Mark Gartner is head of investment development at private equity firm ClearLight Partners LLC, which is dedicated to the lower middle market. Over his years in the industry, he’s seen a sea change in how PE firms go after potential targets, from “smiling and dialing” to using CRMs and data to guide their strategy. He talks about other elements of his approach to potential acquisitions, including how he always has a value proposition in mind when making contact. Part of that strategy derives from...
Oct 07, 2020•28 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Back in May, Sander Zagzebski maintained that COVID-19 was not a black swan. He even saw a silver lining in the pandemic in the form of opportunity for savvy players in the M&A world to make significant gains. In this episode we talk about his original prediction and how it has manifested today. Sander, of Greenspoon Marder LLP, says the current economic crisis is similar to what happened in 2008/09 but also quite different in key aspects, including the cause and how the presence of trillion...
Sep 23, 2020•34 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast As a veteran M&A lawyer in the Bay Area, Louis Lehot has advised many public and private companies, VCs, investors, and more on forming, financing, governing, and buying and selling companies. Formerly with DLA Piper, Louis founded his boutique law firm, L2 Counsel, to serve the unique needs of entrepreneurs and investors, specifically those young founders in the early startup phase. He talks about that work as well as the changing role of data, technology, and IP in deals. Tune in to discov...
Aug 26, 2020•38 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of M&A Masters, we speak with special guest, Laura Simms. Laura handles Business Development at Strait Capital, a fund solutions provider offering a full range of financial solutions to hedge funds, private equity, family offices, and alternative asset managers. From their Dallas headquarters, Strait delivers fund administration, middle office operations, CFO suite services, and regulatory compliance services just to name a few. “We really view ourselves as a partner t...
Aug 12, 2020•36 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Asset-based lending is one of the best ways for mid-sized companies to get to the next level. And the role of credit insurance, which has vastly improved since the days of the Great Recession, is often overlooked… yet will be vital to recovery after countries – and the companies in them – exit lockdown. Jo Bennett-Coles, managing director of FGI Finance, a global leader in domestic and international finance for mid-sized companies, gives us the lowdown on credit insurance, including when you nee...
Aug 05, 2020•33 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast Communication is vital during an M&A transaction, on both sides, externally and internally. Clarity is a PR firm that works to help companies get through the deal, from media relations to crisis management. It can be a stressful process… and certainly not the time to “wing it.” As Alex explains, they use a change management model called ADKAR to shepherd organizations and people through times of transition, get buy in, and make sure new policies and procedures “stick.” We get into detail on ...
Jul 15, 2020•23 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Clarity is a public relations firm that offers communications strategy, positioning, marketing, content creation, and other services to companies in the fast-moving world of global business. As Global COO, London-based Alex MacLaverty guides the growth of this ambitious agency. Part of that growth has been through recent strategic acquisitions of complementary PR agencies. Alex explains why they chose those specific agencies, how it will change their business, and why they had never met the team...
Jul 08, 2020•24 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of M&A Masters, we speak with Christie McFall, Business Development Director of Great Range Capital. Based in Mission Woods, Kansas, Great Range Capital brings a unique combination of institutional-grade experience and Midwestern values to middle market and lower-middle market firms in the Heartland. “Our whole goal is to take a successful business that has a strong management team that is looking for some sort of succession plan, if it's taking equity out of the busin...
Jul 01, 2020•21 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of M&A Masters, we chat with Ben Mimmack and Andy Waltman, Director of Investor Relations and Director, respectively, of private equity firm Baymark Partners. Ben got his start in banking in London before coming to the US to attend SMU in Dallas. After completing business school, he went on to work in finance at American Airways before ultimately being brought on at Baymark Partners. Andy got his start in accounting, earning a CPA before moving into private equity at E...
Jun 03, 2020•26 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Caylor, managing director, and the rest of the team at private equity firm WILsquare Capital have a passion for helping lower middle market companies grow bigger and better. He says it’s all about the leaders at these companies and their commitment to making a difference to their people and the communities they’re in. At WILsquare, they help create value through hands-on work with carefully selected businesses. It’s a level of service you won’t get at “brand-name” PE firms. We take a deep d...
