When you’re considering selling your company, you want to get the most value for your business, right? Well, some exit paths are more lucrative than others. How can you determine the best path for your situation? Are PE firms an option? Get inside tips from M&A expert Adam Coffey about why the world of private equity has been growing so rapidly in recent years, learn the general blueprint on how PE firms grow capital, and how to maximize your asset diversification. View the complete show notes f...
Mar 11, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Thinking of selling your company? What is your plan for the windfall of money you’ll get once you complete the sale? Wealth advisor Jason Gordo discusses seven points to keep in mind as you create a financial plan and a wealth strategy before beginning the sale process. Build the right team of advisors to discuss your post-transaction life plan, set goals, and think about the things you should do to prepare for the financial outcome of your sale. View the complete show notes for this episode. Wa...
Mar 03, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast When you’ve finally sold your business, can you jump on the next cruise ship and sail away? Nope. You’ll leave money on the table, or worse still, sink the deal if you do that. Matt Coyne, an experienced M&A Advisor, explains how planning ahead for the transition period can make the deal go more smoothly and potentially add value to your company. View the complete show notes for this episode. Want To Learn More? What’s involved with the transition period: Who is impacted by the transition; how c...
Feb 27, 2025•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you are selling your business, you need an attorney. But do you know how to hire one? Get insider tips from Jude David, an Investment Banker and former M&A Attorney, on the biggest mistakes to avoid, what experience to look for, how to set expectations, tips on fees, and much more so you can get the right M&A attorney to help sell your business. View the complete show notes for this episode. Want To Learn More? Negotiating the Letter of Intent M&A Negotiating Tactic #1 – Honesty The M&A Purch...
Feb 19, 2025•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast As an owner, what’s your biggest block to improving sales? How can fixing this improve the value of your company? We discuss the biggest problem that companies face in their sales and marketing teams with sales and marketing expert Derek Johnson. He says that many companies fail by focusing on tactics, not vision. Start with a vision, develop a strategy, then execute the strategy with precision. This can lead to improving your sales and ultimately improving the value of your company. View the co...
Feb 11, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jeffrey Hooke, a former investment banker and private equity executive, discusses his career trajectory, emphasizing the challenges and lessons learned in finance. He highlights the complexities of working in large organizations like Lehman Brothers, the differences in deal-making between developed and emerging markets, and insights from his time at the World Bank. Jeff stresses the importance of finding a stimulating job, being well-organized, and maintaining interest in one’s work for career s...
Feb 03, 2025•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The purchase agreement – getting it right from the beginning with the LOI helps a smooth closing. Gerry Williams, an M&A attorney, outlines a purchase agreement’s key components and four main sections: the preliminary section (purchase price, working capital, earnouts, post-closing adjustments), reps and warranties, covenants, and indemnification. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of deal structure (asset vs. stock) and the role of reps and warranty insurance in miti...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why do some companies struggle to raise funds while others don't? Investment banker Richard Luftig explains how mid-sized companies can access the funds they need. We discuss the challenges and strategies for raising money through either equity (i.e., selling shares) or debt capital (i.e., borrowing). View the complete show notes for this episode. Want To Learn More? The M&A Purchase Agreement | An Overview Small Business Acquisition Financing 18 Differences Between Valuing Public and Private Bu...
Jan 20, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is valuing your business simply a numbers game? If not, how do subjective factors impact the value of your business? Jacob Orosz and Joe Bergin discuss the complexities of business valuation, which extends beyond simple EBITDA multiples. They discuss the impact of subjective factors, such as clean financials, a solid leadership team, and diversified customer base on the value of your company. They also look at a few key actions you can take to dramatically improve your business’s value. View the...
Jan 13, 2025•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Luke Smith, CEO and founder of Croud, a digital marketing agency with five global offices, discusses the unique nature of M&A deals. He shares Croud’s M&A journey, detailing five acquisitions ranging from small data businesses to larger digital marketing firms. Luke highlights the importance of flexible deal structures and maintaining trust with founders. He advises sellers to value their businesses and time their sales strategically and stresses the significance of cultural fit in successful ac...
