Self-funding health insurance through a group medical captive can be a way for businesses of any size to better manage what is often their second greatest expense. And, according to Roundstone Founder and President Mike Schroeder, it may also be a way for business owners to increase the company’s value ahead of a sale. On this episode of the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast, Schroeder talks about the self-funding model as well as its impact on an M&A transaction.
Mar 06, 2025•13 min•Ep 286•Transcript available on Metacast Warde Manuel, University of Michigan’s Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics, oversees an athletic department that sponsors 29 varsity teams with more than 950 student-athletes and around 400 staff members. To run it, the former collegiate athlete relies on more than just his 30 years of experience in athletic departments. Warde also leans on his MBA. In this episode of the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast, sponsored by Old National Bank, the official bank of the Big Ten Conference, Warde ta...
Feb 06, 2025•41 min•Ep 285•Transcript available on Metacast Dive into serial entrepreneur Matt Liotta’s experience navigating mergers, acquisitions and public offerings with multiple companies. Liotta, the co-founder of Volato, a fractional jet company he took public through a SPAC, chats with Tom Singh of Merrill Lynch about the strategic decisions behind scaling Volato, as well as the lesson’s he’s learned about structuring deals, adapting business models, and maintaining innovation in a competitive market....
Jan 31, 2025•40 min•Ep 284•Transcript available on Metacast What will be driving M&A as we head into to 2025? In this roundtable discussion at the Charlotte Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Murphy Clark of Inspira Financial, Patty Comer of AccruePartners and Greg Fornelli of SRI and Stock Car Steel & Aluminum talk with First National Bank’s David Sedor about the drivers behind valuations, assessing and retaining talent during an acquisition, how interest rates are impacting M&A, and more.
Dec 13, 2024•40 min•Ep 282•Transcript available on Metacast Social media, believe it or not, can have an effective role in the world of venture capital. At the Houston Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Carrie Colbert of Curate Capital, Aquila Mendez-Valdez of Haute in Texas and Darek Woodward of ROI Ventures talked with Smart Business’s Dustin Klein about how to craft a captivating online brand that attracts investors, builds a thriving community of future deal flow, and uses influencers to skyrocket the value of your investments....
Dec 13, 2024•42 min•Ep 281•Transcript available on Metacast Name Image and Likeness rules have changed the game in college athletics. With more money needed to attract and retain the country’s top talent, private equity and other firms are looking to bridge the financial gap and capitalize on the evolving landscape. At the 2024 Minneapolis Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, panelists Blake Baratz of IFA, Katie Harms of Space Options, Cale Johnston of Roy Inc. and Gabriel Szerda of AB CarVal discuss the business future of college sports with moderator ...
Dec 06, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Colorado is emerging as a national hub for biotech, life sciences, and healthtech. At the 2024 Denver Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, panelists Elyse Blazevich of Colorado BioScience Association and Colorado BioScience Institute, Kimberly Muller of CU Innovations and CU Healthcare Innovation Fund, Afshin Safavi of Colorado Health & Tech Centers, and Blake Unterreiner of Agilent Technologies explored the flow of capital into the state, the success of innovative businesses, and the groundbre...
Nov 22, 2024•41 min•Ep 279•Transcript available on Metacast At the 2024 Chicago Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, midday keynote speakers Andrew Berlin of Shield.AI, Berlin Packaging, Chicago Cubs and South Bend Cubs, along with Rob Sine of Blueprint Sports, talked with Smart Business Network's Dustin Klein about how strategic opportunities in asset diversification and the current economic climate are reshaping the landscape for athletes, institutions and franchises....
Nov 14, 2024•44 min•Ep 278•Transcript available on Metacast A recent Federal Trade Commission rule aimed to prohibit employers from attempting to enter into non-competes with all workers. Though that rule might never take effect, state-level trends governing the use of non-competes leave plenty for businesses and dealmakers to navigate. Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld partners Matt Brinker and Alex Nassar break down the trends and offer advice on how M&A professionals can prepare and structure deals in the current environment.
Nov 08, 2024•20 min•Ep 277•Transcript available on Metacast With a presence in 36 cities and 20 states, zTrip has become the largest taxi fleet operator in the U.S. largely through acquisition-driven growth. With a remarkably refined deal strategy and new insights from a passed-over SPAC opportunity, the company is now competing with the country’s most recognizable ridesharing companies. Founder and CEO Bill George talks about the genesis of the business, its acquisition process and the secret sauce that’s helping the company continue on its extraordinar...
