Next Venture Alliance Show

Selling a business isn't just about finding a buyer. It's about preparing years in advance so that when the opportunity comes, both the business and the owner are ready. In this episode, Oliver Kotelnikov sits down with Christopher Thom, CPA and Founder of Evergreen Accounting, to explore the financial side of business ownership transitions. Christopher shares how proactive tax planning, clean fin...

What if your path to business ownership was less about finding the “perfect” opportunity and more about cultivating clarity and readiness from the inside out? Are you helping your clients build resilient, sustainable enterprises, or just reacting to their immediate wish lists and blind spots? Too many advisors and brokers get caught solving surface-level problems, overlooking the underlying system...

What if the secret to long-term success in business brokerage has less to do with technical skills and more to do with personal authenticity, relentless education, and treating people right? Are you building your deal flow on a foundation of deep regional knowledge, lasting relationships, and a win-win mentality? Or are you simply chasing transactions? When you look beyond commissions and truly in...

Are you wondering why insurance feels more complicated (and expensive) than ever? In this episode, Oliver Kotelnikov sits down with commercial insurance expert Julie Janowicz to pull back the curtain on the real state of insurance—what’s changed, what’s insurable, and what you actually need to know before your next big business move. From wild stories about insuring axe-throwing bars and navigatin...

When is the right time to start financial planning? Is it only after you’ve “made it,” or is it something you should be thinking about much earlier as a business owner? For many entrepreneurs, financial planning feels like something they’ll get to later. But the truth is, real planning isn’t about perfect timing or complex spreadsheets—it’s about clarity. It’s about understanding your goals, your...

What does it really take to turn a simple cup of coffee into a thriving community hub? Is the American dream of entrepreneurship still alive in today’s specialty coffee scene? And how does someone go from spinning records in nightclubs around the world to roasting coffee beans in a quiet seaside town? Behind every successful small business is a story of reinvention, risk, and resilience. True entr...

What if the evolving landscape of hospitality isn’t just about changing consumer behavior — but a signal for advisors and brokers to rethink how they guide client success? Are you equipping your clients with data-driven strategies, or relying on assumptions shaped by a different era? In this episode, Jason Brandt, President and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association, along with Josep...

What if putting off your “legal homework” is actually holding back your clients’ growth—and your own? Are you approaching deals transactionally, or are you ready to become the advisor who helps entrepreneurs thrive through preparation, proactive counsel, and hard-earned trust? Winning as a broker isn’t just about managing the transaction—it’s about mindset. This episode underscores the transformat...

Are you approaching your business with intention—or relying on hope and momentum to carry you forward? In business, much like in poker, long-term success has very little to do with luck. It’s built through discipline, emotional control, and an honest understanding of risk. The strongest players don’t force outcomes—they know when to lean in, when to step back, and how to stay grounded through vola...

What if real growth has less to do with spending more on marketing—and more to do with knowing when to let go? Are you building a business around certainty and control, or are you willing to recognize when it’s time for a new chapter—for both the company and yourself? Indeed, true and sustainable success often comes from unexpected places. It’s not always about being the smartest person in the roo...

What if being a great business broker isn’t just about precision and process—but about judgment, humility, and trust? Are you leading clients through uncertainty, or relying solely on numbers and expertise to speak for themselves? The longer you’re in this profession, the clearer it becomes: the real value isn’t in having every answer upfront. It’s in knowing how to navigate ambiguity, build credi...

What if the real value of a business isn’t found in the financials alone—but in the story, struggle, and identity of the person who built it? Are you truly helping clients prepare for a transition, or simply waiting and hoping the timing works out when it’s finally time to sell? Too often, deals stall or fail not because the numbers are wrong, but because the owner isn’t ready. Exit timing, emotio...