Shoot the Moon with Revenue Rocket

In IT services M&A, depending on a single platform or channel partner is a valuation risk, not a strength. This episode breaks down what happens to your firm's value when a vendor changes its pricing, partner tiers, or lead flow, and what the most acquirable IT services firms do instead. Chapters (verify exact times against the final cut) 0:00 Cold open 0:30 Why channel partners matter, and why de...

Most first acquisition offers are not the best offers. If a buyer has approached your MSP or IT services company out of the blue, this episode walks through how to evaluate that offer, what a letter of intent actually binds you to, and why bringing in an advisor before you sign protects both your price and your optionality.   CHAPTERS 0:00 Why most first offers are not the best offer 1:45 What cha...

Your friend sold for a great multiple. PE pays more than strategics. Earnouts are a trap. Wait for the right market. You're too small to sell. Here's what's actually true. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:20 Welcome and Episode Setup 02:00 Myth 1: "My Friend Sold for X EBITDA, That's My Benchmark" 07:30 Myth 2: "PE Always Pays More" (Or "Strategics Always Win on Price") 13:00 Myt...

  OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES: Part 1. Knowing When It’s Time to Sell:  Listen now >> Part 2. Get Your House in Order:  Listen now >> Part 3. Valuation Drivers:  Listen now >> Part 4. What is my Take Home?  Listen now >> Part 5. It Takes a Village.  Listen now >> Part 6. The First 30 Days of a Process.  Listen now >> Part 7. Finding the Right Buyer.  Listen now >> Part 8. Deal Structures 101.  L...

Closing the deal is not the finish line. It is the beginning of the next chapter. In this episode of the Seller Master Class Series, Mike, Matt, and Ryan walk through what sellers should expect after a transaction closes. They cover how to protect customer confidence, reassure employees, establish communication cadence, and prioritize the right operational changes without disrupting service delive...

Key takeaways The LOI is not the final deal. It is more like a handshake on price and core terms, while definitive agreements create the legally binding structure of the transaction. The focus shifts from headline economics to risk allocation, including representations, warranties, indemnification, escrows, working capital, and earnouts. Sellers should expect multiple transaction documents, includ...

EPISODE 245.  Key Takeaways: What due diligence is: The buyer’s inspection/audit of the seller’s business to confirm the story, financials, contracts, and assumptions made pre-LOI. The emotional shift for sellers: Post-LOI can feel like “we’re done,” but diligence is often the most challenging phase and can be exhausting and distracting. Why buyers do it: Risk mitigation and validation, plus ident...

In this installment of the Sell Side Master Class, Ryan and Mike break down deal structure, the terms behind the headline enterprise value and why structure can matter as much as (or more than) price. They walk through the most common components of consideration in IT services M&A: cash at close, earnouts, seller notes, and rollover equity , including where each can create upside and where hidden...

Other Episodes in this Series Part 1. Knowing When It’s Time to Sell:  Listen now >> Part 2. Get Your House in Order:  Listen now >> Part 3. Valuation Drivers:  Listen now >> Part 4. What is my Take Home?  Listen now >> Part 5. It Takes a Village.  Listen now >> Part 6. The First 30 Days of a Process. Listen now >> Listen to Shoot the Moon on  Apple Podcasts  or  Spotify . Buy , sel...

What does it really feel like when you decide to sell and the process officially begins? In this Sell-Side Master Class episode, we walk through month zero and the first 30 days of a sell-side process: the pre-market foundation, the time commitment, and the “transfer” that has to happen so an advisor can speak like they’re part of your team. We cover the core information you’ll be asked to assembl...

Key takeaways Start building your advisor relationships 6–12 months pre-exit —waiting until LOI puts the close at risk (“time kills all deals”). Your M&A advisor is the quarterback : runs the process, manages buyer psychology, protects your time, and helps prevent value leakage and retrades. Advisor red flags : guaranteed above-market multiples, vague deliverables, weak references, and “exclusive”...

What we cover Enterprise value vs. net proceeds: why the headline number isn’t the check you cash The biggest “below-the-line” items that reduce proceeds: Taxes (often the largest bite) Debt payoff in cash-free, debt-free deals Working capital targets and true-ups Professional fees ( M&A , legal, tax, accounting/QoE) Timing vs. reduction: how escrow/holdbacks and seller notes can delay (not always...

