, 2022
Engineered From Personal Need, Nollapelli Is Ready To Grow
Nollapelli founder Allison Howard talks with the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast about how she created Nollapelli and prepared the company for early-stage investing.
August 11, 2022
Real estate investing in a dynamic market
Citymark Capital Founder and CEO Dan Walsh on the real estate investment market, what, and where, is hot, and how he sees the investment landscape playing out given the economic currents.
August 11, 2022
When there's more than money to a deal
Orbus Past Chairman & Owner Simon Perutz on his former company's acquisition
August 11, 2022
When (and when not) to call an investment banker
Christopher Riley, CEO, United Cutwater, has more than 30 years’ experience owning and operating more than a dozen businesses in numerous industries. He discusses the current M&A landscape and what business owners should be doing if they’re considering selling.
August 11, 2022
Archetype Solutions Pursues A Unique Approach To Investing
Archetype Solutions Group CEO Chetan Bagga on launching Archetype Solutions and its unique approach to investing.
August 5, 2022
Evaluating your sell-side options in an exit
RiverGlade Capital's Kevin McGrath, Council Capital's Nick Cooper, Pinnacle Financial Partners' Tyler Morgan, Capital Alignment Partners' John Pontius, Whistler Capital's Darshan Prabhu and Bass, Berry & Sims' Tatjana Paterno discuss what goes into a successful exit beyond a liquidity event, including when a private equity firm sells one of its portfolio companies.
August 5, 2022
Life Remodeled CEO Chris Lambert On The Heart Of Fundraising
Life Remodeled CEO Chris Lambert on the organization's mission and accomplishments, as well as his approach to fundraising.
August 5, 2022
Lessons learned selling the same company twice
What John Blyzinskyj learned from selling Elemica twice.
August 5, 2022
Transition strategies within family businesses
Jergens Inc.'s Jack Schron, Ahola Payroll & HR Solutions' Jeff Ahola, Peoples Services Inc.'s Darin Haines, The Reserves Network's Neil Stallard and UBS's William Murphy on the tough conversations and lessons learned from transitions in a family business.
August 5, 2022
How to be transparent while protecting IP during diligence
Stirling Ultracold Founder and former CTO Dave Berchowitz on the deal with BioLife and how the company's IP was managed leading up to and through diligence.
August 2, 2022
The Essential First Question CEOs Must Ask Before Partnering with a PE Firm
Private equity dealmaking was busier than ever in 2021, with more than $3.5 trillion in capital deployed throughout the year. Fundraising also increased nearly 20% last year – a record high – which
July 29, 2022
Dan German on lessons learned launching Orthobrain
Orthobrain's Dan German on launching Orthobrain, fundraising, and how the lessons he learned growing and selling German Orthodontics are informing his new venture.
July 29, 2022
Distinguish yourself in a deal
Tecum Capital's Stephen Gurgovits, Citizens M&A Advisory's David Dunstan, Matthews International Corp.'s Richard Beard and Aon's Bill Coleman on building a successful acquisition engine.
July 29, 2022
When to leave leadership behind
Carestream Health's David Westgate, Madison Dearborn Partners' Michael Nettesheim Executive Search Partners' Nick Curran and N2 Advantage Law's Timothy Nettesheim on how to know what you're buying.
July 29, 2022
Breaking down the complexities of succession planning
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young Partner Steven Scolari on succession planning and how to break the complex process down into something more manageable.
July 29, 2022
When selling, get answers before the deal closes
Ten35's Sherman Wright on preparing to sell a business and the liquidity event that follows.
July 29, 2022
Seeing a deal as more than money
Ouroboros Group's Samantha Ory, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Boston's Brian Moore, Dr. Dental's Alex Faigel, Mirus Capital Advisors' Brendan Kiernan and Cambridge Savings Bank's Stephen Leonard on financing business in the lower middle market.
July 22, 2022
An offer that can't be refused
Dawson's' David DeCapua on the deal with Aya Healthcare and how he personally came to terms with selling.
July 22, 2022
How Relationships Brought Abatemaster and Plumb Line Capital Together
Plumb Line Capital's Matt Lindberg and Abatemaster's Jeff Chilton on the acquisition, growing a former family-operated business, and how relationships have played a role in every aspect of the deal.
