Seth Rudin | Business Broker | Dealmaker

Stop trying to fix your operational mess under the pressure of a looming sale; you need to turn your business into a high-yielding, clean cash machine long before approaching the market. In this strategic deep-dive, host Seth Rudin sits down with Camille Nisich, a premier corporate growth advisor and corporate coach who spent nearly two decades managing high-level performance data at Dell. Togethe...

Negotiating an Asset Purchase Agreement or a Stock Purchase Agreement always comes down to a proper allocation of risk. But what does it actually take to bulletproof your business deal before closing? In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked, host Seth Rudin is joined by Chris Ferrell, a corporate M&A and securities attorney at Dickinson Wright in Seattle, Washington. Together, they strip...

Welcome to another episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked with Seth Rudin. In this podcast episode, we dive deep into the world of business acquisitions and financial management with our guest, Paul Long, a top SBA lending expert from the Pacific Northwest. When business owners try to sell their company, they usually only look at how much money they made on paper. But smart buyers and bank lenders l...

Are traditional search engine ranking models completely letting you down? In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked, host Seth Rudin sits down with Anita Moorthy, CMO and Co-Founder of Rock Salt AI, to discuss How AI is Rewriting the Rules of Marketing. Anita leverages her 25 years of global marketing experience to unpack the massive structural shifts rewriting the rulebook on brand visibility,...

How do the world’s most successful real estate investors completely offset their income tax bills while rapidly multiplying their cash flow? In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked , host and M&A advisor Seth Rudin sits down with Cost Segregation Specialist Jonathan Frizzell to break down the mechanics of engineering-based cost segregation. Jonathan brings over two decades of fixed-asset...

What does it actually take to transition from a business owner to a successful exit? In this episode, host Christina Kwong is joined by Senior Business Broker and M&A Advisor Seth Rudin to demystify the complex world of mergers and acquisitions. Christina opens up about her personal leap of faith, leaving a 12-year corporate trajectory in big tech (including stints at Amazon, Microsoft, and Ti...

Today on Entrepreneurship Unlocked, host Seth Rudin dives into the world of creative business financing with Paul Cook and Billy Hunley. We explore the "Rollover for Business Startups" (ROBS) program, a strategic way for entrepreneurs to fund their dreams using their own retirement savings as a partner in the deal. We discuss the transition from being an employee to an owner, specifically highligh...

What does it take to build an empire when you are supposed to be retired? Today on Entrepreneurship Unlocked, host Seth Rudin is joined by Gordon Lacey, the founder of Winners Sportswear, to discuss his journey from a small-town farm in Alberta to becoming a major player in the Pacific Northwest sportswear industry. #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #SmallBusiness #FounderStories #MandA #Busines...

In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked, Seth Rudin interviews Bryan Elliott, the owner of Stuart Range Consulting and a former 7-Eleven business consultant, to uncover how convenience store owners can significantly increase their profitability. Bryan shares how his twelve years of military experience and background in international scale operations translate into building successful retail t...

How do you go from a conservative CPA career to owning the #1 hockey retail store in Washington—without ever having laced up a pair of skates? In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked , host Seth Rudin is joined by Rick Bauman to pull back the curtain on a 35-year journey in the franchise world. Rick didn't just survive in retail; he dominated the "Play It Again Sports" system by...

What happens when a single regulatory shift unlocks millions of dollars in previously "lost" tax revenue for an entire industry? In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked , we dive deep into the seismic shifts hitting the cannabis landscape. Hosts Kelsey Ellis and Diego De La Torre from Opsahl Dawson join the conversation to break down the massive implications of the recent executive...

In this episode, Seth Rudin , Senior M&A Broker at IBA, sits down with Billy Huntley , Commercial Relationship Manager at Washington Trust Bank, to pull back the curtain on the complexities of buying and selling businesses within the high-stakes aerospace and defense sectors. Drawing from their successful track record of closing deals together—including suppliers for military operations and Bo...

