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January 28, 2022
Buyers Negotiate Protections As Valuations Soar
By Dan Pender
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.
January 21, 2022
Expectations for M&A in 2022
Citizens' Jerry Sargent and Dave Dunstan, along with Safe Harbor Marinas' Baxter Underwood and Locus Robotics' Bruce Welty explore how executives are faring in the ongoing war for talent, the impact of current supply chain issues on dealmaking, and whether the frenzied M&A market will stay hot.
January 21, 2022
Strong supply chains help sellers stand out
Woodforest National Bank's Julie Dargani, BDO's R.J. Romano and Chad Rash, along with Flywheel Greenville's Peter Marsh, discuss how supply chain and logistics issues affect such factors as valuations, the performance of portfolio companies, due diligence, negotiations, and even post-acquisition integration.
January 14, 2022
The pros and cons of three types of sale transactions
Fifth Third Securities' Joseph Carson, Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing Corp.'s (retired) John Ballun, Oswald's Jeff Schwab and Provariant Equity Partners' Murad Beg explore the pros and cons of different types of sell-side transactions.
January 14, 2022
Selling is painful, so be sure you know why you're doing it
Slate Capital Group's Erik Ginsberg, along with BDO's Dan Wahlberg, Jamie Benoit, and Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr's Andrew Segall, discuss choosing a buyer for your company.
January 14, 2022
How to diligence the human side of a transaction
RSM US LLP Ian O'Brien, Thunderbird LLC's Phil Kretekos and Wintrust's Adam Fuchs talk about the human side of buy-side transactions.
January 14, 2022
Preparedness leads to best outcome when selling a family business
JAWOOD Founder Lynn Mustazza, along with PNC Bank's Jacob Taylor, PNC Wealth Management's Daniel Hoops and UHY Corporate Finance's Dan Sporka talk about plotting the future of a family business.
January 7, 2022
Stay ready: the benefit of a perpetual data room
Cloudbreak's Andy Panos, along with U.S. Bank's Steve Bennett, Nottingham Spirk's Katherine Hill Ritchie and Armada Waste Ohio's Robert Smith on staying prepared for a transaction.
January 7, 2022
Plan ahead to find deal success
Tri Star Energy's Wayne Acklen, Baker Donelson's Tonya Mitchem Grindon, Quorum Health's Alfred Lumsdaine and PNC Bank's Michael Johnson offer tips on financing your business to supercharge growth and how planning ahead can prepare buyers and sellers for just about any contingency.
January 7, 2022
Three mistakes that signal you're unlikely to get funded
Serial entrepreneur Bob Norton talks about what investors really look for in a pitch, the team and the concept, as well as where most entrepreneurial ventures stumble and fail.
December 16, 2021
Citymark Capital founder Daniel Walsh on launching the company
Daniel Walsh talks about launching Citymark Capital, building funds, creating value and the special place Austin holds in the company’s plans.
December 2, 2021
How Chris Molaro launched NeuroFlow
NeuroFlow co-founder Chris Molaro on changing the way mental health care is delivered, his most recent M&A deal, and the company’s future.
December 2, 2021
Transaction Readiness in a Post-COVID World
Mike Baird, John Mastrantoni, Floyd Trouten and David Black assess ways to strengthen the core of your business by addressing common challenges faced by middle market companies.
December 2, 2021
Why the seller’s story is critical to achieving value
Four dealmakers reveal ways to strengthen the foundation of your business by addressing common challenges faced by companies looking to sell.
November 24, 2021
How reading and research helped Andrew Bartels sell Medical Packaging Inc.
Medical Packaging Inc.'s Andrew Bartels along with McCormack Capital Advisors’ Bob McCormack, and Herbein + Company’s Tom Bakaitus, Jr. and Beth Bershok, break down the deal and the obstacles sellers faced during COVID to get transaction done.
November 24, 2021
DYOPATH CEO Rob Koch Offers His Sell-Side M&A Perspective
DYOPATH CEO Rob Koch, along with WILsquare Capital's Drew Caylor, CIBC's Greg Gorlinski and Polsinelli's Paul Klug talk about what sellers should consider when dealmaking during the pandemic.
November 17, 2021
Estate planning tips for family business owners
Wholesale Supplies Plus Founder and Retired CEO Deb May along with Capital Anesthesia Solutions’ Chris Copley and UBS’ William Murphy talk about family businesses, estate planning pre- and post-liquidity event, as well as how to pick the right estate planning adviser.
November 17, 2021
WinTrust’s Paul Carlisle on market liquidity and its impact on deals
WinTrust Financial Corp.'s Paul Carlisle looks at the challenges facing the market, the state of capital, and the conditions dealmakers could expect for the remainder of the deal year.
November 17, 2021
Factors Influencing Transactional M&A
KPMG’s Stephen Guy, along with Venable’s Charles Morton, Robert W. Deutsch Foundation’s Mac MacLure and Sachs Capital’s Andrew Sachs look at state of M&A, factors influencing the buy-and-sell-sides, and what you need to do to ensure a closed deal in this new normal.
November 17, 2021
Doing double diligence during COVID
TGI Direct's Monica Weaver, Dickinson Wright’s Bill Rosin, Emagine Entertainment’s Paul Glantz and Huntington National Bank’s Eric Dietz talk about transacting during the pandemic, as well as adjustments buyers should make when acquiring a company during disruptions.
November 12, 2021
Preparing Your Health Care Company for Post-COVID Deals
RSM's Matt Wolf along with IVX Health’s Douglas Ghertner, HUB International’s Blake Wiedman and Ursa Health’s Dr. Robin Clarke talk about preparing your health care company for any deal in a post-COVID environment.
