How To Buy And Sell A Business

Building Strong M&A Communities Through Connection   In this episode, Sam and Jake sit down with Alyssa McGinn to explore how intentional relationship-building can transform a local M&A ecosystem. They break down the origin and growth of ICT Dealmakers, the challenges of fragmented networks, and why better connections lead to better deals. The conversation dives into the importance of comm...

Lessons in Growing Through Acquisition In this episode, Lance Miller break downs what it really takes to grow a business through acquisition. From building trust and evaluating culture fit to navigating the emotional side of buying a company, this conversation highlights the human side of M&A. Lance shares lessons from acquiring a long-time partner business, why relationships matter more than...

Family business transitions can be messy, emotional, and high stakes. Lance Miller shares what it takes to successfully pass the baton across generations, honor and protect relationships, and stay aligned on what really matters. If you are facing a transition or planning for one, this episode breaks down how to do it with clarity, trust, and purpose.    

Rethinking Private Equity Deals, A Better Way to Buy Companies   What happens when private equity focuses on relationships, flexibility, and long-term value instead of rigid timelines?   Chris and Justin from Maple Hill Capital join Jake Wayman and Sam Foreman to discuss how they approach buying businesses, building platform companies, and partnering with management teams. Learn what makes a compa...

Hosts Jake Wayman and Sam Foreman sit down with Kevon Saber, an expert in guiding sellers through successful exits, to discuss how business owners can prepare for a successful and meaningful sale. Kevon emphasizes that selling a business goes far beyond price—it’s about safeguarding relationships, values, and legacy. He highlights the need to start planning at last one to two years in advance, cle...

Clarity Before the Deal: Lessons from Ty Patton In this episode, attorney Ty Patton joins hosts Jake Wayman and Sam Foreman to unpack what makes business acquisitions succeed—or fail. Drawing from his experience leading and facilitating acquisitions as in-house counsel, Ty explains why having a clear purpose is essential before buying or selling a business. The discussion explores deal discipline,...

Brandon Gaide joins hosts Jake Wayman and Sam Foreman. In this discussion, the roles are reversed, as Brandon interviews Jake and Sam from his perspective in the search process as a first-time buyer. The discussion dives into how early excitement can quickly turn into anxiety, the importance of defining personal success before a deal, and the dangers of overconfidence for new owners. They emphasiz...

Preparing Your Business for a Successful Exit In this episode, Daniel White Vice President of Organizational Development & Family Business Services with AGH CPAs & Advisors joins hosts Jake Wayman and Sam Foreman to discuss how business owners can plan and execute a successful exit or transition. Daniel explains why starting early—ideally 2 to 5 years before selling—can dramatically improv...

Preparing, Valuing, and Structuring Your Deal For Long-term Success In this episode of the How to Buy or Sell a Business Successfully podcast, Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman welcome David Barnett to the show. As a small business expert, he now runs a consulting firm that helps buyers and sellers navigate business transitions working primarily across North America. David breaks down what truly makes...

Join Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman in this episode of How To Buy & Sell A Business Successfully and welcome guest Caleb Edelman, a small business owner who bought his first company without prior industry experience. He transitioned from a corporate role into entrepreneurship through acquisition.   Get insights into what it’s really like to step into an unfamiliar industry and lead a team that k...

Real World Lessons In Buying Your First Business In this episode, Jake and Sam talk with seasoned entrepreneur Stephen Owens. In this episode, Stephen brings a wealth of experience in mergers and acquisitions, sharing: How to navigate deal structures and stakeholder alignment and lessons learned from past transactions that succeeded — and where others fell short.

Learning to Lead: Insights from a First-Time Business Owner Tune in for real value in this episode as Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman chat with Ashley Comeau. Find out what it was really like for Ashely buying a business with no prior ownership experience. She talks about why she and her husband chose to purchase an existing business instead of starting from scratch, how they approached evaluating th...

Unlocking Exit Value: Why 3 Years of Prep Pays Off In this high-value episode, Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman are joined by Sean Kennedy of Adams Brown for an in-depth discussion on how sellers can unlock hidden value in their businesses years before a sale. Sean shares actionable strategies on de-risking, financial preparation, business transferability, and navigating buyer expectations in today’s...