July 22, 2022
Price Taker vs. Price Maker and the effect on value
BMO Harris Bank's John Chalus and Tecum Capital's Matt Harnett on the economic factors that are affecting deals and how buyers and sellers can adjust.
July 22, 2022
When Three Little Pigs Went To Market
Village Gourmet's David Kemp and Gemini Investors' James Goodman on buying Three Little Pigs, growing it into Village Gourmet and taking that company to market.
July 22, 2022
Diligence is a two-way street
Foundation Wellness' Sean Williams, Aon's Perry Papantonis, and Gridiron Capital's Joe Saldutti and Sean Kelley on maximizing value in a sell-side transaction.
July 14, 2022
Ascender Lifts Early-Stage Entrepreneurs
Nadyli Nuñez, executive director, Ascender, has guided hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs through her incubator, co-working programs, and numerous early-stage investments to position them for add-on capital as part of their growth journey from scale-up to the middle market. She has a detailed, hands-on approach to ensure the success of her clients.
July 14, 2022
Making Deals with Unprepared Participants
Charlie Saponaro, CEO, Medical Record Associates, is a long-standing veteran of the Boston M&A world, with more than 30 deals to his credit. In several of those transactions, Saponaro had to make it happen even though the sellers were not quite as sophisticated in the common practices of the M&A world.
July 13, 2022
Deal Pulse: Volume down, value up amid mounting headwinds
Following a healthy first quarter, U.S. and local deal volume declined the second quarter ended June 30. However, total deal value on a national basis was up sharply over the same period. Acquirers are increasingly confronted with a difficult labor market.
July 6, 2022
Reasons to be excited, cautious, when launching a business with family
Geneoscopy's Andrew Barnell on launching Geneoscopy, structuring the business and working with family.
July 6, 2022
Revolutionary Security struck while the iron was hot
Revolutionary Security's Rich Mahler discusses the company's 2020 sale to Accenture.
July 6, 2022
Identifying the right capital partners
Tiesta Tea Company's Dan Klein on what he looks for in investors beyond capital as well as the company's plans for growth.
July 6, 2022
BioDot's quick (and unexpected) second deal
BioDot's Tony Lemmo on the company's two significant deals in the last two years, including a leveraged buyout through Artemis Capital Partners back in 2020.
July 6, 2022
Preparing yourself to prepare for a sale
Prospect Partners' Louis Kenter on steps a business owner should take to prepare to sell their company.
July 6, 2022
Family must earn their way into Archangel's CEO seat
Archangel Protective Services' Ken Thomas on how the company got its start, the importance of getting help along the way, succession planning and the ways he's helping others get their entrepreneurial start.
July 6, 2022
The economy's impact on deal readiness
Honigman's John Kanan, Wälzlager Industriewerke Bulle A.G.'s Kal Beidas, MSX International's Fred Minturn, Aon's Vipul Patel and BDO Consulting Group's Robert Berdanier discuss economic uncertainty and its impact on deal readiness.
July 6, 2022
Landing the first investors
SureImpact's Sheri Chaney Jones on launching SureImpact and her experience landing investors.
July 6, 2022
A shifting M&A market
Fifth Third Securities' Matt Francati, Cyprium Investment Partners' Beth Haas, Signet Enterprises' Anthony Manna and Oswald Companies' Jeff Schwab on mitigating risk and navigating current trends in today's volatile sell-side environment.
June 30, 2022
The Advantage of Strategic Planning in M&A Transactions
Huntington's Dan Griffith and Jim Altman, Loretta Benec (formerly with The ExOne Company), IPEG Industrial Group's John Erkert and McGuireWoods' Penny Zacharias on the power of strategic planning in M&A.
June 29, 2022
Liquidity Lessons From Selling a Fourth-Generation Family Business
Lewisburg Printing Company's Kirk Kelso, Troutman Pepper's Daniel McDonough, and BNY Mellon's Bryan McGrath and Marty Babitz on the preparation and exit phases of a well-structured transaction.
