M&A Talk: #1 Podcast on Selling a Business

There's an open secret in the M&A world – tax insurance. It lets you take risk off the table and turn it into a negotiating point. Yoav Shans and James Swan, tax experts from  McGill and Partners  — an insurance broker firm, lay it out clearly. What is tax insurance, how can it impact M&A decisions, who pays for it, and how can it help close your deal? Get answers to these questions, and many more...

Whether you want to sell your company or are looking to buy another company to help your growth, there is a lot to consider. Tips, advice, and tales of the good, the bad, and the ugly sides to this process come from Elizabeth Cholawsky and Taylor Viens. They are with HG Insights - a leading company in the gathering and application of data to make informed acquisition decisions. In this episode, th...

When selling a mid-market business, you may run into a family office interested in acquiring your company. But, what are family offices, how do they work, and what do they look for in a target? In this episode with James Carey, a partner at a private family office, we discuss the differences between a family office, private equity firms, and strategic acquirers, look at how family offices create v...

When a company is sold, the relationship between the parties has a significant impact on the success of the transaction. We discuss the sale of XPS Technologies, a private shipping software company, by Descartes, a publicly traded firm with a $5.9 billion market cap, and share perspectives on the acquisition process from both sides of the table. We discuss Descartes' acquisition strategy and how X...

Roger Royse, M&A attorney and tax specialist, discusses the sensitive issue of taxes and the implications of selling a closely held company with few shareholders. He presents a definition of a closely held company and discusses differences this sort of company presents in an M&A transaction, some issues around employees, and the "phantom plan." He also addresses the importance of considering taxes...

This is a different sort of episode on  M&A Talk . This personal chat about happiness features Marco Robert, an entrepreneur, business consultant, and truly happy person. What does happiness have to do with M&A? Why is happiness a taboo topic? How does happiness relate to the business world? What is the correlation between happiness and success? How do you find balance in your own environment? Ful...

Due diligence is a critical step in the M&A process, but it doesn't always get the attention it deserves. Anthony Nitsos specializes in helping companies optimize internal systems and shares his insights and tips on preparing for due diligence. He discusses what is involved, the areas covered, how to prepare, common patterns, and the buyer's goal. He also covers the cost of due diligence versus th...

Listen in to this discussion about human capital and how it can impact the value of your business with Marco Robert, an international consultant, author, and entrepreneur with years of experience helping companies turn their fortunes around. During this wide-ranging chat with advice and real-life examples, he discusses the impact employees have on the value of a business, what may block an owner f...

Leon Brujis talks about 2nd-level thinking and the art of investing in middle-market companies. A partner with Palladium, Leon discusses how 2nd-level thinking applies to every investing discipline, from hedge funds to private equity, venture capital, and more. He highlights the origins and impact of this concept, what makes a great investor, how to develop these skills and ensure you are engaging...

If the ins and outs of the manufacturing M&A world interest you, listen in on this discussion with Jorge Maceyras, investment banker and M&A manufacturing expert. Topics include top issues for manufacturing companies that don't exist in other industries, details about negative working capital, how capital expenditures impact an M&A transaction, common supply chain issues, what the main external ec...

Join us for this continuing conversation with experts in the M&A field, Jim Evanger and Brent Paris, as they share their diverse experiences in partnering with private equity firms. They give insights into what the private equity buyer is thinking, share successful partnership stories, and the prerequisites for a business owner partnering with a PE firm. Listen now to discover how to get more upsi...

Experienced dealmaker and entrepreneur Touraj Parang shares his philosophy that an exit strategy, if implemented early, is the surprising secret to ultimate startup success. This wide-ranging discussion covers the differences and parallels between venture capital and corporate development, common mistakes to avoid when selling, planning a successful exit strategy, insights into how to make leverag...