Oct 24, 2024•21 min•Ep 276•Transcript available on Metacast While we’re still arguably in a period rife with challenges, there seems to be a more positive sentiment forming — not enough that everyone in the M&A environment is happy, but maybe enough to signal that the deal market is ready to turn the page. At the inaugural D.C. Capital Region Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Debbie Ricci of Guidehouse, Don Bassell formerly of ARKO, Alex Shahidi of Riveron and Chris O’Geen of Wells Fargo, on a panel moderated by Riveron’s Robert Berdanier, explore to...
Oct 24, 2024•37 min•Ep 275•Transcript available on Metacast In some ways, when looking out into the deal environment, it seems as if uncertainty will be the only certainty. With the instability a constant challenge, both buyers and sellers are trying to determine how best to prepare for the unexpected, which is all that can be expected. Brady Ware Advisory Group Practice Leader Jon DeMoss and Shareholder Eric Carter offer their take on the current market and how dealmakers can capitalize on opportunities despite the obstacles....
Oct 18, 2024•29 min•Ep 274•Transcript available on Metacast Why would anyone do business in Columbus? Well, if you ask the panel of experts who kicked off this year’s Columbus Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, there’s a lot of reasons. Industry leaders Dr. Linda Lehmkuhl of MedVet, Aaron Weir of CollisionRight, Kim Zavislak of KPMG, Katie Bishop of J.P. Morgan Private Bank and moderator Leslie Johnson of Ice Miller discuss the opportunities they see in Central Ohio and how they are attacking the challenges of expanding in a city on the rise.
Oct 17, 2024•41 min•Ep 273•Transcript available on Metacast The past few years have been dynamic for M&A. Rising interest rates, inflation and a host of other issues have brought uncertainty across numerous sectors. But still, deals are getting done. Kicking off the 2024 Philadelphia Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Bank of America’s Jim Dever and Fritz Franz, Archetype Solutions' Chetan Bagga, PeopleShare’s Ryan Clark and SeventySix Capital’s Chad Stender share their experiences operating in this market and discuss what it takes to get M&A deals do...
Oct 10, 2024•41 min•Ep 272•Transcript available on Metacast Akron-based accounting and business advisory firm Apple Growth Partners is set to merge with Fargo, N.D.-based Eide Bailly. AGP — which through a strategic effort by Chairman Chuck Mullen grew to become the 18th-largest accounting firm in Ohio —will see its 24 partners and 125 staffers join Eide Bailly's 3,800-person team. Chuck and tax principal Jeff Brooks talk about the deal and all that's led to it — from both joining AGP after its acquisition of Brott Mardis back in 2008, to how their recen...
Jul 17, 2024•33 min•Ep 271•Transcript available on Metacast There are unique challenges and opportunities to running a closely held or family-owned business and having an effective board. At the 2024 Pittsburgh Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, four entrepreneurs shared tips and insights on how to present effectively to boards, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, simplicity and prioritizing critical information. The panelists also emphasized the importance of diversity, strategic focus and proactive management in effective board governance. T...
Jul 11, 2024•37 min•Ep 270•Transcript available on Metacast At this year's Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, regional leaders David Gilbert from the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland, Greg Harris from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Brian Zimmerman from the Cleveland Metroparks discuss how their innovative strategies have transformed Cleveland into a powerhouse for major sports events, scenic parks, and arts and culture. In this roundtable discussion led by First National Bank's Boyd Pethel, they highlight how t...
Jun 20, 2024•37 min•Ep 269•Transcript available on Metacast The past few years have been volatile, with rising interest rates, inflation, and lots of uncertainty affecting the M&A market. At the New York Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, Bank of America's José Tavarez leads a conversation with Revel's Frank Reig, ChargeLab's Shaun Stewart and Bank of America's Shawn Hoyer on what dealmakers can expect for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.
Jun 14, 2024•44 min•Ep 278•Transcript available on Metacast Tariq Farid built Edible Brands from a single store in 1999 into a flourishing franchise empire that today has nearly 1,000 stores. Now he and his daughter, Somia Farid Silber, who is also now Edible’s president, are rebranding, expanding and plotting the company’s future. At this year's Atlanta Smart Business Dealmakers Conference, the two sat down with Tom Singh, a managing director and senior resident director with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, to discuss the company's founding, flourishin...
May 31, 2024•41 min•Ep 267•Transcript available on Metacast There was a sharp decline in dealmaking during 2023 as the post-pandemic boom subsided and uncertainty intensified. Louis Plung & Company Partner Tony Montanaro joins the pod to discuss the factors influencing this change, how transactions are being affected, and what preparations sellers can make to have the best outcome in 2024 and beyond.