June 29, 2022
Relationships, communication smooth MedPilot, Vytalize deal
Vytalize Health's Kevin Murphy and Matt Buder Shapiro on the deal, how it came to be and where the combined companies go from here.
June 29, 2022
Risk management in M&A
Aclaimant Co-Founder and Board Member Michael Schultz on dealing with risk in M&A transactions, and how his company is applying its recent $15 million raise.
June 29, 2022
Navigating Deal Complexities
Mad River Associates' Andy Horne, Eliassen Group's David MacKeen, WJ Connell's John Stephenson and CMBG3 Law's John Gardella on how to effectively prepare yourself and your company to get deals done.
June 22, 2022
Lessons learned from raising different types of capital
Stratifyd's Derek Wang on building Stratifyd, raising capital and growing his investor network.
June 22, 2022
The complexity of pre-sale estate and wealth planning
DP+'s Mark Petrosky, Cendrowski Corporate Advisors' John Alfonsi and Pitcairn's Andy Busser on how a seller's approach to the pre-planning and execution — including taking the impact of taxes into consideration — may be the difference between a deal's success and failure.
June 22, 2022
Build a good business and investors will find you
HYCU's Simon Taylor, Mintz's Kurt Steinkrauss, Health Express Urgent Care's Chris Whelan and First Republic Investment Management's Julie Rousseau on what you need to know about the personal and corporate side of readying your company for whatever tomorrow brings.
June 22, 2022
The importance of multiple plans
Capital Plus' Renee Tyack, Roetzel & Andress' Erika Haupt, Matesich Distributing Co.'s Sarah Schwab and AB Bernstein's Kara Lewis on how they navigated the most difficult questions regarding what to do with the family business.
June 22, 2022
Internal, external factors to consider ahead of a deal
Malachite Innovations Inc.'s Michael Cavanaugh, Barnes Wendling CPAs' Laurie Gatten, Protegis Fire & Safety's Steve DeJohn and Ulmer & Berne's Ilir Pipa on how to analyze your company’s deal readiness and determine the best course for your company’s future.
June 17, 2022
Overcoming Great Day's Early Challenges Hinged On The Team
Blue Olive Partners Executive Chairman Ed Weinfurtner on building the family of Great Day brands.
June 17, 2022
How ITS Logistics' Scott Pruneau Proved His Company's Uniqueness
In the last quarter of 2020, ITS Logistics launched an almost entirely virtual sales process that ultimately ended with its acquisition by GHK Capital Partners in mid-2021. CEO Scott Pruneau says navigating the process without bringing anybody under the tent was a challenge.
June 17, 2022
Argo Fresh's Clint Lewis: Running A Public Company With A PE Partner
In AgroFresh, Clint Lewis is leading a public company that has a private equity investor. 'It's a unique dynamic," Lewis says.
June 17, 2022
Investing in Downtown Baltimore
MCB Real Estate's P. David Bramble, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore's Shelonda Stokes, Chasen Companies' Brandon Chasen and FNB Corp.'s Mac Tisdale discuss the opportunities available for investors in downtown Baltimore.
June 17, 2022
Founders helping founders
Ilana Diamond on launching 412 Ventures, its investment thesis, and how their collective experience as founders might give them an advantage.
June 16, 2022
LPi’s Niche Market Clientele Proves Valuable
We Share and We Gather started as LPi's closed social network for churches. It quickly morphed into an online donation tool for nonprofits. Joe Luedtke spoke about LPi’s carveout of its financial tech arm.
June 16, 2022
How Paperless Parts Overcame Early Stumbles To Find Success
Paperless Parts recently raised $30 million of Series B venture funding led by OpenView Venture Capital. Jason Ray, co-founder and CEO of Paperless says he had some entrepreneurial stumbles along his path to building Paperless into what it's become today.
June 10, 2022
How Reps & Warranties Is Increasing Deal Efficiency
Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis' Tyson Bickley, LFM Capital's Chris Lin, Resource Label Group's Hunter Rost and LBMC's Brian Marynowitz on how to evolve your buy-side strategies in 2022 and beyond, and key mistakes you can avoid.