May 27, 2020•19 min•Ep 42•Transcript available on Metacast Trevor Crow works in the M&A space, specializing in what he calls an “underserved” area: lower middle market companies. He says bigger firms chase bigger deals because of high overheads and other internal costs. But as a boutique firm, he’s able to work closely with owners and founders of what are often family-owned businesses. Trevor says Buyers and Sellers at this level are savvy and smart – a pleasure to work with. He talks about the biggest benefits a small firm like his can offer compan...
May 20, 2020•26 min•Ep 41•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to M&A, lower middle market companies often get overlooked and overcharged by big institutions. But Cascadia Capital is an investment bank that specializes in working with this underserved market. Chairman and CEO Michael Butler explains how they help “stage the house” for a company about to go to market, including the financial, legal, and operational aspects, among others. We also talk about Michael’s unique take on the current financial crisis, including the key differences ...
May 13, 2020•20 min•Ep 40•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode of M&A Masters, I sit down with Gaurav Bhasin, managing director of Allied Advisers-- a Silicon Valley-based investment banking firm with team members in Irvine, Tel Aviv, and Mumbai. Allied Advisers specializes in M&A advisory services, or middle-market companies, particularly in the technology space. Gaurav and I met when he engaged Rubicon to provide rep and warrant insurance for a client of his that was being acquired by his commercial partner. Ultimately, the deal...
May 06, 2020•23 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast We have a very exciting show for you this week! In this episode of M&A Masters, we’re joined by Codie Sanchez, the managing director of Entourage Effect Capital Partners and one of the most sought out speakers in the cannabis business. Entourage Effect is a unique private equity firm as it was the first to focus exclusively on the cannabis industry. Since 2014, Entourage Effect has invested over 100 million dollars in over 40 companies! We’ll chat with Codie about how she got into the cannab...
Apr 22, 2020•28 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode, we sit down with Tash Meys and Viv Conway, who provide consulting and execution services dedicated to fast-tracking a company’s Instagram growth and engagement. “I think if you’re not using social media, it can be overwhelming with which platform to choose,” says Tash, when asked about what Instagram is and how it’s different from other mediums. We’ll talk with Tash and Viv about how to learn about Instagram, why Instagram is an important business tool, and… The true differen...
Apr 08, 2020•27 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode, we sit down with Jordan Selleck-- the founder of 51 Labs. 51 Labs provides digital marketing services to the lower-middle market and were founded based on a string of failures that blossomed into success. Our guest, and 51 Labs, focuses on generating quality and engaging video content for their clients through using original ideas and avoiding “templated” content. We’ll chat about why LinkedIn doesn’t work for 51 Labs’ target market, the biggest mistakes people make when mark...
Mar 25, 2020•30 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode, we sit down with Bud Moore, who is the founding partner of Valesco Industries-- a lower-middle market private equity firm in Dallas, Texas. We love everything Valesco is doing, especially because there is a large need for their expertise, guidance, and capital in the lower-middle market. “Our ideas are muscle, and so we put that behind companies to help them grow and become a bigger and better version of what they were,” says Bud on the topic of how Valesco came to be. We’ll ...
Mar 11, 2020•19 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode, we’re joined by Vania Schlogel-- the founder and CEO of Atwater Capital, who focuses exclusively on the media and entertainment sectors. In our chat, Vania shares with us the fine line between being able to have the formal, polished side of the business in conjunction with the creative and operational side. Vania also chats about the areas she specializes in, and… Streaming services The emergence of technology in the media and entertainment world Her ideal client profile (and...
Feb 26, 2020•18 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast The energy industry is going strong so far in 2020… and the outlook for the future is good as the industry responds to sustainability initiatives and reacts to market pressures. Bart Vossen of Houston-based SGR Energy shares how upcoming regulations are impacting the industry, as well as why the company looks beyond U.S. borders for most of its customers. We also chat about mergers and acquisitions in the industry, talking about some prime targets SGR considers and how they conduct acquisitions,...
Feb 12, 2020•15 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast There comes a stage in every company’s life where organic growth is no longer enough. A strategic acquisition is the only way forward. But for middle-market companies, this is a tricky proposition. The management team is running the business… they don’t have time to research potential targets, negotiate price and terms, and all the rest that goes with an M&A deal. Pejman Makhfi, the founder of Silicon Valley-based Synrgix, which provides a process management system to support growth through ...
