The Business Owner's Roadmap: Navigating Pre-Transaction Deal Considerations

Ross Goolsby leads Bridgepoint Consulting’s Financial Consulting practice across Houston, Boston, and Atlanta. He brings extensive experience in capital markets, including venture capital, IPO readiness, international expansion, and mergers and acquisitions, partnering with high-growth companies through critical stages of growth.

Ross has served as CFO for multiple technology companies, including Calxeda, HealthTronics, and SigmaTel, and has overseen two IPOs. His background spans strategic planning and forecasting, treasury and cash management, investor relations, internal controls, information systems, and SEC compliance and reporting. He holds an Accounting degree from the University of Houston.

A trusted advisor to entrepreneurs, funds, investors and businesses, Matt Smith is a veteran deal lawyer with nearly two decades of experience guiding clients through complex transactions. He advises on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and commercial transactions, with an emphasis on lower-middle-market businesses.

Before joining Polsinelli, Matt spent more than a decade as in-house general counsel with Goldman Sachs, the D. E. Shaw Group and Solera Holdings — experience that honed his business-focused perspective and sharpened his understanding of how clients assess risk, strategy and growth. He began his career at leading law firms, where he developed the technical foundation that he now brings to every deal.

Doug is a recognized leader in the technology world with more than 45 years of industry experience. He has led more than 20 successful sales, acquisitions, mergers and financings of high-tech firms. Prior to co-founding Tango Networks, he founded and led Microtune as President, CEO and Chairman, a firm he took public on NASDAQ.

He was a division president of Cirrus Logic, was president and CEO of Acumos, and has held various leadership positions at other leading technology enterprises such as VLSI Technology, Motorola and Honeywell. He has been a regional winner and national finalist as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, MTBC CEO of the Year, NRCC Businessman of the Year, and a “10 Most Admired CEOs to Watch”.

Bartek has an electrical engineering degree from the University of Texas, with highest honors, and both a Masters in Engineering/Computer Science and an MBA from Arizona State University.

He spends his personal time helping with his church and with local charities, most recently as Chairman of 29Acres, an adult living community in north Texas for autistic adults.

Imola Pinter is a Principal at Citation with experience investing across control buyout and public equity transactions. Previously, Imola was a Senior Associate at Blue Wolf Capital, where she focused on buyout, recapitalization, and growth capital investment opportunities. Prior to that she was a Research Analyst at Pzena Investment Management investing in public equity transactions across various industries.

Before her investment career, Imola worked as an Associate at McKinsey & Company's Private Equity Practice and as a Consultant at Deloitte.

Imola holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School, a Master of Science degree from HEC Paris, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Corvinus University of Budapest. Imola is originally from Hungary and now lives in Dallas.

I’m a builder of products, teams, and companies that actually move the needle. For over two decades, I’ve lived at the crossroads of technology, product, and marketing, turning raw ideas into market-ready solutions that scale.

I’ve taken startups from napkin sketches to acquisition, launched software used around the world, and built teams that don’t just execute, they innovate. My playbook is simple: talk to customers, move fast, test everything, and keep what works.