June 10, 2022
How labor challenges are affecting M&A
Calaway Habeck Talent Consulting's Jaynanne Calaway-Habeck, Denim Social's Douglas Wilber, CliftonLarsonAllen's Adrian Nohr, PFI Holding Co.'s John Dolan and BMO Harris' Robert Harrod on the factors impacting today's M&A transactions.
June 10, 2022
Edovo Divests to Improve Mission Focus
Edovo CEO Brian Hill on his venture, its recent acquisition and raising capital.
June 10, 2022
Franklin Foster on Essex Bay Capital's Launch
Essex Bay Capital Co-founder Franklin Foster talks about launching Essex Bay Capital and the investments the company has made so far.
June 10, 2022
The Role of CFO Post-Acquisition
Resilience Capital Partners Bassem Mansour, TalentLaunch's Matt Lyon, Truist Bank's Andrew Rutherford and RSM's Jeff Rolland on post-acquisition integration and how owners, presidents, and CEOs should approach the CFO role in making sure the deal pays off.
June 10, 2022
How WeCare Medical Got Sophisticated Ahead of Its AdaptHealth Deal
WeCare Medical Joda Burgess, along with Footprint Capital's Josh Curtis, GBQ Partners' Wade Kozich, MAD Capital's Jim Baich and Oxer Capital's Michael OBrien discuss WeCare Medical's sale to AdaptHealth, and how sellers can maximize their understanding of the deal phases to achieve a successful transaction.
June 2, 2022
To raise funds, show investors the math
PhotoniCare's Ryan Shelton on raising funds and the company's future.
June 2, 2022
Seller Considerations Beyond Price
Capital Partners' Olly Forrer, HUB International's Marc Mingolelli, Goulston & Storrs' John Cushing, Stellex Capital Management's Irina Krasik and Copley Equity's Sean Sullivan on what truly differentiates winning buy-side transactions beyond the price.
June 2, 2022
The Battle For Seller Attention
Candid Partners' John Peak and Merrick Olives, along with LLR Partners' Michael Pantilione, Citizens' David Dunstan and Blank Rome's Louis Rappaport, on preparing for a transaction.
June 2, 2022
It’s All About Partnerships and Pitch Decks for Rambus
Mykolas Rambus is a serial entrepreneur who founded and sold two previous companies, including Wealth-X, where he served as CEO until its 2016 sale for more than $20 million. Most recently, Mykolas raised early-stage rounds of capital in 2021 to build out Hush, a company that offers cybersecurity services. Though the capital raise process went well, Mykolas talks about how better pitch materials would have made for a smoother raise.
June 2, 2022
Listening is key to uncovering overlooked opportunities
George J. Howe Co.'s Len Caric on why creating win-wins is critical for the acquisition process.
June 2, 2022
Economic development challenges, opportunities in Greater Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland Alliance's Michael Deemer, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services' Howard W. "Hoby" Hanna, IV, First National Bank's Jeff Bechtel and K&D's Doug Price helped kickoff the recent Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference with a roundtable discussing the drivers of economic development in Northeast Ohio.
May 27, 2022
Evaluating the current deal market and looking ahead
Speaking at the recent Milwaukee Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, TKO Miller's Joe Froehlich, who was joined by Web Finance Direct CEO Miller Newton for the kickoff session titled, "What’s Over the Horizon? Evaluating the current deal market and looking ahead," moderated by Husch Blackwell’s Chief Executive Paul Eberle, the group offered insight on what they are seeing in the marketplace and how changing market conditions may impact deal flow and structures.
May 26, 2022
How the middle-market M&A scene might play out for 2022
Based on analyst reports and Citizens Annual Middle Market M&A Outlook, 2022 is expected to be another high-paced deal year, says David Dunstan managing director in Citizens M&A Advisory Group.
May 26, 2022
How market changes helped Ascend ascend
Christine Nicodemus spoke on Ascend's acquisition by Aperture Education.
May 26, 2022
Step back before answering every request for information
David Gollob, along with BKD's Thomas Murtagh, Orbus' Simon Perutz, and Levenfeld Pearlstein's David Solomon on how uncertain times have dramatically impacted how to understand the strategic goals of strategic and financial buyers, and what that means for sellers.