Jan 15, 2020•14 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast This is Part 2 in a two-part series about a recent M&A deal in which PE firm Broadtree Partners purchased SAAS company, RedCAT Systems, which provides specialized HR services for major corporations like Uber, NYSE, and LinkedIn. This time we’ll be covering the Buyer’s side of the transaction with Rob Joyce from Broadtree. (Be sure to check out my conversation with Steven Epstein of RedCAT here.) Importantly, Representations and Warranty insurance was a crucial part of this deal. Broadtree wa...
Nov 13, 2019•22 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast The first of a two-part series of a real-world M&A transaction. First up, I’m talking to Steven Epstein, the founder of RedCAT systems, a Colorado-based SAAS company involved in HR and compensation solutions for clients like LinkedIn, Uber, NYSE, and many more. They were recently funded by PE firm Broadtree Partners. Specifically, we’ll be looking at how Representations and Warranty (R&W) insurance played a key role in the transaction. What’s interesting is that RedCAT would not have bee...
Oct 30, 2019•28 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast In the world of tech, a lot of companies, especially the smaller ones and startups, their financials are quite opaque. You never know on the surface if one is about to go under or go unicorn. Austin Leo, VP of USI Insurance Services, highlights a specialized type of insurance, once reserved for large manufacturers, that can help larger companies identify who to do business with… especially those with the least risk of going under before they pay their bills. And that’s just one benefit. It’s a g...
Sep 18, 2019•23 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast After culling through a decades-worth of data on IT services companies, Colin Campbell, Associate Director at Livingstone Partners, sees potential for a market downturn on the horizon. He shares what trends he sees that point to this potential slowdown, as well as how Buyers and Sellers approach M&A deals to account for it. Colin says that Strategic Buyers are being quite selective in companies they target, and tend to go after the company aggressively once they “fall in love,” wanting to mo...
Sep 04, 2019•34 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Acquisition can be the ideal way to experience fast growth as a company. But there’s no need to stay within your home country when looking at potential target companies. Jacob Whitish is the San Francisco-based vice consul for financial services for the U.K.’s Department for International Trade. And he doesn’t just work with U.K. companies looking into the U.S. but also American companies looking to expand in the other direction. We chat about the unique challenges – and benefits – of these sort...
Jul 24, 2019•38 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast When we usually see cross-border deals, it’s a U.S. company acquiring a foreign business. But increasingly the reverse is happening, says Craig Lilly, corporate partner at the Palo Alto office of Baker McKenzie, and there are three primary drivers for that trend. But cross-border deals with foreign buyers aren’t without their pitfalls, especially with newly enacted regulatory and anti-trust and merger controls – at that’s just the start. Just look at what is happening with Chinese telecom giant ...
Jul 10, 2019•27 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when a minority of shareholders don’t agree to the terms to acquire or merge their company? The terms could change drastically… or the deal could fall apart completely. But, says Nate Gallon, managing partner of the Silicon Valley office of Hogan Lovells, there’s a way to avoid that fate… because the shareholders will be contractually obligated to vote “yes” on the sale. This provision is well-known in the world of Private Equity and Venture Capital but not elsewhere. Nate talks abo...
Jun 12, 2019•26 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast When you hear the word drone, you might think of the military uses, the proposed Amazon.com delivery drones, or those jokers who shut down airports by flying drones around runways. But drones are serious business, says Gretchen West of Hogan Lovells in Silicon Valley. There are little-known commercial uses of drones that save time, money, and lives that will only expand in the near future… as long as government regulations can keep pace with development of new technology. The industry is maturin...
May 29, 2019•30 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast It’s a tight talent market out there in the technology industry. And that’s especially for all C-suite positions right now, says Stephen Kuhn, partner at Advantary. Yet companies, especially startups, are facing pressure from their boards to hire senior executives. And that means they’re sometimes rushed into bad hiring decisions. Stephen talks about a short-term solution to this issue that can have long-term positive impact on companies facing these challenges, as well as… A strategy for gettin...
May 15, 2019•23 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast The politics of healthcare is a mess in this country, as you know. But Matthew Hanis, executive producer and host of the Business of Healthcare, is more interested in practical measures for incrementally improving a system that is the most expensive in the world and doesn’t offer a great quality of care in exchange. We also talk about the M&A landscape in healthcare, including the trend towards increasing vertical integration, as well as... How to balance profits with patient care The key di...
May 01, 2019•24 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast 
