Middle Market Growth

A special report from the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) disproves some myths about private equity’s impact on middle-market businesses and offers some hard data on how PE-backed companies perform compared to their counterparts. NCMM’s Executive Director Doug Farren joins the podcast for a deep dive into the research’s findings and what it means for both middle-market companies and t...

Employee stock ownerships plans (ESOPs) are experiencing a surge in popularity due to tax policy, cultural benefits, and their flexibility as a corporate finance tool. Regina Carls, managing director at J.P. Morgan and the leader of its ESOPs advisory group, sits down with the podcast to dispel common myths about ESOPs, discuss their benefits, and give actionable advice to those considering an ESO...

The aerospace and defense (A&D) sector has seen solid growth in recent years, lifted by a new age of space exploration, Trump-era defense spending, and a renewed consumer demand for travel, among other factors. Max Asterlin, partner with Fairmont Consulting Group, joins the podcast to dive into the risks, challenges, and opportunities developing in the A&D space and how investors and business lead...

From continuation vehicles to tariff impacts, from lending structures to interest rates, what are the biggest trends shaping M&A in the lower middle market? Chris Martin, partner with TPG Twin Brook Capital Partners, joins the podcast to talk about the latest developments, including the ascent of continuation vehicles and direct lending. This episode is brought to you by TPG Twin Brook Capital Par...

John Yeager, managing director of WhiteHorse Capital, and Corey Mason, principal with WhiteHorse Capital, sit down with Middle Market Growth Conversations to discuss the transportation and logistics (T&L) industry, including the current market environment, the potholes and risks in the space, and how to stand out among the competition. This episode is brought to you by WhiteHorse Capital, the dire...

Diving deeper into the implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Forvis Mazars’ Donald Rawe, partner, and Howard Wagner, managing director, join the podcast to talk through the most impactful tax provisions, from 1202 changes to bonus depreciation and more. This episode is brought to you by Forvis Mazars, a leading global professional services network. The Middle Market Growth Conversations...

AI has been making significant inroads in PE, but the most common use cases are often based in deal sourcing or due diligence. However, new uses are emerging, including value creation for portfolio companies. Bruce Sinclair, managing partner of AI Operating Partners, joins the podcast to share how PE firms can use AI and digital twin technology to drive value in their portcos. The Middle Market Gr...

What changes does the One Big Beautiful Bill hold for middle-market businesses and the firms that invest in them? Michael Feuz, economist with ITR Economics, is back to talk through key provisions in the bill, what they mean for the middle market, and how businesses and investment firms should position themselves in response. The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Associ...

What will SEC enforcement look like in the Trump 2.0 era? Emilie Abate, managing director at Iron Road Partners, joins the podcast to share how policy is shifting, how oversight of secondaries, AI and management fees is shaping up, and more. The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and...

Javier Casillas, managing director and global chief credit officer with WhiteHorse Capital, and Sachin Garg, principal with WhiteHorse Capital, join the Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast to talk about the environment for lending and private credit in the healthcare space and the biggest emerging risks and opportunities. This episode is brought to you by WhiteHorse Capital, the direct lend...

Initial pro-business sentiment following the election quieted a bit after the Trump administration issued a series of tariff announcements and retractions that roiled the stock market. With tariffs still on the table, Michael Feuz, an economist with ITR Economics, sits down with Middle Market Growth to discuss how Trump’s policies on trade, inflation, deregulation, immigration and more could impac...

As companies and investment firms rush to capture value via AI, more energy is needed to run the data centers that power that technology, and this rising demand is creating challenges that require novel solutions. Mark Weathers, the CEO of Energy Internet Corporation, joins the podcast to share his company’s innovative approach to energy storage and other developments in the AI/energy space. *** T...

We’re back with another episode of our limited series, “Inside DealMAX,” where we’re joined by Trivest Partners’ Tony Hill, our 2025 DealMAX chair, and Houlihan Lokey’s Chris Hebble, DealMAX private equity committee co-chair, to discuss how the first quarter is shaping up for dealmakers, why you can’t miss this year’s DealMAX, their favorite things to do in Vegas, and more. *** The Middle Market G...

