Second Bite Podcast

In the fifth installment of the PE Insight Series, Todd Taskey chats with eight private equity executives about the common pitfalls that can cause promising deals to underperform. In this episode… Even the strongest deals can hide risks that only become clear after the ink is dry. When a company looks great on paper, how can investors uncover the people, culture, pricing, and market dynamics that...

In the fourth installment of the PE Insight Series, Todd Taskey hosts eight private equity executives about evaluating AI's impact on service businesses. In this episode… AI is changing how investors evaluate service businesses, from margin potential to long-term defensibility. When a company's work can be accelerated, enhanced, or replaced by AI, what separates a strategic advantage from a seriou...

In the third episode of the PE Insight Series, Todd Taskey interviews eight private equity executives about the behavioral signs that reveal a founder's commitment to post-close growth beyond financial rollover. In this episode… Rollover equity may align incentives, but it doesn't always reveal whether a founder is truly ready for the next chapter. What signals do private equity investors look for...

In the second episode of the PE Insight Series, Todd Taskey hosts eight private equity executives to discuss the non-negotiable attributes they look for in scalable platform investments. In this episode… Scaling a company after a platform investment takes more than capital and ambition. What do private equity investors consider non-negotiable before backing a business for rapid growth and exit? Bi...

In the first installment of the PE Insight Series, Todd Taskey hosts eight private equity executives to discuss how firms can create value and drive multiple expansion during the hold period. In this episode… Private equity value creation is rarely about one sweeping change. More often, it comes from a disciplined set of upgrades that make a company more scalable, predictable, differentiated, and...

John Sharkey is the CEO of Spinnaker SCA, a leading supply chain services firm providing end-to-end supply chain strategy, planning, and execution consulting services. He is also the Global Supply Chain Practice Leader at Publicis Sapient, where he leads supply chain strategy, client success, team development, and financial performance. With over two decades of experience in large-scale supply cha...

Chad Dudley, cj Advertising Chad Dudley is the CEO of cj Advertising, a full-service marketing agency for personal injury law firms. He is also the Founding Partner of Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers, a prominent personal injury law firm. With decades of experience in legal marketing, Chad has consulted with over 200 law firms across the US.  In this episode… What does it take to grow a professiona...

Jordan Choo is the former Managing Partner at Kogneta, a digital marketing agency that helps local and franchise businesses scale through data-driven strategies. As an experienced digital marketing leader, he has over a decade of experience in advertising, analytics, and growth strategy. Jordan also hosts Agency Automators, a podcast about SEO automation. In this episode… Building and selling a bu...

Eric Ashworth is the CEO of Agital, an integrated marketing services company. As a seasoned marketing executive with over 25 years of leadership experience, he has built and led multiple high-performing marketing organizations and agencies. Before joining Agital, Eric was the President of SGK and led agency and marketing solutions initiatives at Quad.  In this episode… Marketing is evolving as tec...

Eric Bertrand is the CEO of Mod Op, an eight-office digital advertising agency serving Fortune 500 and middle-market companies. Under his leadership, he drove strategic growth through acquisitions and positioned the company as a future-forward platform agency with a broad suite of end-to-end capabilities. As a PE and VC fund manager, Eric invested over $400 million in more than 50 companies across...

Katy Hornaday is the CEO of BarkleyOKRP, one of the largest independent full-service advertising agencies in the US. She joined the company as a Creative Director and helped facilitate the 2024 merger of Barkley and OKRP.   In this episode… In an industry crowded with holding companies and boutique shops, building something that stands apart requires difficult choices, clear values, and a long-ter...

Justin Hayashi is the CEO of New Engen, a performance-driven, digital marketing and growth agency. He co-founded the company in 2016 and also serves on its board of directors. Before New Engen, Justin led customer acquisition and analytics at Zulily, where he drove e-commerce growth. In this episode… Private equity-backed growth isn't always straightforward, especially in a rapidly shifting digita...

Justin Hayashi is the CEO of New Engen, a performance-driven, digital marketing and growth agency. He co-founded the company in 2016 and also serves on its board of directors. Before New Engen, Justin led customer acquisition and analytics at Zulily, where he drove e-commerce growth. In this episode… Building a high-growth agency doesn't always follow a linear path. How can leaders respond when th...