May 20, 2022
Blended Finance Approach Leads to Quality Health Care
Ngu Morcho, president and CEO of KeraLink International, has more than 20 years of experience in early-stage technology development working in Africa and across India and Southeast Asia. Today, Morcho’s mission is to end corneal blindness globally as the head of operations at KeraLink. To fund this mission, KeraLink uses a blended finance model, a combination of grants, concessional equity and debt that is used together to develop a sustainable business model.
May 19, 2022
Investment opportunities in Esports
Kohrman Jackson & Krantz's Scott Norcross, along with eFuse's Matthew Benson, Jonathan Sumers of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Kaulig Capital's Brooke Hradisky, discuss the Esports sector, the investment opportunities there, and how Esports companies are financing growth.
May 19, 2022
The rise of cyber diligence
Aon Risk Services' William Shortt, along with Ice Miller's Reena Bajowala, Guaranteed Rate's Darin Hurd, Chicago Bears' Justin Stahl and Aon Risk Services Che Bhatia, on the rising importance of cyber diligence in M&A transactions.
May 19, 2022
Unexpected snags that can trip up sellers' deals
BDO's Scott Balestrier and Eureka Equity Partners' Jonathan Chou, along with Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors' Bob McCormack and BDO USA's Eric Fahr, on the many issues sellers should consider before heading to market.
May 19, 2022
Fundraising isn't an event. It's a process.
Kytopen CEO and co-founder Paulo Garcia talks about his company, it's progress and how he balances fundraising with advancing the business.
May 19, 2022
When to incorporate investor feedback and when to ignore it
Co-Pilot Co-founder and CEO Matt Spettel on launching the company, what he learned through fundraising, and what it's like going through a rebrand when investors are involved.
May 11, 2022
Macro issues change the M&A math
Little Mountain Industries' Jonathan Hatch on the lower-middle-market manufacturing scene and how broader macro issues are affecting the deal math for firms such as his.
May 11, 2022
For Stu Clark, Acquisitions Are All About The Team
Premise Health's Stu Clark on his acquisition philosophy, what he looks for in teams and cultures, and his post-deal integration process.
May 11, 2022
Compass Earns Multiple Returns in Less than a Year
Compass Group Equity Partners goes into every investment with a 100-day plan. They’re ready and prepared to move quickly, which they did when they purchased Sunpro Solar in 2020. Compass’ playbook includes augmenting the team and building a board deck with metrics and key performance indicators and having a written strategic plan. John Huhn, founder and managing partner of Compass Group Equity Partners, talks about how that plan enabled Compass Group sell Sunpro with multiple returns in less than a year.
May 11, 2022
Get your priorities straight before a sale
Aegis Advisors' Fred Vorys, along with Oxer Capital Inc.'s Dan Phlegar, BMO's Lowell Jacobson and Tiller Corporation's Steven Sauer, on the decision making that precedes a liquidity event.
May 11, 2022
What to look for in an investor
Kanbrick Co-Founder Tracy Britt Cool on what to look for in an investor.
May 11, 2022
Determining the future of a family business
Robison Energy's Daniel Singer, along with Arent Fox's David Barbash, Hubbard-Hall's Molly Kellogg, R. Klein Consulting's Ruben Klein, and BankProv's Brent Mathews on determining the future of a family business.
May 6, 2022
A Look at The Detroit Region's Home-Grown M&A Market
During the Roundtable at this past week's Detroit Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Mykolas, along with Huntington Bank's Ronald Majka, Huron Capital's Brian Demkowicz, and Ideal Group's Linzie Venegas shared their personal stories as they explored what’s driving activity in region, and why they believe Detroit is a great place to do business.
May 6, 2022
Family Values Play Role in Acquisition
When A.O. Smith bought Canada's Giant Factories in the middle of the pandemic, it was the end of a decade-long process.
May 6, 2022
Tips on buying distressed assets
General Management Group's Emmett McNulty on what to keep in mind when buying distressed companies.
May 6, 2022
Understanding the letter of intent
Signet Enterprises' Anthony Manna talks about the letter of intent. He breaks down a deal at this very early stage, discussing some of the key choices sellers need to make as they take their company to market.
