When we have just acquired a business, it can be easy to dive into transforming and growing it immediately. However, this episode’s guest, Jennifer Goldman of Jennifer Goldman Consulting , is all about the opposite. In fact, she tells you to stop and start by doing nothing other than developing what she calls a “simmer pot”. Domenic Rinaldi uncovers what this means as he and Jennifer go right into the things you need to go over with your business operations and develop a roadmap for changes. Don...
Nov 24, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 77
There are a number of components that you should be looking at any time you’re valuing a business. In this episode, Domenic Rinaldi dives into one of them – value drivers. What are the common value drivers that you should be looking at? Why are these value drivers so important? How does each of them affect a company’s valuation during an acquisition? Listen in and learn what things you need to look for in terms of money factors, people factors and industry factors that may increase or decrease a...
Nov 17, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Keith Knohl always dreamed of owning a business. He tried to start a few ventures during his long and successful corporate career. He decided that buying an existing business that already had ongoing revenues, profits, clients, trained employees, and a foundation was a much smarter and safer path to business ownership. Keith joins Domenic Rinaldi to share his journey of buying a business, which included retaining a buy-side broker to help him through all phases of the process. If you’ve never ac...
Nov 10, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 75
There are so many paths to becoming an entrepreneur. One of the common struggles many face beforehand is deciding whether to start a business or buy instead. If you found yourself in this dilemma, then this episode is for you. Host, Domenic Rinaldi, goes solo to talk about the differences between starting and buying a business and what advantages the latter has over the other. He provides an outline of key things you need to consider in both, and, if you decide on buying, figure out what to look...
Nov 03, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 74
There is a lot at stake in getting your communication strategy right during a merger and acquisition. Apart from just ensuring a healthy give and take between the two parties, you need a communication plan to trickle information down to your employees, customers and vendors. Domenic Rinaldi talks about this critical but oft-neglected aspect of M&A with Andrew Cross , Senior Vice President and partner at Walker Sands , one of the nation’s top integrated marketing firms. Andrew has been involved i...
Oct 27, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Human capital is the most important asset of every company. This aspect of due diligence is so critical in the M&A process to see whether or not you are looking at the right company to acquire. But how do we exactly calculate the return on investment in human capital? Is it even calculable in financial terms? Joining Domenic Rinaldi to give some clarity on this is Dr. Solange Charas , a human capital metrics expert and the Founder and CEO of HCMoneyball , a technology company that provides an ap...
Oct 20, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 72
As a business owner, it is important to understand what a buyer is looking for in a deal so that you can position your company for a future sale. Representing this side of the M&A equation are Ben Mimmack and Andy Waltman of Baymark Partners , a lower middle market private equity firm based in Dallas, Texas to discuss how their firm is approaching acquisitions and insights on what the M&A market might look like over the next months. If you want to learn what things you need to work on to set you...
Oct 13, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Did you know that over 95% of businesses in the US fail to reach one million in annual sales? Domenic Rinaldi sits down with Brett Trainor , a B2B startup mentor and investor who draws upon more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, demand generation, and customer service to help his clients. Extending his wisdom to us, he shares how business owners can get past the micro-business stage and start to grow. Brett also shares his 11-point checklist to guide you on how to scale your busin...
Oct 06, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 70
An ever increasing number of traditional businesses are looking to grow and diversify by adding an online component to their business model. Just like in offline business, buying an online business that is already established and generating leads is way more profitable than starting a new one from scratch. Joining Domenic Rinaldi on this episode, online business mentor, coach and investor, Jaryd Krause shares how offline businesses can increase their lead generation and revenue just by buying an...
Sep 29, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 69
There probably is an asset that is nothing more important in an acquisition than the people. They are the ones that make the engine run and carry the entire business. That is why knowing how to handle the integration of the people really matters. Helping you with that, Domenic Rinaldi interviews human resources professional Klint Kendrick to talk about the best practices for integrating employees during the mergers and acquisitions transaction. He talks about the due diligence that relates to HR...