November 12, 2021
Drafting Your Acquisition Playbook
HBD Industries Tom Pozda, along with The Huntington National Bank’s Mark Slayman, Salon Lofts’ Chris Greenfelder, Copper Run’s Andrew Hays and Huntington’s Chad Lowe, offer tips an insights on how to prepare for buy-side transactions.
November 12, 2021
The importance of ESG alignment
Ampex Brands Eric Easton, along with UBS' Amantia Muhedini and Samuel Parker look at how sustainable investing and an intentional diversity strategy can be a company’s differentiator and help drive continued growth.
November 5, 2021
How capital sees companies during a disruption
Marcum LLP's Greg Skoda, along with U.S. Banks’ Alan Zang, Walnut Ridge’s Michael Moran and U.S. Acute Care Solutions Executive Chairman Dominic Bagnoli, explore building unique capital stack structures to fuel growth.
November 5, 2021
Addressing the structural barriers facing minority owned businesses
Della Clark, CEO of The Enterprise Center, talks about ways to create better access to capital for minority entrepreneurs and her newest project, an SBIC fund aimed at mature minority owned companies.
November 5, 2021
Buyers tread carefully through COVID uncertainty
RSM US LLP's Kyle Petch, along with BMO Harris’ Robert Harrod, Go Riteway Transportation Group’s Bob Zanotti and Johnsonville Holdings’ Dan Scalia on preparing for transactions in a post-COVID world.
October 29, 2021
Factors affecting dealmaking today
Specialty Products & Insulation's Jon Perry, along with FNB Corp.’s Brad Jones and US Brick Holdings’ Mikee Johnson, talk about dealmaking in today’s market.
October 29, 2021
Creating liquidity events through IPOs and SPACs
Odeon Capital's Eric Gomberg, along with BDO USA’s Meg Kellogg and Scott Hendon, as well as Armstrong Teasdale LLP’s John Sten, talk about creating liquidity events through IPOs and SPACs.
October 20, 2021
Learning the ropes: acquisitions in a family business
Taylor Burke-Gilman and Lauren Burke-Devere on how they got involved in the family business, their transition into leadership, and what they’ve learned so far about acquisitions.
October 20, 2021
A look at the cyberthreat environment
Che Bhatia, along with Aon’s William Shortt and Kathy Weaver, and KeyBank’s Gregg Bach and Christopher Naso, explore cybersecurity and its impact on M&A.
October 15, 2021
Protect your blindside in a deal
Jim Nickel and Steve Bigari, along with Jeffrey Ford, Dale Killmeyer and Ryan Olsta offer tips on how acquirers can avoid the blindside risks in a deal.
October 15, 2021
Recapitalizing to stay ahead of the competition
PDC Machines' Kareem Afzal talks about the company’s evolution into the market and how he expects the Arcline investment will help his business capitalize on the opportunity.
October 15, 2021
Is ESG the next big thing for middle-market M&A?
Nick Fink and Amantia Muhedini, along with Michael Gatewood, discuss ESG and whether it's the next big thing for middle-market M&A
October 8, 2021
Shane Bigelow on launching CHAMPtitles
CHAMPtitles Shane Bigelow talks about the venture, its recent raise and progress in the market, as well as the challenges of being based in Ohio.
October 8, 2021
How family alignment helped Monticeto Medical Real Estate reach its BHAG
Monticeto Medical Real Estate CEO Chip Conk, along with Bass, Berry & Sims’ Frank Pellegrino and EY's Bobby Stover explore dealmaking, growth and communication within a family business.
September 30, 2021
Capital velocity trend predicated on speed, volume
Talisman Capital Partners' Matt Bennett and Root's Kumi Walker, along with Tri-W Group's Paige McCarthy and Ice Miller LLP's Chris Michael explore new and emerging perspectives in M&A.
September 30, 2021
The importance of evaluating the people fit in a deal
Conforms CEO Pat Bartling, along with Hays Companies' Kristine Olson, Borgman Capital's David Bartelme, and Executive Search Partners' Nick Curran on evaluating the people who drive post-acquisition growth.
September 24, 2021
How M&A needs change throughout the lifecycle
MyEyeDr's David Sheffer along Falfurrias Capital Partners’ Chip Johnson, Pamlico Capital’s Jay Henry, Moore & Van Allen PLLC’s Rick Bange, and Frontier Growth‘s Richard MacLean explore how M&A needs change at different stages of a company’s lifecycle.
September 24, 2021
Weighing organic vs inorganic growth
CK Power's Clayton Costello and PFI Holding Company's John Dolan, along with Commerce Bank's Tom Harmon, RSM US LLP's William Spizman and Capital For Business' Tim Buening on how acquisitions fit into a growth strategy.
September 24, 2021
Leverage your strengths when competing for acquisitions
Robin Industries' Mark Fischer and Millcraft Paper Co.'s David Hegeman, along with RSM US LLP's Brian Adkinson and Truist Bank's Andrew Rutherford dig into building an acquisition playbook.
September 17, 2021
Ignoring cybersecurity in M&A could be a multi-million-dollar mistake
BKD’s Cyber Division Director Cy Sturdivant offers his view of the current cyberthreat environment, what cybersecurity means in practice, and just how troubling digital threats are for players in the M&A world.
September 17, 2021
Find sale success through those who know how to succeed
Guy Dandrea, Tim Hodge, Charles Maskell, and Franklin Staley talk about the importance of pre-diligence work.
September 17, 2021
Anatomy of distressed investments
James Loughlin, Mike Teplitsky, Robert Berdanier, Robert Diehl Jr., and Vlad Slapak dive into investing in distressed companies, as well as how to analyze your company’s people, operations, and finances to understand if you need to restructure.
September 17, 2021
Put your best foot forward in a sale
Charles McIlvaine, along with Dick Hollington, Chris Farmakis, and Patrick Fodale, offer a deep dive into how to make sure you’re checking the right boxes before you go to market — during the deal and post-close.