May 6, 2022
Factors that can trip-up a deal
Conco Systems Ed saxon, along with Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir's Kevin Wills, Stellex Capital's Mike Livanos, and BDO USA's Robert Berdanier, spoke at this year's Pittsburgh Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about the factors that impact a deal and how to address them.
May 6, 2022
Airline Hydraulics Corp. stays in its acquisitional lane
Airline Hydraulics Corp.'s Mark Steffens talks about the company's acquisition strategy.
May 6, 2022
How Catch Co. Caught On With Investors
Catch CEO Ross Gordon on how the company caught on with investors, and where they go after the company raised a $38 million Series B.
April 28, 2022
Lou Schneeberger on the COVID backlog
Proformex Chairman Lou Schneeberger talks about the COVID pause, where companies are today that were negatively affected by the pandemic, and how they move forward to a successful transaction.
April 28, 2022
Capital alignment and speaking investors' languages
Amicus.io CEO and Co-Founder Cor Hoekstra, talks prior to the company's acquisition by TIFIN about attracting investors, differentiation, and what he sees as the future for the company.
April 28, 2022
Using partnerships to set up an acquisition
Hickory Farms CEO Diane Pearse talks about the company's recent acquisitions, broadening its brand and how the Wicked Good Cupcakes deal came to be.
April 28, 2022
How NOBULL builds a community of fans and attracts growth capital
NOBULL Co-Founder and CEO Marcus Wilson on the myriad lessons learned on his — and the company’s — whirlwind journey, including what investors bring to the table beyond funding and why building an engaged community of loyal customers has been the real key to success.
April 22, 2022
An acquisition based on shared interests, approach
Gibson Brand President Cesar Gueikian talks about the Mesa/Boogie acquisition, as well as the direction of the Gibson brand and the many ways it's working to connect with its community.
April 22, 2022
Ohio draws increasing Silicon Valley attention with OVO Fund III raise
The recently launched Palo Alto-based OVO Fund III has closed after reaching its goal of $50 million. And it achieved that mark with help from an Ohio syndicate of investors whose combined $8 million for OVO Fund III makes them one of the more substantial investors in the Silicon Valley-based OVO Fund.
April 14, 2022
Akoya Capital Finds Success With New Platform
Akoya Capital's Bob May talks about the formation of Beacon, its acquisitions, and how macro challenges such as labor are affecting the platform's progress.
April 14, 2022
Tim Wallace On Making Raising Capital Part of The Job
Tim Wallace talks about his vast experience founding companies and growing them into wildly successful businesses.
April 13, 2022
TTG Imaging Gets Deal Done Despite Supply-Chain Hiccup
Matt Mastarone, president and CEO of TTG Imaging Solutions, spoke on the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast about brokering a deal despite supply-chain issues. Hit play above to catch the full conversation.
April 8, 2022
Raising Capital and Growing Businesses in the Health Care Industry
Within3's Lance Hill, along with Huntington Bank's Jamie Lynch and John Langenderfer, University Hospitals Health System's Eric Beck, and ValueHealth's John Palumbo explore how health care entrepreneurs fuel growth.
April 8, 2022
Value Creation Throughout the Deal Lifecycle
RTC Partners' Tony Brindisi and Plumb Line Capital's Matt Lindberg, along with RSM's Steve Menaker and Luis Galarza, explain how they approach valuation creation, as well as current trends you can apply to your next deal.
April 8, 2022
M&A Human Capital Strategies
Aquila Equity Partners' Gary Lewis, along with Purple Squirrel Advisors' Carrie Schochet, Lockton Companies' Quinn Damon, Mission Veterinary Partners' Matthew Davis, Industrial Opportunity Partners' Philip Fioravante talk about lessons learned and best practices from growing portfolio companies in a labor-challenged environment.
April 1, 2022
Perimeter Manages Merger in Virtual World
Edward Goldberg, CEO of Perimeter Solutions, talks about securing $1.15 billion of development capital and, concurrently, merging with EverArc Holdings.