Sep 22, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Every transaction hangs by the thread of communication. How you get your message across can either make or break a deal. Yet, this important aspect tends to be the most overlooked by many in the M&A industry. That is why in this episode, Domenic Rinaldi invites guest Justin Breen , the CEO of the PR firm, BrEpic Communications LLC , to talk about how you get the communication down the line in a way that positively impacts the entire M&A process. At the heart of it is the importance of knowing yo...
Sep 15, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Whether you're a group of investors acquiring a business that you're going to operate yourselves or your company looking to acquire another company, integration is critical. Matot , a fourth-generation dumbwaiter manufacturer, complete a strategic acquisition several years ago. Jim Piper , its President, sits down with Domenic Rinaldi to talk about the integration of the acquired company - what went right, what could have been done better, and some best practices to consider when planning for yo...
Sep 08, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Many business owners who sell their businesses wind up being remorseful, not because of the amount of money that they received for their business, but because they don’t know the next thing to do and have lost their purpose. Are you really ready to step aside from your business personally, financially, and emotionally? If you want to learn how to prepare for the sale and avoid some of the common pitfalls when selling, check out Domenic Rinaldi’s interview with Will Moore of Moore Momentum . Love...
Sep 01, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Where should you start when you think about integration? In this episode, Jim Jeffries , founder of M&A Leadership Council , joins Domenic Rinaldi to talk about post-merger integration and transition and how that can typically make or break the return on investment for your acquisition. Oftentimes, this phase of the deal gets lost in the shuffle because so much time and attention is spent on consummating the actual transaction. Jim and Domenic discuss the importance of formulating your strategy ...
Aug 25, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Not nearly talked about in M&A transactions is the critical role of mindset and emotion. Without realizing it, you may have overspent or even over-invested in a transaction or deal that is not giving you the results you expected. Tackling this very important yet often overlooked topic, Domenic Rinaldi sits down with Jason Abell , the President of Rewire, Inc. , to help get you thinking about your mindset for a deal and how to be better prepared. Jason helps us better understand the elements of m...
Aug 18, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 63
From an M&A perspective, healthcare is an interesting frontier that you may want to look into as an investor. On the other hand, as the industry works itself through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a good time for owners who want an exit to start contemplating a sell. Whether you’re an owner looking to sell or an investor looking to dip their toes into healthcare, you’d be surprised to know that there is so much to learn about regulation and valuation in M&A transactions in this particular industry...
Aug 11, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Earnouts are an important part of M&A transactions, with about 20% of all deals involving some form of it in normal circumstances. With COVID-19 at our heels, that percentage is going up as buyers take extra precaution, given the uncertain economic environment we now find ourselves in. Whether you’re a seller or a buyer, it’s important to learn how earnouts work, protect yourself, and strike win-win deals based on mutual trust and understanding. Domenic Rinaldi takes a peek at this timely topic ...
Aug 04, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 61
As we navigate this uncertain business environment created by COVID-19, both sellers and buyers have to add a few considerations if they’re contemplating an M&A transaction. The question of the PPP loan is certainly one of the elephants in the room. How does it affect an asset’s valuation? How can sellers and buyers protect themselves when entering these transactions? Don’t miss out on this episode, where M&A experts Tad Render of Miller, Cooper & Co., Ltd. and your host, Domenic Rinaldi, discus...
Jul 28, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 60
There is room for intuition in business, and it can lead us to better decisions and better results. This is what Dean Newlund explores in his podcast, The Business of Intuition . Dean is the CEO of Mission Facilitators International , a training and development firm that offers leadership development programs to medium to large organizations nationally and worldwide. Dean is a student of intuition. His passion is to get intuition out of the closet and into the boardroom. With host Domenic Rinald...
Jul 21, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Valuing a business is hard enough when things are going well, but valuing a business that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can be another kind of tricky at best. Joining host, Domenic Rinaldi, in this episode, to talk about how best to get through the motions of these troubled times in your business is Alexandra (Alex) Reed Lajoux , Ph.D., M.B.A., the founding principal of Capital Expert Services, LLC . Alex discusses the things buyers and sellers should be thinking about when it comes...