September 9, 2021
Financial Materiality Of ESG
The 2021 Philadelphia Smart Business Dealmakers Conference opens with a discussion of ESG issues and how they might play out in the M&A market.
September 9, 2021
Chris Chandler on Radio Systems Corp.’s patient seller approach
Radio Systems Corp.' Chris Chandler on how the company was able to use past experience to maximize value when the company was sold.
September 9, 2021
Marshall Dahneke’s Sell-Side Best Practices
Marshall Dahneke outlines key considerations when you’re pursuing a sale.
September 3, 2021
How relationships factor into M&A financing
Dan Counsell, president and CEO of White Family Investments, talks about financing M&A transactions and how relationships factor into the a deal’s lending equation.
September 3, 2021
Will Zell sees exuberance in venture capital
Will Zell, founder of Zell Capital and Executive Chairman at Nikola Labs, offers his take on the view from the early stage.
August 27, 2021
Self-awareness is key when preparing to sell
As a business owner considers selling their business, the first thing they should do, according to Harvey Nelson, CEO of Main Street Gourmet, is consider themselves.
August 27, 2021
Nat Clarkson on the impact of investor moves downstream
CFV Ventures Managing Partner Nat Clarkson on what he’s seeing at the seed stage, and how firms at his level may look to adjust their strategies if larger firms became a player in the mix.
August 27, 2021
Creating a demand scenario through an auction
A discussion of companies’ sell-side prep and M&A options, including auctions, strategic buyers and risk mitigation.
August 27, 2021
How Jim Sramek came to sell Midwest Equipment Company to his employees
Midwest Equipment Company's Jim Sramek shares his story of transferring his company to and ESOP.
August 19, 2021
Sehrish Siddiqui talks ESG and private deals
Sehrish Siddiqui, Corporate and Securities Partner at Bass, Berry & Sims talks about how ESG matters have started to work their way from the public sphere and into private deal diligence.
August 19, 2021
Supply chain issues and the threats they present in M&A
David Iwinski, managing director at Blue Water Growth, talks about the supply chain issues between U.S. and Chinese companies, how they’re affecting M&A transactions and offers strategies for rooting out supply chain risk ahead of, and during, a transaction.
August 19, 2021
Look deeper for deal value
William Wennberg, today the CEO of Tactical Medical Solutions LLC, says when people become too focused on trying to get the best price for the company, they can lose sight of what value actually is.
August 13, 2021
Feuer Innovation Accelerator Fund Gives UH Leader Power To Promote Ideas From Within
A $2 million gift to University Hospitals by serial entrepreneur Michael Feuer and his wife Ellen aims to enhance the hospital’s ability to spur innovation by giving UH’s CEO the financial and decision-making latitude to back strong ideas.
August 13, 2021
How to secure a premium value for your company
Tom Zucker, Mark Jones and Art Anton discuss the factors that most often lead to securing a premium valuation.
August 6, 2021
Not all CEOs are enthralled by the red-hot M&A market
Vistage Columbus Chair Perry Maughmer spoke on the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast about the CEO mindset in a time of incredible M&A activity.
August 6, 2021
Failure awaits sellers who don’t define their goals
Bryan Hollenbach, executive vice president of Green Bay Packaging, offers examples of where the failure to clearly define goals created problems for sellers.
July 29, 2021
Luke Cooper on how pluck and luck helped him sell Fixt to Assurant
Luke Cooper talks about Fixt’s sale to Assurant, strategies for fundraising as well as an initiative that’s underway to help connect African-American entrepreneurs with Fortune 500 companies.
July 29, 2021
How Wisr used pressure to distinguish serious investors
John Knific talks about fundraising and Wisr's deal with EAB.
July 21, 2021
Why Rich Dougherty bought LabRepCo twice
Rich Dougherty, president of LabRepCo; Michelle Rondinelli, president of Kitchen Kettle Foods; Steven Staugaitis, director of auditing and accounting at Kreischer Miller; and John Reed, partner at Barley Snyder; offer advice on figuring out the plan for a family business’s future.
July 21, 2021
Forest2Market’s Pete Stewart says know your buyer
Pete Stewart, president and CEO of Forest2Market; Scott Anderson, partner at Womble Bond Dickinson; and Jim Benedict, senior vice president/senior wealth strategist at PNC; explore how to de-risk, plan and execute a liquidity event.
July 21, 2021
Quick prep and deal killers
Bethany Michel, managing director at the Harbour Group; Vic Richey, CEO of ESCO; Bo Butters, principal at CLA; and John Chalus, director – corporate advisory, at BMO Harris Bank; talk about deal preparedness.
July 16, 2021
Inside Ampex Brands’ Acquisition of Au Bon Pain
Eric Easton, CFO at Ampex Brands, and Jayne Juvan, M&A chair at Tucker Ellis, discuss Ampex’s acquisition of Au Bon Pain — how the process went down, the challenges they faced and how Ampex intends to leverage this new opportunity.
July 16, 2021
De-risking the de-SPAC transaction
There’s a lot of talk about SPACs, blank-check companies that raise money to fast-track a private company into the public market. What doesn’t get discussed as much is the de-SPAC transaction — the second part of that process.
July 16, 2021
David Sowerby on business owners’ post-exit popularity
David Sowerby, managing director and portfolio manager at Ancora, has some words of wisdom for eager, soon-to-be investors.
July 16, 2021
Brian Fox on the sale of Confirmation to Thomson Reuters
Brian Fox, the founder and now former president of Confirmation, says his company had been on not just Thomson Reuters' radar screen, but many of the big players in the in the tax and accounting space.
