Martinka Consulting's Getting the Deal Done Podcast

Michael McLean has owner numerous businesses and now works with men to help them achieve fulfillment in life. He's a former professional hockey coach turned into an 8 figure entrepreneur. He's also a marketing expert, helping many clients scale their business.  Key takeaways include: Many successful people worry more about legacy than money. They don't want to be forgotten. He helps...

Lior Arussy left the corporate world to start his own business focusing on better serving clients. His firm had well over 100 employees and helped many major corporations. We discussed: Only taking on the right clients (my saying is, the only thing worse than no client is a bad client) Don't be jealous of the big guys - have a better product and agility Be passionate Be an execution based bus...

From the headlines: Cuba's electrical grid went down and the whole country went dark. There are lessons in this for lower middle market companies, including: You must make capital expenditures before they're needed If you have FFE&V you need to spend money to grow EBITDA is misleading where there are fixed assists The episode ends with some great quotes from Warren Buffett John Marti...

Mike Horne leads the "People Dividend" movement and is the host of The People Dividend Podcast.  His new book is aptly titled, "The People Dividend." He joins John to discuss: Work in the new era What exactly is The People Dividend Why dignity, kindness, and respect are keys to success His work helping fix people, teams, and organizations Mike works with founders,  C-suite lead...

Sean Grace is the author of, "The Art of the Question." Sean is the owner of Peak LUMA (www.peakluma.com) and an advisor and coach to people in all levels of business. He offers comprehensive training sessions on using questions (and more) to help people advance their careers and improve their business operations. During our discussion we cover: The difference between leadership, managem...

Jim Creagan is a second generation owner who has grown the business organically and by acquisition. He discusses: Joining (buying) the business from his dad (and working with dad) Learning management on the fly Acquiring other companies Outsourcing with industry partners How his risk profile has changed Fascinating discussion with tips for any and all small business owners. Check out Jim's fi...

Fascinating discussion with Joshua Monge who does fractional COO work for small businesses (up to about $10 million in sales. We cover: Empowering Business Owners to Step Away from the Day-to-Day How Fractional COOs Can Transform Mid-Sized Businesses The Role of Technology in Scaling Service-Based Businesses Building a Business That’s Ready for Sale – Even If You’re Not Selling Yet The Importance...

There's a Seattle area school district in a deep financial hole, as per the state auditor and their own management team. I don't know the whole story but often well meaning people like the mission and don't understand the workings. Large business, small business, school district, or non-profit, you can't spend more than you take in (for very long). In this episode I talk about...

Business buyers look for areas where they can improve and add value.  Business owners should be looking to see where they can add value. Too many owners do too many things below their pay grade. Listen to learn: Things buyers look for that they can do better than the current owner (and easily add value). Eight common areas an owner works on that are under their pay grade. Eight common things an ow...

In our soon to be released book, Exit With Style, Grace, and More Money we cover things an owner should think about (besides getting the business soaring and in tip-top shape). Buyers should want the seller to think through these things because if no thought is given the chances seller remorse increase. Listen to learn and here some examples. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either we...

Jonathan Bennett did the corporate thing, started his own advisory firm, sold it to management, and now helps owners and C-level leaders improve. We discuss the following topics  and get into detail on being emotionally ready to sell your business and preserve its legacy. Navigating the Emotional Journey of a Merger or Acquisition of Your Company Creating a workplace culture with psychological saf...

It's easy to find good business tips and examples of great competitive advantages. Just as easy to find examples of mistakes and no competitive advantage (competing on price is one that is not-so-good). Listen to hear everyday examples of both. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videos https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https:...

It's the Wild West with non-compete agreements. Michelle explains what's going on with: Non-compete agreements Non-solicitation agreements In Washington state On the federal level Exempt versus non-exempt employees And much more A very timely and fast changing topic relevant to all business owners and buyers. This was recorded prior to July 3, 2024 and on this date, a federal judge in Te...

Both the local (Seattle) and national press recently had articles on the drama around Rite Aid's buying of local favorite Bartell Drugs. FYI, it hasn't  gone well with 1/3 of the Bartell stores closing in the few years since the acquisition. A majority of business owners I talk with comment on how they want their employees taken care of when they sell. Listen for tips on preserving legac...

There are a lot of exciting things in life, or at least there should be. But should it be your business (or the one you want to buy)? Listen and learn what makes the best business type to own or buy. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videos https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodca...

After serving 4 years in the US Navy, he earned his Masters in Social Work and founded Housing Matters of NY, an organization that provided transitional housing to formerly incarcerated male nonviolent offenders. With a vision to continue his family’s legacy of entrepreneurship, Phillip went on to redefine the signing service industry when he founded his company in 2016. Phillip and I discuss his...

What's the multiple is a common question. There's a lot more to it than just picking a number. In this episode we cover: Multiple versus price/earnings ratio Terminology for earnings Why multiples don't come out of the air Sanity checks Historic ranges The multiple is really how you calculate return on investment, so pay attention. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via eithe...

Trever Acers joins John to discuss: Trends in M&A Getting a business seller a higher value and price Biggest mistake owners make with being solicited by buyers How sellers can motivate the best buyers to take action Objective, Investment Banking & Valuation (“ Objective ”) is a leading investment banking and valuation firm that services middle market companies in select industries of focus...

The most important question a business buyer can ask a seller is: Why are you selling? The trite answer, "To pursue other interests" doesn't cut it. It just raises skepticism. List for the best and worst answers, i.e., reasons to sell. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videos https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https...

Too many business owners run the business for themselves (lifestyle, immediate cash flow, etc.) when they should run it for their eventual buyer. I cover five very important things all owners should be doing and doing correctly to make their business more attractive to buyers - all types of buyers from the individual to private equity to strategic. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via eit...

Sir Isaac Newton's 3rd Law of Motion is, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this episode we discuss how it applies to business, specifically: Supply and demand and price elasticity Growing a business Reaction to government actions In a buy-sell deal Take a listen, it's under 5 minutes. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a cal...

Sports teams are just that, a team. It's rare one player can do it all. Even Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tom Brady, etc, didn't win every year. In business a solid team that reduces the owner's role (no owner dependency) is a key value driver. Listen for some examples and stories about great teams and strategies.  John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or giv...

Nick Anderson is the (fairly new) CEO of OneAccord in Kirkland, WA. His task is to streamline their value proposition, which is now helping companies increase value. They do it through fractional C-level people, coaching, and strategic planning. Each client gets a "Success Manager" in addition to  their on-the-ground advisor. This assures accountability is maintained. They have a roster...

There are value drivers galore and in this episode (recorded in beautiful Antigua, West Indies where you can hear the roar of the surf) we cover why having an exit plan increases a company's value. From the financials to the employees and customers to showing how you've grown over the last few years it let's a buyer know you're serious and motivated. John Martinka Jessica Marti...

In 2012 I published two posts, one with tips for business buyers and one with tips for sellers. When I came across it in my files I realized those tips are just as relevent today as they were in 2012 (and many decades prior).  For buyers it's about being aggressive throughout the process. For sellers, it's getting educated on what's involved (like massive amounts of information to p...