Jan 06, 2025•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Should I sell my business to a competitor? How do I know if they’re sincere, or trying to steal my information? Jonathan Baker, an M&A advisor specializing in marketing firms, discusses the nuances of selling your business to a competitor. Jonathan highlights the risks of sharing sensitive information with competitors and how to tell if their interest is sincere. View the complete show notes for this episode. Want To Learn More? Punctuation M&A Guide | Selling Your Business to a Competitor How T...
Dec 23, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast What’s your role in the transition process when selling your business? Expert Joan Helmer discusses the transition period from the seller’s perspective – how to prepare, expectations, what can go wrong, and its phases, from the LOI to the closing. He emphasizes that the pre-closing phase involves aligning strategic elements, departmental roles, and operational gaps, while the post-closing phase focuses on integrating systems and roles, often requiring a 100-day plan. He also highlights the impor...
Dec 21, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why can selling a business be such an emotional process, and what can you do to make it less stressful? Nate Pratt, a financial services wealth advisor, discusses the emotional journey of selling a business. He highlights the importance of cultural alignment, focusing on retaining the top talent in a company, and the long-term impact of an acquisition on the business’s teams and clients. Nate notes that successful sellers start early, educate themselves, and share their passion and enthusiasm wi...
Dec 16, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mina Haque, CEO of Tony Roma’s, spent almost nine months on legal due diligence, learning the ins and outs of the corporation, and building strong relationships with franchise owners. This led to her being named CEO of the company, focused on continuing the stabilization and growth of this global brand. She highlights the challenges of maintaining brand consistency and shares her insights through the acquisition, emphasizing the importance of staffing, integration, and franchisee relationships. ...
Dec 09, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast VC investor Sandeep Patil discusses the nuances of selling a company to a VC-backed business. VC acquisitions often prioritize growth potential and talent quality over immediate returns. Sandeep emphasizes the importance of understanding the acquirer’s objectives, the integration strategy, and the long-term growth prospects. He notes that VC-backed companies typically prefer equity swaps due to limited cash reserves and advises sellers to perform thorough due diligence on the acquirer’s growth p...
Dec 05, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Blake Hutchinson, CEO of Flippa.com, discusses the evolution and challenges of the online business marketplace. The Flippa platform facilitates the sale of online businesses in five core business models: online publishing, e-commerce, SaaS, iOS/Android apps, and YouTube channels, with 425,000 AI matches weekly. Blake highlights the importance of supply acquisition, the growing interest from institutional investors, and the demand for quality assets focusing on traditional, recession-proof indust...
Nov 25, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast SBA loan expert Tom Lyons talks about everything related to SBA loans. He discusses recent changes to SBA guidelines, such as allowing partial ownership changes and zero down payment options. Tom shares advice and insights into the process of acquiring a business, qualification and compliance challenges, guidelines for an owner to remain involved in the business, contingent seller notes, how landlords impact the loan terms, and the importance of working with a preferred lender for smoother compl...
Nov 19, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Marc Adams, a private investor with a background in private equity, discusses the challenges business owners face when selling their companies and ways to look at how to sell a business and minimize or eliminate the amount of taxes owed. He highlights the impact of taxes and fees, which can reduce the selling price by 30-45%. Marc emphasizes the importance of planning ahead, increasing prices, improving digital marketing, and possibly outsourcing to boost EBITDA. View the complete show notes for...
Nov 11, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Geoff Coltman, Senior VP at Catena Solutions, discusses M&A integration in the food and beverage sector. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the human element and the “why” behind decisions. Geoff highlights the challenges of maintaining regular communication and the need for open communication and partnership with organizations to ensure successful change management. He also discusses the importance of starting with the end goal in mind and ensuring alignment and communication through...