The relationship between acquirer and seller is a complex one in the field of M&A. Join us for a chat between friends and colleagues Michael Frankel and Jeff Wald as they discuss M&A from the point of view of an acquirer vs. a seller, the importance of the seller's message to employees informing them of the acquisition and through the transition, firsthand stories of the importance of managing int...

What is outsourced corporate development? What companies are suited for this type of growth, and what is the process? Ryan Goral, founder of G-Spire Group, a company focused on helping entrepreneurs grow through acquisitions, answers these questions and more. Topics include prerequisites an owner should have in place before pursuing growth, what's involved in different phases, discussion of the mo...

Can you build and sell a tech company without having a tech background? What's the difference between virtual and augmented reality? What does the future look like for immersive technology and the metaverse? Jeff Meisner talks about this and more, including his experience co-founding a tech company and being acquired by a leading immersive technology platform company. He has advice for first-time...

What exactly is an interim CEO? What makes their role different from a permanent CEO? How are they incentivized, and what comes next? Join us as we talk with Jim Evanger, an experienced CEO, interim CEO, and operating partner for private equity firms. He discusses how the position of interim CEO was created, the experience necessary to be successful in the role, why a company would consider this p...

What's the not-for-sale marketplace? If you're in corporate development, why should you consider businesses that aren't actively for sale? Listen as we fully explore the world of corporate development, specifically how to pursue businesses that aren't on the market. We'll also learn the most common mistakes sellers make when they're approached by a buyer and how sellers of businesses can position...

When selling your company, you are likely to be approached by an independent sponsor who may be interested in acquiring your company. What is an independent sponsor, and how are they different from private equity firms? Is their criteria different from other investors? What should you know about independent investors before you consider selling your business to one? Join us as we fully explore the...

How do private equity firms operate, and how do they create value for their investors? What is the role of the general partner and an operating partner? How does a PE fund operate? What do PE firms look for in an investment? What are the multiples for middle-market companies? These are the subjects of this recent Roundtable episode of  M&A Talk  with Brent Paris, Managing Partner of Dubin Clark, a...

Hiring velocity has doubled in the previous ten years, and the gig economy is expected to double to over half of the workforce by 2029. How are these and other trends affecting HR technology companies and M&A activity in these markets? Join us as we discuss the current state of HR Tech M&A and what the future holds for this industry. View the complete show notes for this episode.   Additional Reso...

Listen as we take you on a ride from start to finish on a $441 million exit. Gustavo Ruiz Moya was the CEO of SafetyPay and successfully exited on January 31, 2022. We'll discuss how Gustavo raised the capital to scale the company, important lessons he learned along the way, how he built the team, how the company was valued, how the deal was structured, who advised him along the way, and how he ma...

If you are buying or selling a business that involves an SBA loan, this show is for you. We spend over 90 minutes discussing the many facets of SBA loans, dispelling many of the most common myths along the way. Learn the differences between SBA and conventional loans, how the value of a business affects the loan, how SBA guarantees work, the requirements for obtaining a loan, how transactions are...

In an M&A transaction, there are deficiencies in the financials 98% of the time. As the seller, the key to preventing problems that can kill your deal is performing sell-side financial due diligence. What is sell-side due diligence, and what is a quality of earnings report? That's the subject of my recent conversation with Bill Wiersema, an Audit Principal with Miller Cooper specializing in M&A fi...

Listen in as we discuss advanced topics related to valuing businesses in the middle market, including how working capital affects value, why EBITDA isn't the best metric, why operational experience is important to valuing a company, and more. We take a deep dive into the world of working capital in M&A transactions with the 'King of Working Capital.' Learn the components of working capital and how...

In this episode of M&A Talk, we'll learn how Greg Knight took control of GT Advanced Technologies, moving from bankruptcy to a $441 million exit in five years. Walk along with us during Greg's entire journey from taking over the company after it emerged from bankruptcy proceedings, to how he created a vision to turn the company around, managed cash flow, scaled the company, and managed all the sta...