Finding stability is the name of the game as sponsors and lenders grapple with stubborn inflation. However, there are actions businesses can take now to spur growth. Betsy Booth, a partner at TPG Twin Brook Capital Partners, rejoins the podcast to discuss her approach in uncertain times, which industries are particularly good at weathering instability, trends in the lending market and more. This e...

Stuart Aronson, executive managing director and CEO of WhiteHorse U.S., and Pankaj Gupta, president of WhiteHorse U.S. and global head of originations, return to the podcast to discuss what’s next for lenders in the months ahead, how underwriting standards are developing, how portfolios will perform in 2025 and more. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association...

Regulations and ABA rules keep non-attorneys from owning law firms in most states, but that hasn’t kept private equity from noticing that the industry is ripe for investment. Tom Lenfestey, founder and CEO of the Law Practice Exchange, joins the podcast to share what makes the sector a potential hotspot for PE investment, how regulations are evolving and more. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversa...

For the third episode of our limited series, “Inside DealMAX,” we’re joined by TM Capital’s Ashton Gillespie to discuss the investment banking space, her strategies for getting the most out of DealMAX as an investment banker, how to strategically say no, and more. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with mi...

In our second episode of our limited series, “Inside DealMAX,” we sit down with Libertas Funding’s Karin Kovacic and Holland & Knight’s Jose Gabaldon to reminisce about surprising ways great connections are made, discuss the M&A landscape today, share best networking tips for the conference and more. *** The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Gr...

When the M&A market is muted or volatile, maintaining a consistent capital deployment strategy can be a challenge. Drew Guyette, senior partner and co-chief credit officer at TPG Twin Brook, joins the podcast to discuss the prevailing tailwinds in the lower-middle market, how his firm is putting capital to work right now and what he sees on the horizon in 2025. *** This episode is brought to you b...

As we prepare for DealMAX 2025, the podcast is kicking off “Inside DealMAX,” a limited series exploring the M&A environment, strategies to maximize your time at the conference and the best tips for when you touch down in Las Vegas. For our first episode, we’re joined by ACG’s CEO Brent Baxter and Lion Equity's Aaron Polack to discuss corporate deal activity, travel hacks, building valuable relatio...

A poorly managed exit process can erode value, and in the worst cases, a portfolio company that isn’t prepared to start that process can kill a deal. Tony Esposito, managing director of private equity and venture capital at Consero, and Josh Welk, founder and managing partner at Full Guard Capital, discuss the indicators that show a portfolio company isn’t ready for exit, the potential fallout fro...

The CFO role has evolved greatly in recent decades, and perhaps even more so within private equity-backed companies. Tom Pierce, managing director of the CFO advisory services arm of Consero Global, and Jason Adams, principal at BV Investment Partners, an investor in Consero, join the podcast to share their unique perspectives on how the role has shifted and how CFOs and PE teams can best collabor...

The outlook for the technology, media and telecom (TMT) sector is bright—and, the experts at WhiteHorse Capital say, full of opportunity for investors. Mark Bernier, WhiteHorse Capital’s managing director, and Peter Gallagher, principal, join the podcast to share their insights into today’s private credit market, trends in the TMT sector, how annual recurring revenue financing is evolving and more...

As deal volume begins to recover and business leaders look forward to a falling rate environment, exit preparedness should be top of mind for finance leaders and dealmakers alike. Tom Pierce, managing director of the CFO advisory services arm of Consero Global, joins the podcast to offer a CFO’s point of view on the most important elements to consider ahead of a sale and how to kick off an exit pr...

When in June 2024 FORVIS, a top U.S. accounting and advisory firm, combined with Mazars, an international professional services firm, the firms created a unique global network and marked one of the many innovative structural changes accounting firms are implementing to evolve with a changing market. Scott Linch, partner with Forvis Mazars, and Bob Dunn, managing director of GF Data, an ACG company...