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December 19, 2024
3 Ways a Fractional CFO Provides Unbiased Leadership
By Jack McGovern
SeatonHill's Jack McGovern on how fractional CFO bring an outside perspective to companies pursuing M&A that center around three imperative areas.
December 19, 2024
After The Sale, Perspective Matters
PlanScout’s John Murray on some of the considerations to make when buying a business.
December 5, 2024
Value Creation In The Lower Middle Market
424 Capital’s Kyle Stanbro on the firm’s value creation process
December 5, 2024
Shifting Trends In Lower Middle Market M&A
Resolute Capital Partners’ Tyler Augusty on the state of lower middle market M&A and the changes he’s seen in the past few years.
December 5, 2024
Maximizing Value
Bloom Engineering’s Dave Boyce on maximizing value and preparing for a deal
December 5, 2024
Smoothing Out The Deal Process
Huron Capital’s Cale Kaczmarek on the steps his firm takes to improve efficiency when buying family-owned companies.
November 7, 2024
Diligence Hang Ups That Can Tank Deals
Park Place Technologies’ Kelly Greene on many of the ways a deal can get hung up, or sunk, in diligence
November 7, 2024
Redefining Value In M&A
Tiugo Technologies’ Mark Hatton on how the concept of value in M&A has changed in recent years.
October 31, 2024
Seeing Growth In The Messes
Jax Kar Wash’s Jon Zimmerman on how problem areas in a deal can turn out to be opportunities after the sale.
October 31, 2024
Whether An Operator or Investor, People Make The Deal
Rockmont Partners and EvidenceCare’s Bo Bartholomew on the reason people, at all levels, are central to a deal’s success.
October 24, 2024
zTrip’s Acquisition-Driven Growth
zTrip's Bill George on the genesis of the business, its acquisition process and the secret sauce that’s helping the company continue on its extraordinary trajectory.
October 3, 2024
Creativity, Relationships Become Critical In Tough Times
Viscogliosi Brothers’ Rob Grimaldi on the importance of relationships in dealmaking
September 26, 2024
Chase People, Not Revenue, In Deals
Sunstar Insurance Group’s Chris Parcell outlines the company’s acquisition process, shaped over more than 50 acquisitions.
September 26, 2024
How to Create and Enhance Business Value
Broadwing Capital Management’s Andrew Boisseau on value creation strategies
September 12, 2024
Learning To Move Past Deal Setbacks
Hackbarth Hospitality Group’s Paul Hackbarth on picking the right opportunities and dealing with setbacks.
September 5, 2024
Pre-Close Practices Set The Post-Close Stage
Tonka Bay Equity Partners’ Shane Slominski on the importance of the pre-deal process to the post-deal success.
September 5, 2024
Market Factors Shift Buyer Perspective
Stonewood Capital Management’s Kenn Moritz on how market conditions affected his firm’s 2023 deal year.
September 5, 2024
How Interest Rates Are Transforming Deal Math
Evergreen Capital Partners’ Dominick Schiano on how conditions in the deal market are affecting transactions.
August 22, 2024
The Interest Rate Squeeze Impacts Buyers
Wind Point Partners’ Peter Leemputte on the challenges buyers face in a higher interest rate environment.
August 22, 2024
The Threat Of Hackers In M&A
Cyber Defense Labs’ Jerry Bessette on cybersecurity threats and how they affect companies engaged in M&A.
August 22, 2024
Market Factors Complicate This Buyer’s Approach To Deals
Kassel Holdings' Tom Werner on the challenges facing buyers in today’s M&A environment.
August 22, 2024
Exploring Buy-Side Risk
Bluejay Capital Partners’ James Samuelsen on the risk factors he considers when looking at buy-side deals.
August 15, 2024
Signals From Sellers That Could Turn Buyers Off Of A Deal
GMB Capital Partners' Michael McHugh offers insight into what buyers look for when considering an acquisition.
August 15, 2024
Sell Your Future, Not Your Past
Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners' Carrie DiLauro on the importance of human capital and selling the future in a deal.
August 8, 2024
How An Investor Sees Post-Deal Value Creation
Milton Street Capital’s Bob Hogan on how to create value in a business post acquisition.
August 8, 2024
Post-Deal People Strategies
Millennium’s Mary Burback on strategies for integrating people post acquisition.
August 8, 2024
Getting The Real Story In A Family Business Deal
Pine Street Capital Partners’ Timothy Welles on some of the challenges with buying family businesses.
July 25, 2024
Internal Transparency, Communication, Central To M&A Strategy
rEvolution's Tony Lorenz on how internal transparency and communication are central to their M&A strategy.
July 18, 2024
Know You Seller's Motivations For Selling
American Roller's Dan Cahalane on the often-overlooked mental aspect of selling a business and how that affects a deal.