Nov 01, 2024•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Derek Johnson, author of “The Strategic Sales Leader,” discusses the importance of optimizing sales and marketing as you prepare your company for sale. Many companies leave money on the table due to ineffective sales and marketing strategies. Derek discusses leveraging competitive intelligence, understanding the buying journey and the psychology of change and persuasion, and stresses the importance of hiring experienced sales and marketing leaders and understanding the marketplace ecosystem. Vie...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Patrick Stroth returns to M&A Talk to discuss the ins and outs of directors and officers insurance – also known as D&O insurance – and why it is a standard component of a transaction for buyers of middle-market businesses. Patrick highlights how the D&O tail can work along with reps and warranties insurance and tips on how to make it fairly painless for a seller to get D&O insurance even if they have never had this type of insurance before. This must-know topic applies to sellers now or planning...
Oct 15, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kevin Moyer returns to M&A Talk to discuss EBITDA multiples, emphasizing their importance in valuing companies in the middle market. EBITDA multiples measure a company’s enterprise value against its current EBITDA or run rate, either as reported or adjusted, and can vary widely by industry. The discussion covers the role of CapEx, the importance of accurate EBITDA adjustments, the need to ensure that EBITDA multiples are based on recent, relevant transactions, and the significance of net working...
Oct 10, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast How much do M&A advisors and investment bankers charge? Bill Snow returns to M&A Talk to explain why there is not a straightforward answer to this common question. He shares insights into the difference between finding a buyer and closing the deal, the positive aspects of monthly retainer fees and how they are a sign of shared risk, how success fees are calculated in various transactions, the importance of understanding the scope of work, and the single most important skill needed for an M&A adv...
Oct 01, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Guest Mark Tarchetti rates the importance of preparing a company for sale at 10 out of 10, saying that inadequate preparation can lead to rapid buyer loss and diminished competition, potentially reducing a business’s value by 20-30%. Mark highlights the power of a clear, compelling business story and shares his experiences from doing $40 billion in M&A deals, stressing the importance of strategic planning, team readiness, and having a robust growth plan focused on potential rather than past perf...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Get the inside scoop on how to maximize the sale of your business and help the process run smoothly through the help of an M&A advisor during the critical preparation stage. Simon Leroux, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Optionality.AI, discusses the importance of early collaboration with M&A advisors. He highlights the inefficiencies in the M&A process, particularly for lower mid-market businesses, and emphasizes the need for advisors to help business owners prepare mentally and financially...
Sep 17, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Josh Springer, head of M&A for Hawke Media, discusses the acquisition and integration strategies he has used in closing 18 deals over the past 4 years, offering sellers a perpetual revenue share instead of a lump-sum payment. He shares insights into how this approach works, the benefits for sellers, lessons learned for the acquirers, how creative deal-making can beat market multiples, and how this strategy aims to provide stability and growth opportunities for sellers. This is all about the art ...
Sep 10, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Show Summary: What is a fractional CFO? How can they help grow a business? Can they help sell a business? Get all the details on this growing position in the middle market with fractional CFO John Hannum. He offers a wide-ranging discussion with insights into how a fractional CFO can fit into a company’s growth plans, the role of different financial team members, how they play a role in preparing a company for sale, and how sellers can avoid the most common mistakes in dealing with finances duri...
Sep 06, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Show Summary: Rich Kottmeyer, investment banker and food and agriculture turnaround specialist shares his extensive knowledge of M&A activity and growth potential in the food and agriculture industry. This complex industry is experiencing fundamental changes driven by consumer preferences, technological advancements, and global conflicts. This is leading to new avenues for investments, and multiples ranging from 5-30 times EBITDA across different sub-sectors in the food and agriculture markets. ...
Sep 03, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Show Summary: Katrina Nacci, a cross-border accounting advisor, discusses the complexities of converting accounting standards in international M&A transactions. Katrina offers a high-level look at the differences between U.S. and international accounting standards. She highlights when it might be necessary to convert from local GAAP to U.S. GAAP or IFRS, and the importance of having detailed documentation and a strong internal team familiar with local GAAP. View the complete show notes for this ...
Aug 28, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Show Summary: Exit options – what are your options? Understanding your own goals and the goals of potential buyers is key to achieving a successful sale of your middle market company. Buyer Jude David offers insights into the most common exit options, the differences between financial and strategic buyers, questions to consider in a self-inventory before preparing for the sale, and considerations for deal structure and leveraging M&A expertise to ultimately close your transaction. View the compl...
Aug 26, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
