Meet the Top Dealmakers
in Chicago
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
PALMER HOUSE HILTON
The Smart Business Dealmakers Conference (formerly ASPIRE) features an all-star lineup of entrepreneurs, investors and advisers for a day of dynamic discussions and one-on-one networking.
Experience Dealmakers
The Smart Business Dealmakers Conference (formerly ASPIRE) connects thousands of local dealmakers - from middle-market CEOs to top investors and lenders to leading M&A advisers. With sessions ranging from raising capital to buying and selling companies to alternative asset investing, our conference covers the breadth of the M&A landscape. To experience Dealmakers, take a look inside last year's event.
- John Rowady's rEvolution Accelerates Growth Through Deals >
- VillageMD’s Tim Barry: Investors Want To Give You Money >
- GovQA's Growth Equity Deal: It's About Insight, Not Money >
Speakers
Agenda
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8:00 A.M. Breakfast
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8:15 A.M. Welcome Address
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8:30 A.M. - 9:15 A.M. All-Attendee M&A Roundtable
A quartet of regional business executives and investors explore current trends in dealmaking, share personal anecdotes about recent transactions and discuss the implications on their organizations. They will also offer insight on how to face unforeseen challenges and take advantage of opportunities in today’s economic environment.
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9:30 A.M. - 10:15 A.M. True North: Charting a Plan to Sell Your Business
When selling your company, if you don’t prepare you will be doomed to either run into trouble or leave money on the table. Veteran C-suite executives, investors and dealmakers explore common threads and offer practical advice to help you think through selling your business.
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9:30 A.M. - 10:15 A.M. So, You Want to Buy a Business?
Join a group of serial entrepreneurs and M&A advisers for a rousing conversation on how to identify potential acquisition targets, navigate the process, avoid common mistakes and steer clear of deal breakers.
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10:15 A.M. - 10:45 A.M. Networking Break
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10:45 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Building Strong Capital Stacks: Raising Capital to Fuel Your Organization’s Growth
Whether you are looking to sell a minority interest in your company by raising capital or want to sell your company outright, knowledge is power. A panel of entrepreneurs, investors and M&A experts share their thoughts on how to choose the right sources to finance accelerated growth.
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10:45 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Maximizing Returns: How to Prepare for Life After Business Liquidity Events
Two entrepreneurs join forces with a pair of M&A advisers to share stories about how they created liquidity events by selling companies. This conversation will also explore how to prepare for life after the sale.
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11:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Networking
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12:00 P.M. Lunch
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12:30 P.M. - 1:10 P.M. Chicago: The Food Industry Hub of America
A quartet of Chicago’s top food industry leaders and investors take a deep dive into why the region’s myriad F&B companies continue to attract investments, grow at lightning speed and feast on the competition.
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1:30 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. Buy, Buy, Build: A Deep Dive on the Buy Side
Join CEOs, investors and M&A experts for an exploration of best practices and pitfalls when accelerating growth through acquisitions. This group will share what’s worked and what hasn’t, including how to minimize the impact on your company’s current operations.
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1:30 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. Before, During and After the Sale’s Process: Some Key Issues
A panel of business owners and transactional professionals share war stories and common mistakes to avoid during key points of the sale process to insure you get the best deal.
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2:15 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. Refreshment Break
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2:30 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. Transaction Preparedness: Checking the Boxes on Deal Readiness
No matter what type of M&A you and your company are involved with, success means being ready for the deal to go down. A group of veteran dealmakers discuss what you should know, common missteps and practical advice — including how to manage the emotional side of transactions.
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2:30 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. Critical Decision-Making in Liquidity Events
Serial entrepreneurs, CEOs and M&A advisers analyze recent liquidity events, discuss how to navigate alternative options, and stress the importance of addressing critical issues before and during the sale of a company to a third party or an ESOP.
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3:30 P.M. - 4:30 P.M. Cocktail Reception & Dealmaker of the Year Awards
Join us at the cocktail reception to recognize the 2019 Dealmakers Award Winners!
Host Committee
Sponsors
Presented By
Hosted By
Supporting Sponsors
Specialty Sponsors