April 1, 2022
SPAC teams must be able to go the distance
Bill Finn and Odeon Capital's Eric Gomberg, along with DLA Piper's Matthew Gorra and Penny Minna dig deep into SPACs, offering advice from the trenches.
April 1, 2022
Capital is not a differentiator
Physna's Paul Powers, Blacksmith Applications' Terry Ziegler and Fifth Third's Jeremy Gutierrez and Joshua Sosland talk about building strong capital stacks to finance growth.
March 25, 2022
Assessing the economic factors influencing M&A
Kicking off this past week's Nashville Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Laurel Graefe of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta - Nashville Branch, along with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Wanda Lyle, and UBS's Shane Lieberman and James Jack, discuss what's driving business and M&A activity nationwide and across the Nashville region, and what to expect for the remainder of 2022.
March 25, 2022
Don't lose yourself chasing a deal
RLXDatix's Jeff Surges, Entrinsic Bioscience's Stephen Gatto and Aon's Nick Surges talk about leveraging M&A, and the role of IP in value, in a hot deal market.
March 24, 2022
Athletico PT's Mark Kaufman on M&A lessons learned
Athletico PT Founder and Executive Chairman Mark Kaufman talks about the M&A lessons he's learned in his more than 30 years with the company.
March 24, 2022
When PE goes downstream
North Coast Ventures Managing Director Todd Federman on the deal year for early-stage companies, as well as the trends he's seeing on that end of the M&A spectrum.
March 23, 2022
What entrepreneurs can learn from investor feedback patterns
WeSpire Founder and CEO Susan Hunt Stevens talks about her company and experience raising capital.
March 23, 2022
Gerri Henwood on public vs private funding
Serial entrepreneur Gerri Henwood talks about her entrepreneurial experience as well as the differences — the pros and cons — of public and private funding.
March 18, 2022
Tony Montanaro on what exactly a Q of E means for a seller
Tony Montanaro, a partner with Louis Plung & Company, spoke on the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast, about Q of E reports, and offers a look at deals from a buyer's perspective: what they like to see in diligence that speeds a deal to close, and what they don't like to find — problems that could mean they walk away.
March 11, 2022
Raising capital as a startup is about more than money
Rabbu CEO Emir Dukic talks about the process of raising capital and how he went about doing diligence on potential investors.
March 11, 2022
Even for the best entrepreneurs, raising capital is always harder than it looks
Bloomscape Founder and CEO Justin Mast spoke with Dickinson Wright's Zan Nicolli about his venture and the process of raising capital from investors.
March 11, 2022
Win The Deal Without Winning On Price
Coles Gray CEO David Cheney, along with Tucker Ellis' Jayne Juvan, Ampex Brands Family of Companies' Eric Easton, and Citizens' David Dunstan and James Irwin, talk about what truly differentiates winning buy-side transactions beyond the price.
March 4, 2022
For entrepreneurs, there's no place like St. Louis
Clayton Capital Partners' Kevin Short, along with Capital Innovators' Judy Sindecuse, Capacity's David Karandish and EmpowerMe Wellness' Josh Stevens, break down what's driving activity in region and why they believe St. Louis is a great place to do business.
March 4, 2022
Derek Nixon Talks Varel Energy Solutions' Sale to Bluewater Group
Varel Energy Solutions' Derek Nixon talks about the company's acquisition and how the deal sets it up to be the acquirer for years to come.
March 4, 2022
Reducing deal friction
Zell Capital and Nikola Labs' Will Zell, along with Benesch's Michael Farrell and Andy Bojko, and Aon's Doug Brody, broke down best practices in navigating what’s new, and how to overcome stumbles, stops and re-starts in a process.
February 25, 2022
Bold predictions for the 2022 M&A year
Will 2022 bring us a recession? The best deal year ever? Or the end of working from home? Predictions abound as the Dealmakers Roundtable kicked off this year's Pittsburgh Smart Business Dealmakers Conference.
February 25, 2022
Ansir Junaid: Serial entrepreneur’s M&A lessons learned
SupplySide Group Chairman Ansir Junaid offers insights into his M&A experience and how the pandemic has affected dealmaking.