July 18, 2024
Seller Inexperience Can Ripple Through A Deal
Bernatello's Foods' Jayme Woehl on the impact inexperienced sellers have on a deal.
July 11, 2024
Planning Ahead Makes A Process Smooth
365 Retail Markets' Brittany Westerman on the steps the company takes very early in a process to make a transaction go smoothly.
July 11, 2024
For Some, Cybersecurity Isn’t a Top-Of-Mind Risk
New Resources Consulting’s Mark Grosskopf on how cybersecurity factors into his acquisitions.
July 11, 2024
Buyer Insights Offer Sellers Tips On Deal Prep
Renovus Capital Partner's Atif Gilani offers insight into how they choose their investment targets and how sellers can make their company more attractive to buyers.
June 20, 2024
How Financial Realities Are Affecting M&A Math
Keystone Capital's Bill Sommerschield on how financial realities are affecting M&A math.
June 20, 2024
Getting Deals Done Regardless Of Interest Rates
American Environmental Partners Brad Domitrovitsch on how he gets deals done despite interest rates.
June 13, 2024
Using Deals To Get Outside Their Comfort Zone
SPS Commerce's John Strenger on how the company is entering adjacencies through M&A.
May 30, 2024
Patience, Relationship Building, Help Today's Buyers
Serent Capital's Kellie Kucik on the state of buying, and how relationship building is helping to get deals across the finish line
May 22, 2024
People Shouldn't Be An Afterthought In Your Deal
CMA Global Inc.'s Dana Borchert, Ph.D. on the importance of considering people in M&A deals.
May 16, 2024
When Integrating After A Deal, Be Quick
Caliber Midstream Company's Joseph Mills on the importance of speed and honesty in post-deal integration
May 16, 2024
Essential Leadership Traits For Uncertain Times
Brightstar Capital Partners Tom Meredith on how today's market conditions impact business leaders.
May 16, 2024
How The Market Is Affecting Deal Processes, Outlook
Lance Bonner on how changes in the market are affecting the company's approach to M&A.
May 2, 2024
Transparency, Relationships Are Key For Buyers In This Market
Long Road Partners' Jeremy Kane on the importance of relationships in today's M&A deals.
May 2, 2024
The A, B, C's Of Today's Market
Edgewater Capital's Bob Girton on how market conditions are affecting how buyers approach the market.
April 25, 2024
Navigating The Post-Sale Transition As A Buyer
Black Lake Capital's Charles Scripps on what changes, and what doesn't, after a private equity acquisition.
April 25, 2024
Changing Times In M&A Require Buyer Adjustments
Permanent Equity's Taylor Hall on the challenges and opportunities in today's M&A market.
April 25, 2024
How To Unlock Value and Create Excitement For Investors
CollisionRight's Richard Harrison on the importance of generating investor excitement when executing a roll-up strategy.
April 25, 2024
Common Acquisition Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them
ID Images Jeffrey Fielkow on some of the pitfalls that can trip up acquisitions, and how to avoid them
April 18, 2024
Higher Multiples Require Greater Buyer Scrutiny
MERK Capital Corp.'s Thomas Parro on how today's economic conditions are affecting buyers' approach to deals
April 4, 2024
The Rising Importance Of People In Driving Business Value In A Deal
SolomonEdwardsGroup's Laura Kellers Queen on the rising importance of people in driving business value in a deal.
March 27, 2024
Nuances Of Buying Mom-And-Pop Businesses
G&G Garbage's Michael Desmond on funding deals and the opportunities, and challenges, of buying small companies.
March 14, 2024
To Close Deals, Get Personal
LUXIT Group's Stephane Vedie on the impact relationships can have in M&A
March 14, 2024
Deal Math: Quantifying Culture, Predicting Lifespan
Crown Capital's Christopher Graham on the unexpected ways math can measure deal risk
March 7, 2024
For Bliffert Lumber, People Are Central To A Deal
Bliffert Lumber's Eli Bliffert on the role a target's people play in a deal
February 21, 2024
Determining The Right Capital Structure To Finance Acquisitions
TD Williamson's Cris Gaut on financing deals and determining the right capital structure as the company moves through its lifecycle.
February 15, 2024
How Market Shifts Are Impacting PE Fundraising
Sidereal Capital Group Jabbar Abdi on the state of PE fundraising.
February 9, 2024
Capital Costs And The Impact On Dealmaking
Monarch Collective's Suk Shah on capital options today and the effect on M&A
January 25, 2024
The Nuances Of Buying Small Companies
Chesapeake Chemlab's Tim Krongard on the challenges, and opportunities, when buying smaller companies.
January 11, 2024
When It Comes To Assessing Culture, Listen To Your Gut
HB Global's Bob Whalen on the critical importance of culture in a deal and how to assess it.
December 15, 2023
For Perforce Software, Deal Speed Is Critical
Perforce Software's Mark Ties on his company's approach to M&A and why speed is crucial to deal success.