July 9, 2021
Women and the unique challenges they face in their entrepreneurial pursuits
Linda Pringle Evans, CEO and Founder of Pringle Business Consulting, and the Director of Education at Empowering a Billion Women, discusses the state of female entrepreneurship in the U.S.
July 9, 2021
The benefits of crowdfunding
Jonathan Cohen, founder, CEO and president, 20/20 GeneSystems, shares best practices for effective crowdfunding as well as how to prepare pitches for different investor audiences.
July 9, 2021
Despite myriad offers, ESOP fit Harken best
Bill Goggins, CEO of Harken, talks about the company’s ESOP and post-sale acquisitions, as well as how they funded those transactions.
June 30, 2021
The next normal
Joe Pulizzi, Stewart Kohl, Jeff Bechtel, and David Heller kick off the Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference discussing how they navigated their organizations through the pandemic, their thoughts on the current and future state of deal flow, and best practices in M&A.
June 30, 2021
Driving a successful sale
MADSKY and CodeBlue CEO Hunter Powell joins BMO’s Jennifer Johnson, CLA’s Adrian Nohr and IDEAL Industries’ Steve Henn, to talk about transaction preparedness during the Chicago Smart Business Dealmakers Conference.
June 25, 2021
The consequences of rushing into a deal
RCCB's Alyssa Brodzinski and Neil Cooper talk about the current deal environment, the tradeoffs that come with speed, and offer tips on putting together a deal team.
June 25, 2021
There’s more to a deal than the money
Kevin McCarthy and Scott Buschmann talk about Kian Capital Partners' T Sportline deal and how they see the balance of 2021's M&A market playing out.
June 25, 2021
Brian Rassel: People make the deal
Brian Rassel, a partner at Huron, on his approach to analyzing the people aspect of a deal.
June 18, 2021
Pivoting during the pandemic saves the year for early-stage SaaS companies
Wendy Jarchow, chief investment officer at River SaaS talk about how early-stage companies fared during the pandemic, what she expects from that segment in 2021 and the factors that could influence their year.
June 18, 2021
Jonathan Herrick pursues growth at Benchmark
Jonathan Herrick, a St. Louis entrepreneur who’s now CEO of Benchmark, talks about its most recent acquisition of Contacts+, as well as what’s in store for 2021.
June 18, 2021
To build your pipeline, write the checks
Marcus Whitney, founding partner, Jumpstart Health Investors on how technology helped him make some 80 investments in his first couple years at Jumpstart Foundry, and his newest fund, Jumpstart Nova.
June 11, 2021
Cyber risk in M&A transactions
Jamil Jaffer and Maj Gen USAF (Ret) Brett Williams, of IronNet-Cybersecurity Inc., talk about the threat cyberattacks pose to M&A.
June 11, 2021
Josh Curtis on what M&A’s busiest year means for sellers
Josh Curtis, managing director of Footprint Capital, offers his view of the market from both the sell-side and buy-side, as well as his sense of how things could play out for the balance of the year.
June 11, 2021
Ryan Green continually adjusts his model to find success
Gridwise co-founder Ryan Green continues to evolve his business, using customer feedback and adjusting to the market to find success.
June 10, 2021
George Nemphos of Nemphos Braue
Podcast: The founding member of law firm Nemphos Braue shares his thoughts on the activity he’s seeing, deals he’s been closing for clients, and what’s different from the deals that got done in 2019 and early 2020.
June 4, 2021
Dana Guthrie on the state of startups
Dana Guthrie, managing partner of Gateway Capital Partners, talks about how her firm got its start, how it addresses funding gaps in the market, and her sense of how the startup community is working through the challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic.
June 4, 2021
Murad Beg on how the deal market is shaping up for sellers
Murad Beg, a partner at Provariant Equity Partners, offers his sense of the deal market and the factors driving deal value, and has some advice for those who are considering a sale.
May 28, 2021
Paths to public: Mina Sooch on reverse merger vs IPO
Mina Sooch explains how the reverse merger process she took taking Ocuphire Pharma Inc. public compares to her prior IPO experiences.
May 28, 2021
What to know when buying businesses in the cannabis industry
Jamil Taylor and Kevin Slaughter discuss the unique considerations that need to be made when buying businesses in the cannabis industry.
May 21, 2021
Louis Foreman on how IP strategy creates value
Enventys Partners CEO Louis Foreman CEO on where startups struggle, and how they find success.
May 21, 2021
Joe Mirabile adds acquisitions to United Safety & Survivability Corp.’s strategy
Joe Mirabile sees acquisitions as accelerators for the growing United Safety & Survivability Corp.
May 21, 2021
Beth Haas on the factors that make 2021 a sellers’ market
Cyprium Partners Beth Haas spoke on the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast about the state of the M&A market, highlighting what she sees as good for sellers and what factors could dampen deal strength or activity.
May 13, 2021
Darrell Freeman on firing himself to grow his business
When serial entrepreneur Darrell Freeman was running Zycron, an information technology company he founded in 1991, the market decided that he wasn't the best person to run it. So he fired himself.
May 13, 2021
Cindi Englefield offers sale perspective from both sides of the table
Cindi Englefield shares what she sees from the outside when helping business owners sell their business, as well as insight and advice gained from her sale experience.
May 7, 2021
Thomas Hillman and Jim Eberlin share lessons learned
Thomas Hillman, managing partner at Lewis & Clark Capital, and Jim Eberlin, founder and CEO of TopOPPS offer their perspective and approach to dealmaking, as well as some of the lessons they’ve learned over their decades-long careers.
May 6, 2021
Greg Skoda: SPACs 101
Marcum LLC's Greg Skoda offers a lesson in SPAC fundamentals — what they are, why they’re so insanely popular right now, and what sellers and investors should know about them before getting involved.
April 30, 2021
Carrie Thome on the state of her state’s VC community
Carrie Thome, managing director at NVNG Investment Advisors, talks about the state of the venture world in Wisconsin.
