Subscribe to Smart Business Dealmakers
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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. ...
By Adam Burroughs
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. ...
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
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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. ...
By Adam Burroughs
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. ...
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
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
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Dustin Klein
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
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
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs
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....
By Adam Burroughs and Mark Scott
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....
By Jayne Gest
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....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
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....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
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....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
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....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
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....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
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....
By Dustin S. Klein and Jayne Gest
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....
By Dustin S. Klein and Jayne Gest
May 13, 2020
Deal Pulse: April M&A Activity in Central Ohio
The state of Ohio was under a stay-at-home order for the entire month of April, with many businesses shut down. While middle market M&A activity has severely slowed in Central Ohio, notable deals included Break Trail Ventures, Nationwide Ventures and Midwest Equipment Sales....
By Michael Shaw
May 7, 2020
Tucker Ellis’s Brian M. O’Neill: The Future Of Dealmaking Post-Pandemic Will Need Time To Take Shape
As Ohio seeks to reopen its economy in the coming weeks, a significant number of businesses will face a daunting challenge to simply reopen their doors to customers, says Brian M. O’Neill, a partner at Tucker Ellis....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
April 23, 2020
Ancora’s David Sowerby Sees Opportunity For Buyers Coming Out Of COVID-19
Ancora's David Sowerby expects acquisitive companies to find targets at more attractive valuations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
April 23, 2020
Greg Achten: Strategic Tips On How To Manage Your Investments In The Wake Of Economic Crisis
Liquidity is often an elusive goal in the wake of an economic downturn. As business owners and investors try to collect themselves in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Greg Achten has found that many of his clients at UBS are in decent shape....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
April 17, 2020
Deal Pulse: March M&A Activity in Central Ohio
M&A activity in Central Ohio continues to move forward despite the impact of the coronavirus on the markets and Ohio’s mandated shutdown of non-essential businesses and “shelter-in-place” orders given in March....
By Michael Shaw