December 7, 2023
Tackling The People Part Of Deals
Borgman Capital's Megan Brobson on communication strategies for buyers and sellers involved in an M&A process.
December 7, 2023
Buyers, Take It One Deal At A Time
Stellex Capital Management's Shankar Kiru on the importance of approaching deals on a case-by-case basis.
December 1, 2023
Why Deals Fall Apart + Reason For Caution With Earn Outs
The Riverside Company's Cheryl Strom on why most deals fall apart, as well as why sellers should use caution when earn outs are part of a deal.
September 1, 2023
When Buying, Understand The Seller’s Post-Close Intentions
John Dolan, President and CEO of PFI InStore, has been part of many exits and acquisitions. From that experience, he says he’s learned many lessons, a number of which focus on the human capital side
September 1, 2023
Buyers’ Industry Knowledge Can Help Land The Best Deal
Dr. Nithin Krishna is a board licensed psychiatrist and serial mental health entrepreneur who formerly led as CEO the multimillion dollar Bloom Health Centers. Krishna acquired Psych Associates of
August 25, 2023
From Sell To Sell And Buy
General Die Casters has been in business since 1957 making high-pressure aluminum die castings of parts for everything from automobiles to chainsaws. About a year ago, CEO Brian Lennon says the
August 18, 2023
Shaun Stimpson On Buying A Business And Becoming An Operator
Shaun Stimpson left a nearly 20-year career in wealth management to launch North Iron Holdings. The purpose of North Iron was to be a vehicle to acquire an industrial distribution company. After an
August 18, 2023
Columbus Deal Activity: Navigating M&A deal structures in a tightened debt market
As interest rates and borrowing costs move in parallel, buyers are faced with the challenge of navigating increasing costs of debt to finance acquisitions, especially in deals where the seller has
August 18, 2023
Value Creation Starts Day 1
RTC Partners Partner Tony Brindisi says he thinks of value creation from a growth perspective. "Whenever we're approaching an acquisition, we try to take a full, holistic account of the value that can
August 4, 2023
To Maximize Value, Prepare
David Nicholson, Vice Chairman of Polyconcept North America has, over 15 years, gone through three private equity buyouts of the business and has done multiple strategic acquisitions within the
July 21, 2023
If You Swing In This Market, Don't Miss
Omar Jorge's family started Compare Foods Supermarkets in 1989. The international grocer is focused on importing products from Latin America, offering patrons products they usually can't get out of a
July 7, 2023
The Importance Of Connections In Dealmaking
OMNI Systems, founded 33 years ago out of the CEO's garage, is now a $100 million company. "So, we know a bit about growth," said David Campbell, OMNI's CFO, at the Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers
June 29, 2023
In This Economy, Buyers Must Look Deeper
Given the volatility in today's Market, Emily Martin, president of Aschinger Electric - A Guarantee Electrical Company, says both buyers and sellers are facing economic pressures that are impacting
June 23, 2023
Culture Takes Priority Post Acquisition
In this choppy economic environment, Jody Richards, CEO of Process Technology says she's seen some order cancellations and some order push-outs. And while some would say semiconductors are supposedly
June 16, 2023
Buyers: Learn To Be Great Listeners
One lesson Milton Kuyers, CEO of Faustel Inc. and Kuyers LLC, has learned through the 65 acquisitions he's personally been a part of throughout his career is that if you don't grow, your business will
May 5, 2023
Facing Economic Headwinds, Deal Math Changes
Several area dealmakers chimed in on how they see the current market; how buyers, sellers and entrepreneurs are faring; and their expectations for how the remainder of the deal year plays out. Check out what they have to say.
May 5, 2023
Protecting The Value Of 2021 Deals In A Much Different Market
Aon's Jessica Harger on issues buyers are facing after a year of fast-paced deals.
May 5, 2023
How Communication Breakdowns Can Kill Deals
CE Consulting Group's Gary Cerrone spoke during the Smart Business Dealmakers Conference about a deal that almost didn't get done in part because of a communication breakdown.
April 26, 2023
What TRG's Sean Kennedy Learned Making Two Foreign Acquisitions
TRG's Sean Kennedy on the company's growth, the differences between its domestic and international acquisitions, as well as the process of integrating teams that come from much different cultures.
April 6, 2023
Hugh Slater on Buying, Building And Selling EGC Enterprises
Slater Capital Managing Partner Hugh Slater on buying, building and growing EGC Enterprises.
March 31, 2023
Facing Headwinds, Buyers and Sellers Need To Be Patient
Norwest Equity Partners' Adam Garcia Eveloff, Aon's Vipul Patel, Wealth Enhancement Group's Jim Cahn and NJK Holding Corporation Florida's Rhonda Donahoe on navigating evolving deal terms and pitfalls in buy-side deals.