What Your Business Is Worth: Valuation Drivers for Tech-Services Firms Valuation vs. EBITDA multiple: why they’re not the same thing Buyers price future performance and confidence in future cash flows Revenue quality premiums/discounts: recurring/contracted revenue, churn, concentration Adjusted EBITDA + add-backs: what’s “clean” vs. what gets rejected Specialization + growth consistency: vertical...

In this Seller Master Class episode, the team digs into readiness: the unsexy work that makes or breaks your deal. Last time, they explored the decision to sell. This week is all about getting your house in order so buyers can move quickly and confidently through diligence. We cover why “time kills all deals” and how the vibrancy or cadence of a deal is driven by how fast you can deliver clean, ac...

In This Episode: Why deciding to sell your business is one of the hardest calls a founder makes Emotional factors behind the decision — purpose, identity, and timing Early “readiness signals” and how to spot them The difference between selling out vs. selling in The “Sunday Test” and “Three-Year Test” how to self-assess your motivation The importance of alignment at home before you make the decisi...

In this episode, Matt and Ryan break down the concept of “selling in” - partnering with growth capital to scale your IT services business - versus “selling out.” They explore how founder-led companies can leverage private equity or family office investments to unlock their next stage of growth without giving up control or purpose. From the second bite of the apple to choosing the right platform pa...

Episode 235: What we cover Personal vs. company readiness: passion, energy, and risk appetite Scale ceilings: when you need more talent, capital, or partners “Wearing every hat”: the founder role that’s become unsustainable Market timing vs. company health (multiples vs. demand) External shifts (e.g., AI) that change the calculus Tired vs. done: tests to gain clarity (distance, peers, spouse) Life...

Show Notes Why Q4 creates natural urgency: capital deployment, tax timing, clean year-end cutover, and internal fund deadlines. Realistic timelines: ~90 days from LOI to close (60 if exceptionally well-planned and resourced). How to avoid year-end derailers: risk-based diligence, weekly cadence, the “it takes a village” resourcing mindset. Practical prep checklist: books buttoned up, pre-diligence...

In this episode, the team breaks down the decision every IT services leader wrestles with: Grow, Buy, or Grow to Sell . You’ll hear where firms typically hit operational ceilings, why acquisitions amplify your go-to-market (for better or worse), and what it takes to be truly “ready to sell.” We cover the cash and capability requirements behind each path, common traps (buying to fix sales, serial d...

Lockboxes promise price certainty—but the clock can quietly shift value. In this episode, Mike and Ryan break down how a lockbox differs from a classic cash-free/debt-free (CF/DF) deal: fixed price as of a “lockbox date,” no post-close true-up, and a tight definition of permitted vs. non-permitted leakage. They discuss when lockboxes shine (fast closings, cleaner accounting, fewer surprises) and w...

02:39 — What is EBITDA multiple arbitrage (plain-English walk-through) 03:39 — Why smaller firms trade lower and platforms trade higher (the math) 07:50 — Beyond size: capabilities, service lines, and moving up the value chain 11:49 — Rolling equity 101: the “second bite” and a typical 70/30 construct (example) 15:03 — Risks sellers must vet: culture, strategy, dilution, and capital stack terms 19...

Key takeaways Advisors vs. Banks = different centers of gravity. Banks are great for IPOs, raises, and complex financings; advisors excel at sector-specific sell-side processes. In IT Services, specialization matters. Operator experience helps craft story, vet culture, and identify “1+1=3” combinations. Lead with strategic + cultural fit. If those are right, the financials usually find a path. Sta...

💡 Why This Topic? Nearly every buyer call this week hit on vertical strategy PE firms are framing investment theses around industry-specific plays Strategics are scaling via vertical bolt-ons Operators who niche down are getting stronger multiples and clearer GTM motion Emerging Themes from Revenue Rocket this Week Buyers want relationships, workflows, and niche dominance — not just EBITDA Vertic...

Episode Notes: The podcast episode features Kevin Lancaster, CEO of Channel Program , as a special guest. The discussion centers on the Channel Program platform, including its tools like Navistack, which helps MSPs visualize their technology stack, manage contracts, and integrate financial data. Kevin shares insights from the vast amount of data collected by Channel Program, highlighting the signi...

Notes (Highlights) Seller Hesitation: Common due to identity tied to business, timing doubts, and emotional strain. Preparation Stage: Proper financial, marketing, and buyer prep helps set realistic expectations. Valuation Shock: Sellers often question decisions after seeing valuation numbers—advisors help manage expectations. Diligence Process: Demanding, sometimes invasive; advisors keep momentu...