February 25, 2022
Paul Larson highlights real estate trends investors should watch in 2022
Larson Financial Holdings CEO Paul Larson talks about his company's 2021 in real estate, the trends that affected the market then, and how he sees real estate investment playing out in 2022.
February 25, 2022
How to address SALT in your deals
Clearview Group's Brian Davis, along with Calvert Street Capital Partners' Brian Guerin, Nemphos Braue LLC's George Nemphos, The Courtney Group's Alan Macksey and ICSG Holdings & Incorp Industries' Peter Vrettakos, spoke at last year's Baltimore Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about addressing SALT issues in deals, the current buy-side environment and best practices for closing acquisitions.
February 18, 2022
Prepare as if a sale could happen at any time
Environmental Partners' Paul Gabriel, Goodwin Procter LLP's Josh Zachariah, McCarthy Capital's Bob Emmert, and Gray, Gray & Gray's Derrick Rebello and James DeLeo on getting your business ready to sell, knowing the key areas that impact valuation, and putting your personal exit strategy into motion.
February 18, 2022
The material impact of ESG on M&A
Ancora's David Sowerby, MASCO's John Sznewajs and Cendrowski Corporate Advisors' Harry Cendrowski, talk about ESG, the M&A landscape, where corporations and private investors have made the biggest changes, and what to expect next.
February 18, 2022
The value and risk of relationships
BCD CEO Jeff Burgess, along with BMO Harris' John Chalus, BDO Consulting's Robert Berdanier and Tecum Capital's Matt Harnett, discuss the nuances of selling and buying a company, and how to conduct due diligence and successfully negotiate deal terms in this new normal.
February 18, 2022
The growing concern of cyber security in deals
Moore & Van Allen's Todd Taylor, along with Aon's Michael Laskowitz, Greg Draddy and C.J. Dietzman, explore cyber security in M&A: asking the right questions, protecting data and IP, and making sure your company is ready for dealmaking.
February 11, 2022
City Shoppe's Ash Cintas on Investors as Coaches
Ash Cintas, founder and CEO of City Shoppe, talks about her experience launching the company, fundraising, and what she looks for in an investor.
February 11, 2022
When pitching nascent opportunities, explain it so grandma would understand
Play One Up CEO Brandon Pitts talks about the growing esports industry, building Play One Up and how he pitches investors who might not be familiar with the opportunity.
February 4, 2022
When selling, get advisers who know your niche
Hy-Tek's Sam Grooms, along with Thompson Hine's Sarah Chambers, Smile Doctors' Dale AnneFeatheringham and Sequoia Financial Group's Norm Cook peel back the curtain and share the secrets of their successes, as well as the pitfalls you should try to avoid when approaching the sale of your business.
February 4, 2022
Timing is everything when selling a business
Cornerstone Business Services' Scott Bushkie explores the importance of timing in the sale of a business, and offers both his insight and advice on how sellers can leverage timing to their advantage.
February 4, 2022
Duck Donuts' Betsy Hamm, Russ DiGilio, on their capital raise process
Duck Donuts' Betsy Hamm and Russ DiGilio on what they learned through the process of selling their business to NewSpring Capital.
February 4, 2022
Swift, seamless integration a priority in high-volume deal environment
Amedisys' Kris Novak, along with Probo Medical's Jay Burkhardt, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP's Tyson Bickley and LBMC's Lisa Nix, take a deep dive into how a public company and a PE-backed business have adapted their acquisition strategies in this new normal.
January 28, 2022
Buyers Negotiate Protections As Valuations Soar
Bellmark Partners' Andy Vollmer explores the record-level of M&A activity in 2021, the driving factors of that activity, the consequences, and what we can expect for the remainder of 2022.
January 27, 2022
What To Do With The Family Business
HBM Holdings' Mike DeCola, along with Clayton Capital Partners' Kevin Short and First Bank Center for Family-Owned Businesses' Joe Ambrose discuss options for family businesses, look at the macroeconomic factors that are influencing owners' decisions to sell or stay put, and explore case studies from those who have developed successful solutions.
January 27, 2022
Stephen Vitale finds opportunity in chaos
Pyrotecnico's Stephen Vitale talk about his busy M&A year, one that saw the company acquire five businesses.