April 30, 2021
Chuck Mattera on integration during a pandemic
How Chuck Mattera navigated the nearly $3 billion Finisar integration during a pandemic.
April 23, 2021
Post-COVID capital trends to watch
As buyers and sellers look to transact, Mark Guterman, managing director of loan syndications for First National Bank, and Martin McCormick, managing director and head of FNB Mezzanine Finance for F.N.B. Corporation are seeing capital trends starting to take shape.
April 23, 2021
Eric Johnson on staying connected with Nashville’s business community
Nashville seems to have a healthy homegrown ecosystem, but Eric Johnson, Dean of the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt, says there’s always room for improvement.
April 23, 2021
David Longo on what he learned about his company during a process
David Longo, Chairman & CEO of CBI Workplace Solutions, founded the workplace solutions company 27 years ago, a venture that began with the end in mind.
April 23, 2021
Sam Beiler deals with uncertainty in his exit from Auntie Anne's
Sam Beiler spent 21 years with Auntie Anne's, a company he first worked at then acquired from the founder in 2005, making his decision to exit in 2010 difficult.
April 16, 2021
Healthfuse’s Nick Fricano on his PE pandemic deal
Nick Fricano spoke at the recent Milwaukee Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about his experience transacting during the pandemic, and the lessons he takes away from the deal.
April 16, 2021
BlueTree Allied Angels’ Sreekar Gadde urges entrepreneurs to see IP differently
BlueTree Allied Angels’ Sreekar Gadde urges entrepreneurs to stop think about IP only in terms of protection, and instead create a holistic strategy to maximize long-term value.
April 8, 2021
Matthew Porter’s post-transaction advice for entrepreneurs
Matthew Porter, Vice Chairman at Contegix and Senior Strategic Advisor at Invisibly, offers advice on post-transaction life, as well an overview of the transaction that led him to these realizations.
March 31, 2021
Tami Longaberger on being on the other side of the investing table
Tami Longaberger talks about her time as an operator informs her approach as an investor, what she’s seeing in the secure data ecosystem space, and the future of the Longaberger Co. brand.
March 31, 2021
Diane Pearse: Brand leads the way in M&A at Hickory Farms
CEO Diane Pearse talks about Hickory Farms' M&A approach as well as the current and future state of the business.
March 25, 2021
How Stephen Kindler accelerated his company’s growth through a PE partner
Stephen Kindler, president and CEO of National Fitness Partners, on choosing a PE partner and his and its adaptation to life with a PE boss.
March 25, 2021
Gary Schuster’s soft-side transaction preparedness checklist
Gary Schuster, president and CEO of OMCO, offers advice for companies and business owners trying to get their business in shape ahead of a process.
March 25, 2021
Reggie Ford on how diversity, equity and inclusion spur innovation
Rosecrete Wealth Management founder and CEO Reggie Ford talks race and the mental health challenges many minority entrepreneurs, investors, and employees face from their life experiences and why open dialogue can lead to a stronger and more prosperous business community.
March 18, 2021
Capital Midwest’s Dan Einhorn sees value in significant upfront investments
Dan Einhorn, Capital Midwest’s general partner, focuses his focus on the long-term interest of its portfolio companies early on.
March 18, 2021
Support, trust go a long way in M&A deals
For anyone considering selling a business, those who have been there say whatever you’re thinking the due diligence process is, both in terms of volume and depth of the requests, it’s more.
March 12, 2021
M&A is about specificity for Everstream’s Brett Lindsey
Brett Lindsey, CEO of Everstream, talks about his acquisition strategy, as well as his experience with M&A during the pandemic
March 12, 2021
Jeff Dudan’s questions before investment
Jeff Dudan on what he looks for in investment opportunities.
March 12, 2021
Paul Klug on smoothing out the bumps in M&A negotiations
Paul Klug covers a range of issues, including the view of 2020’s uneven M&A landscape from his seat, and how his clients mitigated deal risk.
March 5, 2021
David Freeman: focus on the future, not the price
David Freeman, CEO of Three Six Venture Capital, talks about his experience with the Nashville Predators deal, and how his deal approach differs based on the deal type.
March 5, 2021
For Bill Lee, approachability is key when investing
Bill Lee, serial entrepreneur and investor, on what he’s learned over his years of buying, selling and investing.
March 5, 2021
Stuart Sorkin on why disruption is overrated
Former Affy Tapple CEO Stuart Sorkin talks investment approach and deal criteria, and why disruptors are overrated.
March 5, 2021
David Brophy says organize the venture world!
David Brophy, Professor of Finance, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, talks about the venture capital ecosystem and what its continued growth means for Michigan, the Detroit region, and the scale-up community that’s looking for growth capital.
February 26, 2021
Serial entrepreneur Steve McHale offers insight into his investment process
Steve McHale talks about how he identifies investment targets and what trends he’s chasing with his investment dollars.
February 26, 2021
Greg Cathcart built Excellis Heath with the end in mind
Greg Cathcart, CEO & Founder of Excellis Heath sold his business in late 2020 to the Denmark-based NNIT Group. But the groundwork for a deal began when the company was founded in 2008.
February 19, 2021
Paul Stillmank on preparing for an exit from the start
Paul Stillmank talks about the growth of 7Summits and it’s deliberate trajectory towards its sale.
February 19, 2021
Associated Bank’s John Kvamme on how not to regret selling your business
Associated Bank's John Kvamme offers ways business owners can personally prepare for an exit, as well as set themselves up for the best chance at success (and the least chance for regret) post-transaction.
February 19, 2021
Blue River’s Sara Clevenger explores M&A’s Tumultuous year
Blue River's Sara Clevenger looks back at M&A’s interesting 2020, and looks ahead, discussing what changes in perceptions and approaches could color 2021.
