Subscribe to Smart Business Dealmakers
March 7, 2024
For Bliffert Lumber, People Are Central To A Deal
By Adam Burroughs
Bliffert Lumber's Eli Bliffert on the role a target's people play in a deal
February 9, 2024
To Finance A Deal, Get Creative
ARME Group's Ron Beam on the opportunities and risks that come with getting deal capital
January 5, 2024
NVNG's Carrie Thome On Becoming The Investee
Carrie Thome left the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, where, as the Chief Investment Officer, she oversaw a $3 billion investment portfolio, to co-found NVNG Investment Advisors.
December 7, 2023
Tackling The People Part Of Deals
Borgman Capital's Megan Brobson on communication strategies for buyers and sellers involved in an M&A process.
November 17, 2023
How Buyer Type Affects Deal Prep
When running businesses for private equity groups, Kevin Matkin, CEO of Maysteel Industries LLC says what's often important when preparing for a sale depends on the buyer type. For a financial buyer,
October 13, 2023
When Selling, Ask Many Questions
As he was looking into selling Insight Publications, Publisher Brian Rasmussen had a lot to think about. Given his age, energy level, and a sense that, given the nature of his business, he wasn't
September 14, 2023
Candid Reasons Not To Pass Your Business To The Next Generation
How — and why — Thomas J. Young sold Arrowhead Systems, a business he had no intention of selling.
August 18, 2023
An Uncertain Economy Brings The Focus Inward
The uncertainty of the current state of the economy has driven Jim Banovich, CEO of Marsh Electronics to invest into the company and start getting it in position for the next generation and the next
June 16, 2023
Buyers: Learn To Be Great Listeners
One lesson Milton Kuyers, CEO of Faustel Inc. and Kuyers LLC, has learned through the 65 acquisitions he's personally been a part of throughout his career is that if you don't grow, your business will
May 12, 2023
Demystifying Alternative Capital Sources
It's very hard to get into a PE fund, says Datassential Inc. CEO Jim Emling. In order to do the kind of work he does within private equity, typically a person would have to have sold to their business
March 24, 2023
Viewing Risk Deal By Deal
U.S. Venture Inc. Associate General Counsel Jennifer Schwitzer on mitigating deal risk.
February 24, 2023
Earn Out Can Be A Dirty Word
Paul Stillmank, former CEO of 7Summits, on earn outs — when they're useful and when they should be avoided.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.