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November 14, 2024

Announcing the Charlotte Smart Business Dealmaker Award Winners and 2024 Dealmakers Hall of Fame Class

The Smart Business Dealmakers Dealmaker of the Year Awards recognize exceptional individuals in Charlotte. See who we recognized! ...

By Dealmakers Staff

April 25, 2024

Harnessing Marketing and Sales Across PE Deal Stages

Chief Outsiders Slade Kobran, Dawn Werry and Evan Eckman talk about how using proven marketing and sales strategies across various deal stages can amplify returns....

By Slade Kobran, Dawn Werry, Evan Eckman

January 5, 2024

Navigating The Journey From Diligence To Exit In Private Equity

Chief Outsiders' Slade Kobran shares some key considerations from PE operating partners that ought to be taken from diligence to exit, and the go-to-market strategies they’ve used to foster success....

By Slade Kobran

October 20, 2023

Charlotte M&A Honorees Announced!

The Smart Business Dealmakers Dealmaker of the Year Awards recognize exceptional individuals who are shaping the landscape of business and innovation in Charlotte. The 2023 class of winners — who will...

By Dan Pender

July 21, 2023

If You Swing In This Market, Don't Miss

Omar Jorge's family started Compare Foods Supermarkets in 1989. The international grocer is focused on importing products from Latin America, offering patrons products they usually can't get out of a...

By Adam Burroughs

June 16, 2023

Authenticity, Transparency Key In Deal Negotiations

When preparing to sell a business, Womble Bond Dickinson LLP Partner Scott Anderson says it's best not to hide anything because the buyer, through diligence, is going to find it. "So, you might as...

By Adam Burroughs

May 19, 2023

Whether buying, selling or raising capital, timing is everything

When it comes to capital opportunities, timing, says Foro Capital Markets Managing Director, CFO and Chief Compliance Officer Mike Marr, can be everything. In December of ‘21, the company raised some...

By Adam Burroughs

April 14, 2023

Identifying Gaps In Charlotte’s Startup Scene

Innovate Charlotte Managing Director Juan Garzón on his perspective on the Charlotte startup scene — its strengths, its gaps, and the progress it's made ... and still needs to make....

By Adam Burroughs

March 17, 2023

How preparing to sell your company is like a bike ride with friends

Justine E. Tobin, founder and managing partner of Tobin & Company Investment Banking Group, on how starting with the end in mind can maximize a sale opportunity and speed up the process....

By Adam Burroughs

February 10, 2023

In Fundraising, Reputation Matters

Lucid Technologies Founder and CEO Andrew Ashur on launching the business and how his fundraising process has evolved along the way....

By Adam Burroughs

December 9, 2022

Dr. Shante P. Williams Learns From The Past To Build Black Pearl Global Investments

Black Pearl Global Investments CEO Dr. Shante P. Williams on what she's learned launching several businesses, and how her most recent venture, Black Pearl Global Investments, is making an impact on underserved communities. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

May 26, 2022

How market changes helped Ascend ascend

Christine Nicodemus spoke on Ascend's acquisition by Aperture Education....

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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. ...

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

March 12, 2021

Jeff Dudan’s questions before investment

Jeff Dudan on what he looks for in investment opportunities....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs

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....

By Adam Burroughs