Middle Market Growth

Carve-outs are a growing share of deal volume in recent years, and these transactions present both attractive investment opportunities for private equity firms and unique HR challenges as a business entity is divested from the corporate parent. Insperity's Chris Sloan and Mike Iapalucci are back for part 2 of a series diving into scaling portco growth and HR infrastructure, this time to discuss co...

When an otherwise healthy business has a poorly performing division, sometimes exiting that division is the right choice. Deciding to exit via a carve-out or a wind-down can be the next tough choice leaders have to make. Eric Kaup, chief commercial officer, head of global originations and special counsel at Hilco Global joins the podcast to discuss when exiting is the right choice, how to decide w...

According to Bain, average hold periods for buyout funds have extended to roughly seven years, necessitating a recalibration in approach for both sponsors and lenders. TPG Twin Brook’s Betsy Booth is back with the podcast to talk about this new normal, how dealmakers are strategically adjusting, how LPs are responding, and how sponsors can plan for the next few years.   This episode is brought to...

If you ask private equity firms or their portfolio companies if they’re using AI, the vast majority will say yes, but many of them are still not seeing major value from the technology. GrowFast Advisory’s Stephen Murray is back with the podcast to share his insights on how to spot real AI-generated value, tips for retaining and nurturing that value, and the AI metric every leader should be trackin...

Asset-based finance (ABF) is a rapidly growing niche of the highly scrutinized private credit space, with some analysis projecting a 10.2% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2035. Alex Knowland and Brenden Gallinek are building out ABF business at WhiteHorse Capital, and they join the podcast to share their outlook for ABF, digest some recent fraud headlines from the space, and discuss how A...

As AI drives an unprecedented wave of data center construction, where can middle-market investors find a foothold? Brian Thom and Ryan Gillis of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company join the podcast to explore the M&A opportunities emerging beyond the headline-grabbing megaprojects, share where deal activity is accelerating, discuss the challenges facing AI infrastructure development, and more. This episo...

For a founder or entrepreneur, choosing whether or not to opt for outside capital is an important inflection point. Joe Camberato of National Business Capital sits down to talk about the misconceptions many founders hold about capital, how they can prepare for a first-time capital infusion, and how to best utilize that money when they get it. This episode is brought to you by National Business Cap...

Rising geopolitical conflict and projected record defense spending signal a potential wave of middle-market deals for companies in the aerospace and defense sector. Merit Investment Bank’s Chris Abato and Leonid Capital Partners’ James Parker join the podcast to discuss trends in defense sector dealmaking, the health of the A&D supply chain, and what considerations dealmakers should keep in mind a...

When an otherwise healthy business has a poorly performing division, sometimes exiting that division is the right choice. Deciding to exit via a carve-out or a wind-down can be the next tough choice leaders have to make. Eric Kaup, chief commercial officer, head of global originations and special counsel at Hilco Global joins the podcast to discuss when exiting is the right choice, how to decide w...

Grata was acquired last year, but the firm still gets emails from investors wanting to participate in its Series A funding round. It could be the result of business development professionals relying on AI to source deals without addressing the technology's blind spots, says General Manager Nevin Raj. He shares how to mitigate the shortcomings of LLMs and scale AI agents in deal sourcing through be...

The human resources function can struggle to keep pace with a scaling business, so how can teams implement an HR strategy that enables growth rather than hampering it? In part one of a two-part series, Insperity’s Chris Sloan and Mike Iapalucci join the podcast to talk about the HR solutions that support portfolio companies in the era of AI disruption, longer hold periods, and challenging post-mer...

Young professionals—and M&A professionals of all seasons—are told time and time again that M&A is all about who you know, but actually making meaningful connections that lead to real deals takes more than showing up and handing out business cards. J. Michael Fischer Jr., managing director at DBD Investment Bank and vice president of ACG New Jersey, joins the podcast to share how he builds and util...

