Business Valuation... Real Talk

Send us Fan Mail Whether it is a generative AI, MLA (machine learning applications) or AI enabled productivity, these tools have influenced the financial and strategic drivers of valuations and quiet honestly, here at OPG, it has literally reshaped the M&A transaction dynamics.

Send us Fan Mail 2026 has brought the same old story lines which continue to be a factor in the growth of various industries. With new and interesting challenges that seem to pop up every single day. Companies need to control the things you can control and manage the things you cannot.  

Send us Fan Mail Privately Held middle market companies have seen bankruptcies surged in 2025, reaching the highest levels since the Great Recession, with over 700 U.S. corporate filings driven by high interest rates, inflation, and yes, tariffs. This upward trend is expected to continue through early 2026, with industrial and consumer discretionary sectors facing the highest distress.

Send us Fan Mail Recent updates to US tariffs on imports from China and our North American trading partners (Mexico and Canada), as well as reciprocal global tariffs on other countries, along with retaliatory tariffs, may cause uncertainty in the markets and supply chain disruptions that can significantly affect US businesses and your valuations.

Send us Fan Mail We are amid the greatest tailwind since 2019, yet it seems different this time around. The stock market is at an all time high. Interest rates went through three rate cuts leading into 2026 and AI has been the forefront of growth for middle market companies. Yet, having a business valuation is more important today than it has been in years past.

Send us Fan Mail What a valuation provides is a roadmap for future success, The future of securing funding, the future of having fair partner agreements, and a future for ensuring business longevity beyond the owner's tenure. A valuation is proactive tool, not just for a business transaction, it provides an objective benchmark for performance and value creation over time. 

Send us Fan Mail Having an accurate valuation for your company, your estate or your exit strategy is critical. If not done correctly it could cost, you or your family in the end, thousands if not millions of dollars. This month, we will discuss the importance of having a valuation for either Gift & Estate planning, exit strategy platform ESOP or for an M&A transaction.

Send us Fan Mail The clock is ticking! We are in the final stretch of 2025 and valuations still have the same challenges as it was at the beginning of the year: market volatility – interest rates – inflation – and those three themes have one thing in common for valuations in these areas of M&A, ESOPs and Gift & Estate – Uncertainty!!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are going to talk about what happens when a company makes the exciting decision to become an employee-owned company with Christopher Czyryca. Mr. Czyryca is the President of Collaborative Testing Services; Inc. CTS is a company that runs interlaboratory programs; these are quality assurance tools for testing in measurements laboratories.

Send us Fan Mail Even though it feels like we have been in this whirlpool cycle so far in 2025, there have been a lot of interesting things happening in the Merger and Acquisition space. As we know, the M&A outlook coming into this year saw that there were several advantages for M&A activity: substantial amount of capital raised, monetary supply side pressure for deal flow, lower interest...

Send us Fan Mail Having ESOPs as an alternative platform for a potential exit strategy has gained a lot of momentum for a variety of reasons. This podcast explores three areas of interest for considering the ESOP option: 1. Professional Services 2. M&A Growth Strategy and 3. Government support.

Send us Fan Mail Our current economic and market conditions have shifted a great deal in the first quarter of 2025. This shift has brought on both uncertainty and the unknown for any opportunities for M&A for middle market businesses. This month, we will tackle three things to keep an eye on as we go through this next wave. 

Send us Fan Mail As the threat of tariffs hangs over businesses here in the United States, business values will continue to suffer. It can come from increased costs to reduced consumer spending to ongoing uncertainty around how the future will unfold, leaving business owners, or Board of Directors with the need to be prepared for potentially two things: lower transaction valuations and lower valua...

Send us Fan Mail The financial sector, once known for its inefficiencies and complexities, has undergone a revolutionary transformation with the rise of fintech startups. But valuing a FinTech startup company is not done with a traditional business valuation. This sector is a mixture of innovative technology and financial services, and most importantly, involved in a rapidly changing market. This...

Send us Fan Mail To kick off 2025, we are going to discuss Preparing your Business for an Exit, with a special guest, Sankeetha Selvarajah. Sankeetha is the chair of Mergers & Acquisitions Corporate at Romano Law, a corporate law firm in lower Manhattan New York.

Send us Fan Mail The valuation of crypto assets (Bitcoin) has emerged as a critical topic owing to the growth in popularity and adoption of crypto assets. While many recognize crypto assets as a legitimate asset class, many remain skeptical of their value proposition, leading to varied opinions and debates in the industry.  

Send us Fan Mail One of the most exciting things about receiving the final valuation report is to turn to page 3 – the value of the company. The truth is the real value of the report follows in the next 70 to 100 pages. And if done correctly, The Day After, you should be able to implement a strategy from the output of your valuation report to take your business to the next level.

Send us Fan Mail There are certain things in the world of valuations, no two businesses are the same and neither are two valuations. If you are in the market to acquire or preparing to sell your company, there are things you need to know and not fall for a poor valuation which could cost one side of the transactions millions and in some cases substantial legal issues.

Send us Fan Mail Over the last several months there has been a big energy shift towards ESOPs. This episode will focus on what is driving this energy shift and what business owners need to know before moving forward with an ESOP. Owners need to understand the importance of having a feasibility study performed.

Send us Fan Mail Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the American economy. Studies have shown about 35 percent of Fortune 500 companies are family-controlled and represent the full spectrum of American companies from small business to major corporations. Understanding the how and the why when it comes to understanding the use and purpose of a valuation for a Family-Owned business plays an...

Send us Fan Mail Cash flow issues and inadequate money management are consistently viewed as the top reasons why businesses fail. It is certainly vital to owners, founders, and boards to sharpen their cash flow forecasting ability and develop a strong understanding of one the most important valuation metrics Free Cash Flow (FCF).

Send us Fan Mail Something you should be aware of regardless of who you make that winning business pitch to, be it a bank, private equity group, venture capitalist, or angel investors. Each one of these groups has a different objective or purpose on why they will invest in your company. 

Send us Fan Mail For Founders and Early-Stage companies, raising capital is priority number one. Understanding why is the first step. Followed by understanding the types of capital raised. Leaving you with the types of sources of a capital raise. 

Send us Fan Mail As we move further into the new year, as an Early-Stage Founder, it is important to understand where you go to raise capital and how you position your business to find the right partner. This is a three-part series. Part 1: Understanding the stages of a capital raise and the platforms that raise capital.

Send us Fan Mail With the Tax Cut and Jobs Act sunset provisions in 2026 quickly approaching, Family Limited Partnerships have become a very popular vehicle for families that have appreciable assets. Learn how valuation discounts can be a valuable tool to understand as you transfer your assets.