Most strategic plans fail not because they are bad ideas, but because of poor execution. In this exclusive interview with OneAccord, M&A expert and serial entrepreneur Seth Rudin breaks down the high-performance framework for bridging the gap between a visionary "Strategic Plan" and daily operational "Execution." Whether you are preparing a business for sale or scaling a mid-market company, Se...

Manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, but scaling a plant requires more than just hard work—it requires strategic capital. In this episode, we dive deep into the Capital Accelerator Program of CAMPS (Center for Advanced Manufacturing Puget Sound), a program designed to help manufacturing leaders bridge the gap between operational excellence and financial acceleration. We explore how manufa...

Is buying a business the ultimate wealth-builder or a one-way ticket to a financial disaster? In this episode, we sit down with M&A experts Seth Rudin and Paul Long to peel back the curtain on the deals that never made it to the finish line—and some that did, only to become nightmares. From Chinese tariffs crushing margins overnight to police arriving at a contract signing to arrest an employe...

Success in M&A isn't just about finding the right target—it is about finding the right banker. In this episode, Billy Huntley of Washington Trust Bank explains what business owners need to know about banking solutions when acquiring a company. We explore how to structure your debt, what lenders look for in a buyer, and the common mistakes that kill deals during the financing stage. If you...

Operating a successful C-store is about more than just selling fuel—it is about mastering the retail ecosystem. In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Elliott of Stuart Range Consulting to discuss the nuances of optimizing gas stations for maximum cash flow. We explore inventory selection, layout efficiency, and the common pitfalls that keep owners from hitting their true profit potential. If you...

How can a manufacturer bridge the gap between heavy equipment needs and daily operating cash? For manufacturers, capital is often locked away in machinery and raw materials, creating a constant tension between long-term investment and short-term liquidity. The introduction of the SBA’s MARC (Manufacturers’ Access to Revolving Credit) program has changed the game, offering a specialized vehicle des...

Why is a banker often more comfortable with a deal when the seller is still financially "on the hook"? While it might seem like just another layer of debt, a seller note is actually one of the strongest signals of quality a banker can see in a business acquisition. In this episode, we are breaking down the strategic and technical reasons why bankers frequently request or even require a s...

What is the safest way to acquire a business without inheriting its past mistakes or hidden debts? An asset sale is the most common way to structure a small business acquisition because it allows the buyer to hand-pick exactly what they are purchasing—such as equipment, inventory, and customer lists—while leaving the legal liabilities and "skeletons" with the seller. For the buyer, this...

What is the fundamental difference between buying a company’s history and simply buying its equipment? When you structure a deal as an equity sale, you aren't just picking up the furniture and the client list; you are taking over the entire legal entity, including its tax history, contracts, and potential liabilities. In this episode, we are breaking down the mechanics of equity sales and why...

Why do some business acquisition deals sail through underwriting while others face a mountain of rejections Persistence is often the most undervalued asset in the M&A world, especially when it comes to securing SBA financing. A "no" from one lender isn't necessarily a reflection of your deal’s quality; it’s often just a sign that you haven’t found the right banking partner whose...

Why would a tech visionary choose to buy an established business instead of building a startup from zero? For tech entrepreneurs, the "build vs. buy" debate is shifting as acquisition becomes a faster route to scaling innovation, securing an existing customer base, and leveraging proven infrastructure. In this episode, we are breaking down the specific advantages and strategic tips for t...

Is your business a personal ATM or a sustainable enterprise? For many entrepreneurs, the line between personal and business finances is dangerously blurred, but failing to pay yourself a formal salary is a move that can hinder your company's growth and complicate future exit strategies. In this episode, we are breaking down the strategic and tax-related reasons why business owners must take a...

How do you distinguish between a business that is a "financial asset" and one that is an "heirloom legacy"? Deciding whether to exit your business through an external sale or by transitioning leadership to the next generation is one of the most significant emotional and financial crossroads an owner will ever face. While a sale might offer a clean break and maximum liquidity, p...