As small businesses grow into the middle market, their infrastructure, people, and capital needs can change rapidly. Joe Camberato, founder and CEO of National Business Capital, is back with the podcast to delve into what small businesses need to successfully scale in 2026 and the role creativity plays in a calibrated capital stack. This episode is brought to you by National Business Capital. Lear...

In today’s private credit markets, success is defined by resilience and discipline. As a higher-for-longer rate environment reshapes the lower middle market, new challenges are creating fresh opportunities for those who stay the course. Chris Hendrix of TPG Twin Brook joins the podcast to debunk myths about why there may be more inherent risk in the lower middle market and share the team’s approac...

Subordinated debt can play an important role in the capital stack for businesses growing into the middle market—if used under the right circumstances. Joe Camberato, founder and CEO of National Business Capital, shares how he’s seeing small and midsized businesses use sub debt not as a lifeline for cash, but as fuel for expansion and exit-readiness. This episode is brought to you by National Busin...

Upskilling is an important component to a human capital management strategy, but isn't enough to fill today’s AI talent gap. Daniel Pianko, cofounder and managing director at private equity firm Achieve Partners, offers a look into the firm’s apprenticeship program that begins filling that gap for porticos at the very top of the talent acquisition funnel—with demonstrable impact on EBITDA growth....

The middle market continues to face an uncertain and challenging environment, but new data from KeyBank’s Middle Market Snapshot survey reveals something surprising about midmarket borrowers’ use of private capital: It’s become an important lever for strategic growth, not just survival. KeyBank’s Chris Picardi joins the podcast in a conversation about more of the survey’s findings and considers ho...

Firms that can respond swiftly to a complicated and rapidly shifting investment environment have a competitive advantage. Creating that agility requires the right human capital strategy, a component that is often overlooked, says Insperity Private Capital Consultant Brad Burke. He joins the podcast to offer tips on enhancing operational agility through people pre- and post-close, how AI plays into...

Since 2020, private equity has seen high highs and low lows, and in a more competitive and condensed market, firms are having to pull different levers to see value. Adrian Nohr, principal with CLA, joins the podcast to share her perspective on how shifting market dynamics are influencing buyer behavior, discuss how dealmakers are navigating valuation gap, and explore the latest considerations lead...

AI has fueled white-collar layoffs at blue chip companies, but many middle-market workers and leaders are uncertain of exactly how and when AI will impact their lives and businesses. Stephen Murray, founder and president of Grow Fast Advisory, shares how AI is driving change in the middle market, where value can leak during the transition to AI, and what well-managed AI adoption gets right. This e...

Geopolitical tensions have shaken the markets, spiked fuel prices, and created new financial challenges for consumers at the gas pump and beyond. Joining the podcast to share more about the health of the consumer sector and what it means for lending in the space are WhiteHorse Capital’s Javier Casillas and Stephen Migdal. This episode is brought to you by WhiteHorse Capital. To learn more about Wh...

In the last fifteen months, private equity investment in law firms has gone from theoretical to reality. Tom Lenfestey of the Law Practice Exchange is back with the podcast to talk about new legal and regulatory developments, what drives multiples in law firm valuations, the cultural elements dealmakers should consider, and more. This episode is brought to you by Hilco Global. Learn more at hilcog...

Recent research from the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) found there are four distinct styles of decision making for strategic leaders in the middle market, each with impacts on performance and growth. Doug Farren, executive director of the NCMM, is back with the podcast to talk about those decision-making styles and what they mean for business leaders and investors. This podcast is b...

New research from RSM argues that the way we define the middle market is due for a major change. Tuan Nguyen, an economist at RSM, says the shifts in the makeup of the middle market have major implications for the people that work within it. Nguyen joins the podcast to dive into the findings and share the biggest takeaways for middle-market business leaders and dealmakers. This episode is brought...

For the sixth episode of this year's Inside DealMAX series, we talk to two attendees who ended up inking a deal at last year's DealMAX. Doug Cullen, chief strategy officer of Datasite, and Henry Lindemann, cofounder and chief growth officer of Blueflame AI, join the podcast to share their story, tips for those who hope to replicate their success at this year's DealMAX, and data-based insights for...