March 24, 2023
Viewing Risk Deal By Deal
U.S. Venture Inc. Associate General Counsel Jennifer Schwitzer on mitigating deal risk.
March 3, 2023
Overcome Buy-Side Arrogance, Or Risk Overpaying
Atlas Holdings Partner Ramzi Hermiz and Lorient Capital Vice President Doug Shinkle on de-risking a deal from the buy-side.
February 10, 2023
Sanjay Singh On The Critical 100 Days Post-Acquisition
Sanjay Singh, before he was chairman and CEO of Mace Security International, lead a business in the acquisition of a lower-middle-market manufacturing company that was a fierce competitor. That made post-deal integration a challenge.
January 27, 2023
DealTalk: Blue Point Capital’s Acquisition of Water Lilies
Blue Point Capital has a lot of experience in the food and beverage space, so it was natural that the Cleveland-based PE firm would jump at the chance to acquire Water Lilies, a 27-year-old private label manufacturer of premium frozen Asian-inspired food.
January 27, 2023
The Shift In Diligence From Risk to Reward
West Monroe Senior Partner Keith Campbell is a co-author of the report, The Future of Diligence in Private Equity, which highlights survey findings from 100 U.S. PE companies to explore the shifts in diligence approach that move away from identifying risk to identifying opportunity. That shift is happening in part because of unique market factors. Campbell says 80 percent or more of diligence used to be on site pre-COVID.
January 6, 2023
Trust But Verify Is An Important M&A Lesson To Learn
Eliassen Group CEO David MacKeen on what he's learned as a buyer and how he's applied that the company's acquisition process moving forward.
December 16, 2022
The Importance To Buyers Of High Probability Of Close
Mereo Capital Partners Co-Founder Leo Helmers on the indicators of a high probability to close and why those matter to buyers.
December 1, 2022
Flexibility Has Advantages In Deal Negotiations
Brian Gale, Tucker Ellis' Jayne Juvan and Blue Point Capital's Chip Chaikin, share advice on how flexibility can win deals over price.
December 1, 2022
To Win The Deal, Get Creative
Hartwood Point's Ben Rizzo, Continuim Equity Partners’ George Pilafas and RDX/Navisite’s Buddy Flerl on best practices in winning the deal.
December 1, 2022
Michael Schreiber On Launching Playfly Sports
Playfly Sports Founder and CEO Michael Schreiber on launching Playfly, making acquisitions as well as advice for those leading disruptive forces into the market.
November 18, 2022
Understand Why Before You Buy
EPIC Systems CEO Michael Higgins on the elements of a deal to consider beyond price.
November 11, 2022
Stay-At-Home Moms Take The Pressure Off Park Place Technologies' M&A Processes
Park Place Technologies Kelly Greene on how she's developed her M&A process during the years.
October 28, 2022
Economic Conditions Drive Buyer Creativity
Ouroboros Group General Partner Samantha Ory on buyer-seller alignment, her firm’s growth from independent sponsor into its first fund, and how the current economic conditions are affecting the M&A landscape.
October 21, 2022
Refine Your Growth Strategy
Wolf Organization's Joe Person, Guardian Capital Partners' Peter Haabestad, RKL's Bryan Redding and JPMorgan Chase's Lisa Kopff, share their keys to developing and unlocking an acquisition plan that works.
October 14, 2022
How Jordan Hansell Is Applying Past Experiences To Lead Tradepost
Tradepost's Jordan Hansell on launching and growing TradePost, how his experience is shaping his approach in the new venture, as well as a series of recent investments he's made in the real estate space, a sector he says is poised for disruption.
October 14, 2022
When Acquiring an ESOP, Get ESOP Expert Help
Warren Equity Partners' Michael Ouyang on the process his firm takes when targeting companies that have an ESOP ownership structure.
September 30, 2022
Lessons learned from the supply chain turmoil
LFM Capital's Stephen Cook his view of the situation in middle-market manufacturing and how the firm is dealing with the economic pressures in that sector.
September 9, 2022
Family Business Succession is a Slow, Steady Process
The L’Herbier family was at a crossroads six years ago. The owners of Air Duct Maintenance, Kevin and Debbie L’Herbier, were looking to retire and had to decide what to do with the company they started back in 1996. They approached their children, Dan and Lauren L’Herbier, to see if they had interest in taking over leadership. After a brief period, the siblings decided to begin the succession process. It didn’t go as quickly as everyone had hoped, however.
September 9, 2022
Accelerating growth through private equity
Schill Grounds Management's Jerry Schill on the company's deal with Argonne and how it will help accelerate the business's growth.
August 19, 2022
Jonathan Kasen, Gordon Scott on buying Hilliards Chocolates
As investors, Gordon Scott and Jonathan Kasen were comfortable analyzing businesses. But to prepare to acquire a company, they went to textbooks.