Raj Ramanan is the CEO of Herringbone Digital, a digital marketing platform backed by Trinity Hunt Partners. He has led companies from startups and pre-seeds to mid-market and Fortune 1000 to achieve above-market outcomes in revenue growth, profitability, capital raises, and sales. Before joining Herringbone Digital, Raj held executive positions, including CEO at Jitsu, Chief Operating Officer at...

Ben Landers is the President and CEO of Ahead of Next, a company he founded after exiting his prior business. Previously, he was the Founder of Blue Corona, a data-driven digital marketing and analytics firm specializing in helping home-services companies improve marketing performance and generate leads and sales. Ben was also the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at DrinkMore Water, where he...

Jordan Ross is the Founder and CEO of 8 Figure Agency, a consultancy that helps digital marketing agencies scale to seven- and eight-figure revenues through AI-powered systems. With over a decade of experience, he managed more than 2,500 employees while working at Amazon. Since founding 8 Figure Agency, Jordan has consulted with more than 1,000 agencies. In this episode… Efficiency, profitability,...

Doug Hathaway is the Co-founder and CTO/CPO of LawFi, a legal fintech platform that helps consumers and small businesses finance legal services. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering, he co-founded DadeSystems, a SaaS platform for Fortune 500 enterprises and top banks, which was acquired by Versapay, where he led its Cash Application platform. In this episode… The journey from s...

Ryan Redding is the Founder and Business Growth Coach at Eightfold Advantage, a growth-coaching practice that helps entrepreneurs restore operational clarity, increase profitability, and prepare businesses for exit. Before Eightfold Advantage, Ryan was the Owner of Levergy, a nationally recognized digital marketing agency serving HVAC companies that he sold to KickCharge in 2025. In this episode…...

Todd Taskey is an M&A Advisor for CEOs and Entrepreneurs at Potomac Business Capital. He has been an entrepreneur, business owner, investment banker, and business finance advisor for more than 20 years. In addition to providing M&A advice, Todd has been a founding investor, board member, or part of the management team of several business ventures. He helps CEOs and entrepreneurs develop a successf...

Jeff Spanbauer is the Founder and Chairman of the Board at Relevate Health, a healthcare marketing firm. Under his leadership, Relevate Health has expanded through four acquisitions and achieved significant revenue growth, earning recognition, including the Inc . 5000 Fastest Growing Companies award. Jeff is also the Co-founder and Director of Revelocity Sports and serves as an investment advisor...

Nick Fraunfelder is the Owner and CEO of Sure Oak, a leading SEO agency helping B2B and tech brands grow through search. Since acquiring Sure Oak in 2023, he has led the agency's expansion into AI-powered search optimization. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, private equity, and technology, Nick co-founded Paulus Capital, which helped launch notable restaurants like Superica a...

Jason Hennessey is the CEO of Hennessey Digital, a digital marketing agency specializing in legal marketing using a holistic approach. In his role, he grew the small consultancy to a multimillion-dollar business that made the Inc. 5000 list for six consecutive years. As an entrepreneur, internationally recognized SEO expert, author, speaker, podcast host, and business coach, Jason has scaled and s...

Raj Ramanan is the CEO of Herringbone Digital, a digital marketing platform backed by Trinity Hunt Partners. He has led companies from startups and pre-seeds to mid-market and Fortune 1000 to achieve above-market outcomes in revenue growth, profitability, capital raises, and sales. Before joining Herringbone Digital, Raj held executive positions, including Chief Operating Officer at Scorpion, Chie...

Joe Zanca is the Managing Partner of DealGen Partners, a buy- and sell-side M&A advisory firm. In his role, he has sourced and closed over $200 million in acquisitions for private equity and strategic buyers. Joe launched, scaled, and exited OnDemandStorage, a full-service, technology-based storage company. In this episode… Private equity investment transactions can unlock untapped growth potentia...

Matthew Rosenfeld is the Founder and CEO of Crush, which provides boutique Amazon management services for retail and DTC brands. He is also the Founder of Retail Racer, which leverages proprietary software to automate retail outreach for DTC brands. As a former Amazon seller, Matthew has launched, acquired, and sold multiple brands.  In this episode… Selling your business can unlock critical infra...