Smart Business Dealmakers: The Middle-Market M&A Podcast

As CEOs hurtle toward a new normal, banking and finance issues remain top of mind. Jim Geuther, market president for Northern Ohio at SunTrust (which has merged with BB&T to form Truist), discusses why balance sheet management and an ability to recognize the impact the three "A"s — Amazon, Automation and American-made — could have in determining those who struggle and those who thrive heading into...

While the expectation is that many companies' financial metrics will reflect the challenges of operating through a pandemic, how lenders and investors will measure a company's fitness post-COVID-19 is still being considered. Michael Conaton of Cyprium Partners shares where he thinks investors will look when they begin scrutinizing deals as the economy starts to recover, and discusses the concept o...

As we navigate through a new reality, family dynamics in closely held businesses face a different kind of challenge. Kara Lewis, AB Bernstein's managing director for the state of Ohio, and Heather George, senior vice president and co-head of the firm's family engagement services group, discuss what family-owned companies are doing as they look at potential transactions, as well as why now is a goo...

As the economy heads toward recovery, M&A activity is again on the rise. Brett Martin, Transaction Advisory Services Director for RSM, discusses how the deal flow pipeline is flowing and what that means for due diligence, valuations and working capital in the era of COVID-19.

Entrepreneurs and CEOs trying to get deals done in 2020 face numerous hurdles — many of them new legal issues. Steven Laabs, a partner with Husch Blackwell, discusses what to expect, why the deal market is evolving and how to navigate through these challenging times.

What's next for corporations willing to try new things during challenging times? Lynn Banaszak, executive director of the Digital Transformation and Innovation Center at Carnegie Mellon University, discusses the power of digitization and innovation in the age of COVID-19.

It's a strange, new business climate for employers looking to restart operations and navigate their way through the remainder of 2020 and beyond. Neil Cooper, executive partner at the law firm RCCB, shares what he's seeing, including how CEOs are taking a closer look at contracts, deal terms and cash positions as they forge ahead toward a post-COVID-19-crisis world.

Communicate, communicate, communicate. In times of crisis, you can't share information enough. Ilya Bodner, founder and CEO of insuretech company Bold Penguin, explains the importance of over-communication with your employees, investors and clients in challenging times, as well as how he went from peacetime leader to war-time general.

As employers look to technology to better connect their teams in this new normal, how your business operations — and people — are connected matters now more than ever. EOX Vantage CEO Sudhir Achar discusses how he and his 300-plus team members have mobilized to address digital back-office client needs while transforming their operations into a more virtually workplace friendly operation.

The M&A market for manufacturing firms looks like it is poised for growth as companies pivot operations to meet the demands of PPEs and other critical goods and services. AJ Byrd, managing director at TVV Capital, discusses how the PE firm quickly focused its portfolio companies on balance sheet management, ensuring access to capital, understanding client needs, and streamlining their supply chain...

Chris Haas, president and CEO of All Pro Freight, discusses how his transportation and logistics firm is doing its part to keep PPEs, groceries, hand sanitizer and other supplies moving from manufacturers to warehouses to those who need them. He also shares how he uses economic downturns to his advantage in the commercial real estate deal market.

When it comes to balance sheet management, there's little doubt that cash is king. But in the age of COVID-19, liquidity and financial flexibility have taken on additional importance. Sidney Glick, a principal at Cherry Bekaert and member of the accounting firm's Transaction Advisory Services practice, talks about the key factors CEOs of middle-market companies should be focused on as they settle...

Investment banks are split between holding patterns for some clients and getting sell-side deals done for others. Kevin Short, managing director of Clayton Capital Partners, talks about what it's requiring to close those deals.

Entrepreneurs don't let tough times keep them from thinking differently about their companies. Investors don't take a crisis off either. Serial entrepreneur Hugh Cathey talks about why entrepreneurs are poised to reinvent their companies, identify new opportunities and continue M&A activity during — and after — the COVID-19 crisis.

For early-stage companies, raising capital is the fuel that gets you into the middle market. So what happens when the economy effectively shuts down and the ability to access capital tightens? David Weaver, Chief Investment Officer of City Side Ventures, discusses how venture capital firms and angel investor groups are looking at companies in this new normal.

As president of the Columbus chapter of EO, Jeff Burt is at the nexus of more than 90 entrepreneurs trying to adapt to a new business norm. As CEO of branding solutions firm EclipseCorp, Burt is on the front lines himself. In this special episode, he discusses what Central Ohio entrepreneurs are doing to adapt  and how he re-engineered his own operations to manufacture social distancing markers, b...

Most CEOs weren't prepared for COVID-19 and the disruption to their companies. Howard & Howard attorney Dan Cotter offers a wide range of legal takeaways from the crisis, including why your current business interruption plan is obsolete.

What's the state of deal flow, and how might deals already in the works find ways to get closed? Paul Mattaini, a partner at law firm Barley Snyder, talks about what PE firms and strategic buyers are focusing on as the M&A market careens toward a new reality.

If there's one industry that entrepreneurs and business executives are looking to for answers in these troubling times, it's banking. Paul Carlisle, Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking at Wintrust Bank, explains what business owners should think about as they analyze their balance sheets and think about cash flow.

What should entrepreneurs be doing during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure their companies are ready once M&A activity picks back up? Veteran dealmaker Lou Schneeberger, Executive Chairman of Proformex, discusses why now is a good time for CEOs to shore up the fundamentals and reassess their companies.

Legal questions from CEOs regarding contracts, M&A and employment issues continue to rise as employers start getting back to work and settling into a new normal. Tim Damschroder, a member of Bodman PLC and co-chair of the law firm's Business Practice Group, discusses what he's hearing from middle-market entrepreneurs and what changes may be coming down the road.

What does a new normal look like, and how should the owners of closely held or family businesses approach their balance sheet and dealmaking? Harry Cendrowski, Founding Member and Managing Member of Cendrowski Corporate Advisors, discusses what he's hearing — and counseling — clients to think about.

What's the state of M&A for entrepreneurs and business owners looking to sell? Griffin Financial Group Senior Managing Director John Lee breaks down the landscape for sellers and offers his thoughts on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on dealmaking.

As business owners begin to look at how they can restart operations and begin to settle in to this new reality, two areas are becoming top of mind: cash flow and forecasting. BKD Chicago Managing Partner Russ Romanelli shares his thoughts on how CEOs and entrepreneurs should approach this critical task.

As CEOs get beyond the shock of the COVID-19 crisis and start resuming business operations, analyzing cash flow and forecasting revenue becomes that much more critical. Jordan Space, president of the Eastern Pennsylvania Market of S&T Bank, discusses how entrepreneurs can look ahead and build stronger balance sheets.