Jul 14, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 58
In our business evolution, there will come a time where we have to take our business to the markets. Unfortunately, not many small business owners realize the value of their business that this transition can be quite difficult to do. With the help of experts in the mergers and acquisitions space, getting your business sold will be a lot easier. Taking the hot seat in this episode is host, Domenic Rinaldi, as he gets interviewed by Lou Diamond for his Thrive LOUD Podcast . Here, Domenic shares mo...
Jul 07, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 57
A significant issue facing many business owners is the impact of underfunded multiemployer pension plans. This is most common, but not exclusive to, unionized businesses. In this episode, Todd Solomon joins Domenic Rinaldi to talk about multiemployer pension plans and addressing the needs of participants. Todd is a partner at McDermott Will & Emery , specializing in matters such as pensions and employee benefits. Don’t miss this episode as Todd and Domenic discuss the proactive steps owners can ...
Jun 30, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 56
A significant component of retirement planning is “knowing your number,” i.e., getting a good grasp of how much you need to fund your post-business endeavors – whether it’s operating another business, retirement, or philanthropic work. Joining Domenic Rinaldi on the show today, William “Bill” Douglass , CRPC, CPFA, is an expert in this regard. He is a senior member of the Newman Douglass Wealth Management Team at Merrill Lynch . For 30 years, he has helped individuals, families, and businesses n...
Jun 23, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 55
With the COVID-19 right in front of us, one of the most pressing questions many of us in this industry is how the pandemic will impact M&A deals. Although we are still at the early stages of the crisis, it helps to look at some of the telltale signs of how the landscape is changing. In this episode, Domenic Rinaldi is joined by Trevor Crow , a well-established M&A attorney who focuses his practice on representing buyers and sellers of businesses and the likes. Here, Trevor shares his insights on...
Jun 16, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Students need to be prepared to argue either side of the law when discussing a legal issue. That way, you can learn the law from all angles and see every corner of an argument. In today's episode, Domenic Rinaldi is joined by two expert attorneys, John Schreiner and Jeff Petersen , who discuss several legal issues that arise in most M&A transactions – one taking the seller's perspective while the other providing the buyer's perspective. This episode will help you see several important issues fro...
Jun 09, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Estate planning is a constantly moving and shifting process, and it’s not just something you should be thinking about once in a while. If you constantly keep everything up to date, in case anything ever happens to you, you can rest safe knowing that your loved ones will definitely be taken care of by the wealth you leave behind. Domenic Rinaldi is joined by Eric Kalnins , a Partner at Handler Thayer, LLP . Domenic and Eric talk about the importance of estate planning, and the particulars that ne...
Jun 02, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Being that businesses are often among a person’s top three most valuable assets, selling a business isn’t an easy process. There’s a lot to take into account, from the valuation to the buyer selection. At the end of the day, what’s important is that you are able to sell the business and get the most out of it. In a special episode of M&A Unplugged, Domenic Rinaldi joins the popular podcast, Nice Guys on Business , for an interview with host Doug Sandler . Together, Domenic and Doug discuss the p...
May 26, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Sales and marketing are so important to the lifeblood of a company. Who sits at the center of these is their customer. As such, it is crucial for companies to think of how they are creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. This is the principle of inbound, and in today’s episode, Domenic Rinaldi sits down to talk deeper about this topic with Todd Hockenberry , the founder of Top Line Results and an advisor and coach for B2B industrial and manufacturing companies. Through his bo...
May 19, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Sales conversations can be uncomfortable for most entrepreneurs, especially those who do not want to be constantly on the chase for closing the deal. Top-ranked business coach, Loren Fogelman , joins Domenic Rinaldi today in an engaging episode on making value conversations with prospective clients. Loren prefers to call a sales conversation a value conversation, stressing that entrepreneurs need to be seen by their clients as trusted advisors. Clients need to feel that their best interest is wh...
May 12, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 49
The primary function of a business is to sell a certain product or range of products, so you’ve always got to keep your eyes on that prize. Making sure your sales function is in tip-top shape is absolutely essential to ensuring your business is in good condition, otherwise, it could mean trouble. Tom Kelly is a professional business coach and the owner of Potential In Motion . Tom sits down with Domenic Rinaldi to go into different ways through which you can improve your business’ sales function...
May 05, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 48