February 12, 2021
Dan Roselli talks COVID vs VCs
Dan Roselli talks about the effect of COVID on early-stage investments fundamentals, the eagerness (or timidity) of capital, and the sectors with early-stage businesses that are attracting the most investor interest.
February 12, 2021
André Thornton takes lessons from the past to inform the future at ASW Global
ASW Global CEO André Thornton on how lessons from navigating past challenges have helped the company overcome challenges today.
February 12, 2021
Truck Centers’ John Hopkins on moving the family business forward
While he expects to participate as an acquirer, Truck Centers’ John Hopkins is structuring the family business so that selling remains the furthest thing from the family's mind.
February 5, 2021
Warren Young values sellers who stick around
Warren Young, chairman of Acme Industries and Automation NTH, on his experience as an acquirer, and advice to sellers on striking win-win deals.
February 5, 2021
Pam Springer warns against “generals” when investing
Serial entrepreneur and investor Pam Springer on how to be an effective investor.
January 29, 2021
Tony Ciepiel talks about 2020’s M&A challenges
Step2 Discovery CEO Tony Ciepiel on how the company has fared so far through the pandemic, and the challenges it’s faced transacting in this environment.
January 29, 2021
Paladin Capital’s Bill Prevost on deal distress in the wake of COVID-19
Bill Prevost, of Paladin Capital, talks about what the 2020 market looked like for his firm, which focuses on acquisition in the trucking industry, and what businesses interested in selling to an ESOP need to do to prepare.
January 22, 2021
Metz Lewis' George Thomas on the surprising strength of M&A through the pandemic
Metz Lewis' George Thomas offers his assessment of the M&A market — what it looked like in 2020, and what he expects it will look like in 2021.
January 22, 2021
Carolyn Cassin on the good news/bad news of venture funding for women
Carolyn Cassin, BELLE Michigan Impact Fund founder and general partner talks about the challenges women entrepreneurs face and how her fund is designed to help.
January 22, 2021
Raise capital, gain market validation with crowdfunding, says Louis Foreman
Louis Foreman, CEO, Enventys Partners talks about product innovation, raising capital, recent patent activity trends and the commonalities among his 15 clients who appeared on the TV show Shark Tank.
January 15, 2021
Matt Kaulig offers insight into his dealmaking decisions
Matt Kaulig, executive chairman of Kaulig Companies, talks about his M&A outlook, as well as how he’s guided his family of businesses to success.
January 15, 2021
United BioSource's Patrick Lindsay focuses on the interests of ownership in an M&A process
Patrick Lindsay, CEO of United BioSource, offers insight into the company’s M&A history, as well as its approach to the M&A process.
January 8, 2021
Dealmaker Conversations: Hugh Cathey
ChromoCare CEO Hugh Cathey shares his insights on the M&A market and his outlook for future dealmaking.
January 8, 2021
Locke Lord’s Michael Wilson sees a faster deal pace, but caution, in 2021
Locke Lord Partner Michael Wilson says though M&A activity remains high, the ways in which investors are transacting — a flight to quality, greater willingness to do minority investments — has changed heading into 2021.
December 28, 2020
Turning Liquidity Into Purpose
Ron Ambrogio, Ray Dalton, Rod Howell and Peter Van Euwen offer their advice on selling a business and preparing for life after ownership.
December 22, 2020
The Softer Side of the Selling: Communications and Internal Prep
Jerrad Beauchamp, Andy Billman, Chris Meso and Tom Zucker explore the softer side of sell-side communications and internal deal prep.
December 22, 2020
How outside deal pros helped Arnie Burchianti find needle-in-a-haystack buyers
Arnie Burchianti talks about the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have strengths where you have weaknesses.
December 22, 2020
Vector Management's Ken Levitan: Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is
Vector Management founder Ken Levitan offers his advice on getting philanthropically involved after selling your business.
December 17, 2020
Jeffrey Getty: Common seller mistakes that can derail a deal
KeyBank's Jeffrey Getty on the three main areas sellers should address that begin to close value gaps or find value enhancements that can alter deals for the better.
December 17, 2020
Greg Skoda: Raising Capital to Survive in Uncertain Times
Greg Skoda, speaking at the Smart Business Dealmakers Conference in September, offered his take on companies’ pandemic capital situation, and how business owners and executives have responded.
December 11, 2020
Carlton D. Dean III on how the pandemic reshaped deal priorities
Carlton D. Dean III talks about how the pandemic has affected both the state of the market, and the state of his M&A thinking.
December 11, 2020
Dean Zayed on how being a seller informed his approach to being a buyer
Brookstone Capital Management's Dean Zayed talks about both the AmeriLife and the FormulaFolios deals, and how one informed the other.
December 4, 2020
PNC Wealth’s Jim Benedict on navigating post-election tax environment
PNC Wealth Management’s Jim Benedict dives into wealth planning strategies business owners should consider heading into a transaction, as well as common issues they tend to overlook.
December 3, 2020
David Woodburn sees great buyer-Seller cooperation during the disruption
David Woodburn, a shareholder at Roetzel & Andress, offers his sense of the deal market, what companies can do to prepare for crises in the future, and more.
December 3, 2020
Jeff Hewitt on finding the right buyer for the situation
Jeff Hewitt explains how his former company strengthened itself internally by working with a financial buyer, a move that enabled it to be sold from a position of increased strength a few years later.
November 24, 2020
Kathleen McCann sees a tale of two economies
Is it the best of times? Or is it the worst of times? The answer, according to Kathleen McCann, executive chairman of United Road Services and executive partner at Nonantum Capital Partners, is both.
November 20, 2020
Fairmount Partners’ Charles Robins on unlocking value ahead of a sale
Business owners often believe they have a lot of value locked in their company. They might be right. However, just how much value, as well as how to unlock that value, are things they tend not to recognize.