May 07, 2024•20 min•Ep 266•Transcript available on Metacast Robert Anderson Jr. served more than 20 years in the FBI, overseeing criminal and cyber investigations worldwide, including the Edward Snowden investigation. After the FBI, he served as managing director for a global organization helping companies respond to and recover from thousands of data breaches, as well as evaluate M&A target companies for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The now Chairman and CEO of Cyber Defense Labs sat down with Smart Business Chief Content Officer Dustin Klein at the Da...
Mar 28, 2024•32 min•Ep 265•Transcript available on Metacast The 2024 Boston Smart Business Dealmakers Conference featured a one-on-one conversation with Howard Brodsky, founder of CCA Global Partners, a groundbreaking $14 billion company. In this excerpt, he talks with Smart Business Chief Content Officer Dustin Klein about the common traits of the some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, as well as the outsized impact delivering the unexpected can yield for a business.
Mar 22, 2024•20 min•Ep 264•Transcript available on Metacast Serial entrepreneur Todd Boyman has been a consumer of plant-based foods for more than three decades. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that his business passion and food passion would eventually combine in a new venture. Hungry Planet is a maker of plant-based meats with fewer calories and less fat than conventional meat and other plant-based options. In March of 2023, Todd spoke at the St. Louis Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about his experiences launching Hungry Planet, its growth plans an...
Feb 09, 2024•14 min•Ep 263•Transcript available on Metacast Over 18 years and more than $15 billion in transactions, DGP Capital's Jack Chang has been advising businesses public and private on how to get the most out of their business when it's time to sell. He brought that experience to bear when he joined us to talk about what sellers can do to make their business attractive to buyers, when they should start the process and who they can turn to for help as they work to maximize their deal....
Feb 02, 2024•33 min•Ep 262•Transcript available on Metacast Rob Hale thinks he's an unlikely person to listen to when it comes to dealmaking. After all, he became a billionaire and lost it all by the age of 35. But Rob rebounded from the failure of Network Plus to co-found Granite Telecommunications, which made him a billionaire again and eventually co-owner of the Boston Celtics. That failure and rebound yielded three essential business lessons that Rob shared with attendees at the 2023 Boston Smart Business Dealmakers Conference.
Jan 25, 2024•11 min•Ep 261•Transcript available on Metacast Human capital and corporate culture play a key role in most M&A transactions. In this episode, we talk to a different sort of business leader about asset management, team building and creating a winning culture — in a very literal sense. Nic Barlage is CEO of Rock Entertainment Group and its many holdings, including the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. He oversees more than 500 full-time team members throughout the business operations of the Cavaliers. Nic sat down with Smart Business Chief Content Of...
Jan 19, 2024•33 min•Ep 260•Transcript available on Metacast Jumpstart Capital founder and Managing Partner Vic Gatto has been investing in early-stage health care businesses for nearly a decade. His organization — Jumpstart Foundry, Jumpstart Health Investors and Jumpstart Capital — works to bring innovation to what could be considered a timid but also complex industry. He talks about the formation and evolution of the venture capital firm, the opportunities he's seeing in these early-stage ventures as well as their challenges.
Jan 12, 2024•27 min•Ep 259•Transcript available on Metacast Carrie Thome left the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, where, as the Chief Investment Officer, she oversaw a $3 billion investment portfolio, to co-found NVNG Investment Advisors, an investment platform and network made up of a family of funds. The organization closed its Fund 1 in late 2021. Carrie talks about the organization, leaving WARF to launch it, her experience as a fund raiser and the progress NVNG has made since its start in 2019.
Jan 05, 2024•17 min•Ep 258•Transcript available on Metacast Compelled by the invitation of Jesus to "love our neighbors as we love ourselves," Corner to Corner was founded by Will and Tiffany Acuff in 2011. The young couple wanted to create a relationship-centered nonprofit that focused on seeing neighbors in their low-income Nashville neighborhood flourish on their own terms. In partnership with the community, the first program was aimed at equipping those recently out of prison with the necessary skills to gain meaningful employment. Since those early ...
Dec 06, 2023•23 min•Ep 257•Transcript available on Metacast Patrick Patterson went from the third person at what ultimately became Level Agency to its co-owner, sitting in the CEO seat for the first time. And shortly after taking over the business, he brought in PE partners — also a first — to help accelerate the company's growth with M&A-minded advisers who can help the agency accomplish its ambitions goals. Patrick talks about the management buyout, how he connected with his PE backers and what it took to close the deal, what life is like with a PE par...
Dec 01, 2023•24 min•Ep 256•Transcript available on Metacast 