Don’t Kill the Deal: Smart Tips for Sellers In this episode of How to Buy and Sell a Business Successfully, host Sam Foreman teams up with co-host Jacob Weman to chat with Neil Miller, M&A attorney at QC Rock in Kansas City. Together, they delve into the critical importance of assembling the right deal team, the often-missed value creation opportunities during LOI negotiations, and how misstep...

In this insightful episode, M&A attorney Pat Linden joins hosts Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman to uncover how early preparation, deal structuring, and assembling the right team can dramatically impact outcomes in business sales. Pat pulls back the curtain on common seller misconceptions, the dangers of treating legal and financial advisory as commodities, and how lack of planning can quietly dra...

In this episode, seasoned business owner and advisor John Wadsworth shares how he built, scaled, and exited his company through an ESOP, turning lessons from a decades-long entrepreneurial journey into a mission to help others do the same. Joined by hosts Sam Foreman and Jacob Wayman, John offers powerful advice on leadership, transition planning, risk tolerance, and building a business that’s bui...

In this episode Sam Foreman interviews Tyler Fee from Fee Insurance Group to explore the often-overlooked but essential role insurance plays in the M&A process. Tyler discusses key topics such as the importance of tail policies, the risks of last-minute insurance planning, and how hidden coverage gaps or past claims can impact a deal’s final valuation. They emphasize why both buyers and seller...

In this episode, Samuel McVay, a serial entrepreneur, shares his journey of starting and managing over 14 businesses since 2012. Samuel discusses with Jacob Wayman and Sam Foreman the ups and downs of business growth, highlighting the challenges of scaling too quickly and the importance of finding the right partners with deep expertise. He emphasizes the value of creativity in business and how he...

Ryan Bond, Chief People Officer of Thrive Restaurant Group, shares with Jacob Wayman and Sam Foreman, every acquisition begins with an invitation: an open hand to join a shared story built on respect, relationships, and growth. Instead of imposing their way, Thrive patiently integrates new teams by honoring what already works and strengthening it through their values. It's a human-first approach t...

In this episode, Maddie Butler , co-owner of Kent AV , joins Jacob Wayman and Sam Foreman , and shares her journey from employee to entrepreneur and the challenges that come with taking ownership of a business. She talks about the importance of setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, creating a strong company culture, and the role of leadership in business success. Maddie also emp...

In this episode, Stephanie  Klingzell Carlin , founder of C5 Business Advisors, joins  Jacob Wayman  and Sam  Foreman and discusses the often-overlooked factors that contribute to business valuation, such as culture, workforce, and intangible assets. While most business owners focus on financials, Stephanie explains that factors like employee engagement, geographic location, and brand reputation c...

In this episode, Brent Beshore , CEO of Permanent Equity , joins hosts Jacob Wayman and Sam Foreman to share a refreshing perspective on how private equity can truly create lasting value. Instead of the traditional "buy, strip, and flip" model, Brent discusses how Permanent Equity uses a 30-year investment horizon with no debt, allowing businesses to grow organically and with a focus on preserving...

Jed Morris joins co-hosts Jacob Wayman of Wayman Consulting and Sam Foreman of Forman Law to share his experience buying a business that ultimately failed, and the painful lessons he learned in the process. Jed talks about the good and the bad from his experience finding, acquiring and running two businesses. He shares tips from his search process, how too much growth too fast can create problems,...

Stephanie Siders, investment banker with CC Capital Advisors joins co-hosts Jacob Wayman of Wayman Consulting and Sam Foreman of Foreman Law to discuss the process of successfully selling a business. Sephanie shares practical tips about what buyers are looking for, and how to maximize value in a sale, and why starting to prepare several years in advance can make such a big difference. She shares a...

Business owner Chip Schellhorn joins co-hosts Jaco Wayman of Wayman Consulting and Sam Foreman of Foreman Law to discuss his recent purchase of CMJ Manufacturing. Chip shares about his experience running a successful search process, and insights into the importance of working the search process like a job, keys to identifying a good business, and how to develop and maintain an authentic trust-base...