November 20, 2020
Equity Trust Co.’s George Sullivan On Finding Opportunity In Disruption
George Sullivan, CEO of Equity Trust Company, says the fundamental question on investors’ minds right now is when will conditions be better? For Sullivan, that’s the wrong question.
November 5, 2020
Keep calm: Stewart Kohl on pandemic-induced M&A uncertainty
The Riverside Co. co-CEO discusses portfolio company performance, Riverside’s M.O. as it navigates through the choppy M&A market, his sense of where the collective heads of buyers and sellers are at the moment, and more.
November 4, 2020
RSM’s Amy Rudolph offers acquisition strategies for success
RSM's Amy Rudolph soffers tips for serial acquirers on creating an acquisition playbook that leads to consistent success.
October 30, 2020
M&A Roundtable: A Culture of Acquisitions
Capitala Investment Advisors LLC Chairman and CEO Joe Alala; AmWINS Group Inc. COO Ben Sloop; LendingTree Founder, Chairman and CEO Doug Lebda; and Executive Vice President and Charlotte Regional President of FNB Corp. Brad Jones, offer their insights into the challenging M&A market.
October 30, 2020
Brock Leonti on the importance of intellectual capital
Perscribe FIT's Brock Leonti on what it’s like to be a startup during a pandemic, and how funders factor in to the company’s success during turbulent times.
October 23, 2020
Chris Adams on how the pandemic, presidential election are affecting M&A
Park Place Technologies Chris Adams offers his sense of what’s likely to be on the minds of dealmakers through the balance of a year plagued by uncertainty.
October 23, 2020
Managing Through Uncertainty
Two primary issues have made things difficult for businesses this year. What both have in common is that each has introduced a lot of uncertainty for dealmakers.
October 23, 2020
Pharos Capital’s Anna Kovalkova on knowing your buyer target
Anna Kovalkova says understand and identify the different types of buyers for each deal from the start.
October 16, 2020
Why Deals Fail
Deals can fail in the early stages. But if you can recognize the red flags and get out early from a bad deal, you won’t waste your time and money.
October 14, 2020
Pineapple Payments’ Jon Halpern puts people first when acquiring
Pineapple Payments' Jon Halpern on his company’s acquisition and integration process, and how learnings are being shared between acquirer and acquiree.
October 9, 2020
Mark Mantovani says sell your company's future to buyers
Mark Mantovani, principal of Mantovani Holdings LLC, on how to know when it's the right time to sell a business.
October 8, 2020
M&A is down but buyers and sellers are never out, says Bob Campana
Bob Campana, CEO of Campana Capital, offers his take on the state of dealmaking and when he expects anything like “normal” will return to M&A.
October 2, 2020
John Rowady Keeps rEvolution Ready For Action
John Rowady, rEvolution’s founder and president, says now is the ideal time for meaningful acquisitions that could set a business up for wins well into the future.
October 2, 2020
Kassel Equity Group's Brett Motherwell on balancing dealmaking opportunity and risk
Kassel Equity Group Managing Partner Brett Motherwell talks dealmaking during the pandemic and the importance of careful deal structures to mitigate M&A risks.
September 18, 2020
Deb May on letting go of her family business, Wholesale Supplies Plus
Deb May, founder and now-retired owner of Wholesale Supplies Plus, sold her business last year and stepped away from the company. She talks about her preparation and the difficulty of letting go.
September 17, 2020
David Grigsby on dealmaking during a pandemic
David Grigsby shares his insights on how the pandemic has affected M&A — buyers, due diligence and the deal timeline — and how the competition for troubled companies is shaping up.
September 4, 2020
Xelerate’s Emily Biscardi says listen to the market
Emily Biscardi, founder and CEO of Xelerate, on how entrepreneurs are innovating not only to leverage talent but also to leverage their competitive advantages.
September 2, 2020
Minimize risk and protect shareholders with financial opinions
Greg Cook, a director with Prairie Capital Advisors, explores fairness and solvency opinions as a means of minimizing risk and protecting shareholders.
August 14, 2020
Chrissy Wostmann Talks New Partners, Next Stages For n2y
Chrissy Wostmann talks about the transition to a new majority private equity sponsor, the vetting process, and gives her take on M&A opportunities in today’s market.
August 7, 2020
VillageMD's Tim Barry: Keep Your Investors Close In Tough Times
VillageMD CEO Tim Barry talks about the importance of communicating with investors and keeping the door open to opportunity during the disruption.
August 7, 2020
Don’t overreact to short-term disruption, says COhatch CEO Matt Davis
COhatch CEO Matt Davis on his company's response to the pandemic and why long-term decisions shouldn’t be made in a crisis.
August 7, 2020
Shifting capital: How Catherine Mott and BlueTree Capital have responded to the pandemic
For BlueTree Capital, the pandemic has put the firm's focus on protecting its portfolio companies. While that's its primary focus, it's not its singular focus.
July 30, 2020
Bravo Wellness CEO Jim Pshock on his unexpected deal with Medical Mutual
Bravo Wellness founder and CEO Jim Pshock talks about how his company prepared for a surprise deal with Medical Mutual.
July 24, 2020
LFM Capital’s Stephen Cook: In Tough Times, Pass In The Corners
The LFM Capital co-founder discusses the outlook for buyers and sellers, and the importance of compromise in getting deals done.
July 24, 2020
Hightower Advisors’ Omar Qureshi On Preserving Wealth In Wake Of COVID-19
Hightower Advisors Managing Director Omar Qureshi discusses the challenges and opportunities created by the pandemic, and what business owners and investors should do sooner than later to preserve wealth.
July 9, 2020
Truist’s Jim Geuther says plan for the future despite the uncertainty
Truist's Jim Geuther explores the importance of adaptability in a time of disruption and uncertainty.
July 9, 2020
NewSpring Capital’s Adam VeVerka says despite pandemic, good deals will find a home
NewSpring Capital's Adam VeVerka talks about the state of dealmaking and what has buyers’ attention as they look for opportunities.
July 9, 2020
AB Bernstein’s Kara Lewis and Heather George on the seller fatigue factor
AB Bernstein's Kara Lewis and Heather George explores the seller mindset and how that might affect deal availability for buyers.
July 2, 2020
Cyprium Partners’ Michael Conaton: Get Ready For EBITDAC
Cyprium Partners co-founder MIchael Conaton discusses where he thinks investors will look when they begin scrutinizing deals as the economy starts to recover and the rise of EBIDTA before COVID.
June 26, 2020
CMU’s Lynn Banaszak: Priorities are shifting, but innovation interest remains strong
Despite the uncertainty, investors are still very interested in preserving their deal pipelines — continuing to build on the promise of the portfolio of ideas already in development, says Lynn Banaszak, executive director of the Digital Transformation and Innovation Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
June 19, 2020
TVV Capital’s AJ Byrd says buyers have opportunities, if they have the funds
TVV Capital Managing Director AJ Byrd explores the prospects for buyers in the short-term during the disruption.
June 19, 2020
Clayton Capital’s Kevin Short on how buyers are jumping over deal hurdles with tech
Kevin Short, managing director of Clayton Capital Partners, talks about how buyer diligence has adapted to transacting during a pandemic.
June 12, 2020
Howard & Howard’s Dan Cotter: Don’t Wait To Make A Business Interruption Claim
Many companies will be taking a harder look at their business interruption and disaster recovery insurance coverage in the wake of COVID-19, says Dan Cotter, an attorney with Howard & Howard.
June 12, 2020
Early-Stage Entrepreneurs Need To Focus On Creativity, Mitigating Risk To Close Deals
The landscape for showcasing early-stage companies to potential buyers and investors has changed dramatically in the face of COVID-19, says David Weaver, chief investment officer at City Side Ventures.
June 12, 2020
ChromoCare’s Hugh Cathey: It’s time for careful, creative thinking
It's a challenging business environment right now, which calls for care and out-of-the-box thinking. Hugh Cathey discusses what he’s seeing in today’s market through the lens of both business owner and investor.
June 11, 2020
Barley Snyder’s Paul Mattaini on fed-up sellers and cautious buyers
Barley Snyder's Paul Mattaini offers his view of the state of dealmaking — both from the sell side and buy side — and his sense of what M&A will look like in the short term.
June 8, 2020
Wintrust’s Paul Carlisle: Investors Who Weather Pandemic Will Find Deal Opportunities On Other Side
Paul Carlisle discusses how investors view the current deal market and what business owners can do to prepare for the second half of the year.
June 3, 2020
Proformex’s Lou Schneeberger: Focus On The Fundamentals Now, Make A Good Deal Later
Business owners who can keep their companies afloat during a global pandemic will be quite attractive to investors when the economy begins to grow again, says R. Louis Schneeberger, executive chairman at Proformex.
June 3, 2020
JumpStart’s Jerry Frantz: Chaos And Uncertainty Will Eventually Create New Opportunity
A defining attribute of entrepreneurship is agility, the ability to nimbly maneuver through both adversity and opportunity, says JumpStart's Jerry Frantz.
May 21, 2020
Buyers are eager, sellers hesitate says Vincent J. Garozzo
Vincent J. Garozzo, of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale P.C., talks deal flow, the seller mindset and the position of capital institutions.
May 21, 2020
Oswald’s Bob Klonk: Supply Chain Risk Will Be A Critical Negotiating Point For Post-Pandemic Dealmaking
Health experts have stressed repeatedly that a COVID-19 vaccine is most likely at least a year away, a reality that will be on the minds of dealmakers at every turn, says Oswald Cos. CEO Chairman and CEO Robert J. Klonk.
May 21, 2020
UBS’ Jerry Johnson sees deals and capital flowing, although with some renegotiation
UBS Managing Director and Market Head Jerry Johnson shares his view of the market and what's happening with capital flow in the M&A space.
May 21, 2020
Jay Katarincic shares the methods behind early stage VC investing
With early stage investing, it’s not about hitting every single time in order to have a successful fund, says Jay Katarincic, managing director of venture capital firm Draper Triangle. That's because it's often more art than science.
May 21, 2020
Michael Feuer: Ready, Set, Stop!
The best-laid plans for deals, business and life often take a wrong turn, says Michael Feuer.
May 20, 2020
Babst Calland’s Chris Farmakis: The deal picture should be clearer by summer
While deals are still getting done, many have been pushed backed. However, we likely won't know until summer whether those delayed transactions come back to life, says Babst Calland's Chris Farmakis.
May 19, 2020
UBS Market Head Ted Durkin on capital flow, investments, vs. coronavirus
Ted Durkin, managing director and Pennsylvania market head for UBS talks about how the flow of capital has been affected by the pandemic, as well as some of the ways that investors have tried to preserve their portfolios.
May 15, 2020
iPipeline’s CEO Larry Berran sees M&A opportunity, but also caution
iPipeline CEO Larry Berran offers his take on M&A in a market covered by a fog of uncertainty and how being a portfolio company has affected his company's approach to dealmaking.
May 15, 2020
Ice Miller’s Michael Jordan and Rob Ouellette: M&A and business in a turbulent market
Are deals dead? Ice Miller Partner Rob Ouellette says “no,” but they have taken on a different look. Ouellette and Ice Miller Managing Partner Michael Jordan share their thoughts on M&A and other issues C-suite executives are dealing with during the COVID-19 crisis.
