The TobinLeff M&A Podcast

Building a successful business is an incredible achievement. When it’s time to consider maximizing and monetizing that work, you're likely focusing on growth multiples, EBITDA, and finding the right buyer. But a critical element that’s often overlooked is when and how to strategically communicate the sale to stakeholders, employees, clients, and the general public. In our latest TobinLeff M&A...

Selling your company demands significant investment of your time, energy, and emotion. The last outcome anyone wants is for the deal to fall through. While "deal killers" are always a potential risk, many can be prevented or mitigated with the right preparation. Successfully closing deals requires finesse and expertise. At TobinLeff, we’re grateful to have a diversely experienced team that allows...

Many of us have heard cautionary tales about Private Equity (PE) deals gone wrong. But that narrative hasn’t matched our clients’ experiences. In our latest podcast episode, “Advantage & Questions: Selling a Business to Private Equity”, our partners tackle common questions and objections owners typically have around private equity sales. In this conversation, the TobinLeff team shares insights...

Most entrepreneurs are used to stepping into unknown terrain and climbing learning curves to hit their goals. However, selling a company is often a once-in-a-lifetime event, so your go-to-market journey should include a team who has been there and done that. That team should guide your transaction like an on-target GPS, helping you to navigate potential pitfalls and plan for reasonable expectation...

TobinLeff transaction partner and numbers expert, Chuck Gottschalk, shares valuable insights on why working capital is often viewed as a battleground in M&A transactions. In this 10-minute conversation, Chuck and David Tobin breakdown: A straightforward explanation of working capital A real-world example of what makes working capital complex The most common working capital mistakes to avoid Es...

For M&A transactions, focus and energy are often on multiples and terms. From TobinLeff's experience, if the focus is on the people, favorable terms will follow. This new video podcast, M&A is About the People, is a conversation between four of our TobinLeff Partners — David Tobin, Mary McKinney Flaherty, Roy Page, and Janet Tyler — that focuses on different points and perspectives includi...

TobinLeff Founder, David Tobin, sat down with Jon Morris, founder and CEO of Fiscal Advocate, to discuss developing and tracking financial reports and KPIs to increase earnings and enhance enterprise value for a future sale. Jon is a proven entrepreneur. In 2004, with $10,000 by winning 2nd Place at the University of Chicago’s annual business plan competition he founded Rise Interactive. Over a 16...

Founding Partner, David Tobin, sat down with Mike Neumeier (Co-Founder and CEO of the Arketi Group) to discuss his exit planning journey. Mike secured investments from two private equity groups to form a platform company. In this video podcast, hear answers to questions like: How and why did Mike decide to sell? With multiple offers to choose from, why did he decide to sell to a PE group as oppose...

Studies have estimated that more than 50% of all M&A transactions do not achieve their expected value or never close. Even if those stats are remotely accurate, the results are disheartening because no business owner wants to go through the time, expense, and emotional drain of trying to sell their company only to experience a deal falling apart. At TobinLeff, we pride ourselves on helping our...

In 2022, Maura Corbett sold her company, Glen Echo Group, to Berlin Rosen, a portfolio company of the PE Group, O2 Investment Partners.  In this episode, Maura joins the TobinLeff team to discuss her selling journey and cover a number of topics, including: How and why did she decide to sell her company? What was her process for choosing an M&A advisory firm? How did TobinLeff prepare the company a...

Why is it that some companies are able to sell for above — sometimes even far above — commonly accepted ballparks, or market price? Why can some companies command the higher multiple compared to others, where there’s continuous pressure on both price and the terms? Learn how to make your business stand out from the competition so you can command top dollar for your company.

Nearly 100% of agency owners believe that an Exit Plan is an important element for their future financial security, but only 15% actually have a written Exit Plan in place. At TobinLeff, we believe that the most important explanation for this disconnect may be the most basic one of all: while the idea of an Exit Plan seems to make sense, most agency owners don’t really know what an Exit Plan is. F...

You’re ready to sell your business — now what? You’ve built your business from the ground up, poured your life into it, and now you’re ready for your next step. Maybe you want to retire, or maybe you’d like to start your next business venture. No matter your reason, selling your company is a complex road to navigate on your own — so don’t go it alone. Join the partners of TobinLeff in this podcast...

What goes into a private equity acquisition? In this episode, David Tobin interviews Nick Burger, a partner at the ZS Fund, who oversaw the PE group's recent acquisition of TobinLeff's client, Communicus. Listen in to learn how PE groups: Value companies and assess opportunities Work with management teams to support their visions Determine important elements of deal structures And more... Learn mo...

You’re ready to sell your business — now what? You’ve built your business from the ground up, poured your life into it, and now you’re ready for your next step. Maybe you want to retire, or maybe you’d like to start your next business venture. No matter your reason, selling your company is a complex road to navigate on your own — so don’t go it alone. Join the partners of TobinLeff in this webinar...

The M&A market is very active today, interest rates are at historic lows and banks are actively lending. Is now the time to sell your business because of potential increases in capital gains tax rates? In this episode, glean insight from partners David Tobin, Chuck Gottschalk, and Holt Vaughn as they discuss the pros and cons of selling your business based on the current market trends.

Selling your company is likely one of the most important transactions of your business career. When that time comes, will you approach the process from a position of strength or weakness? In this episode, learn how to: Get your business house in order and be prepared mentally and financially Qualify prospects and perform reverse due diligence Negotiate favorable terms in the LOI Take control durin...

Having a solid communications strategy and plan for an M&A transaction goes beyond an announcement to employees. Strategizing your company's PR even years before you're ready to buy or sell can maximize your deal value when the transaction finally takes place. In this episode, David Tobin goes deep in his interview with PR expert Elizabeth Shea to provide listeners with action steps that can incre...

Private Equity (PE) firms are buying marcomm companies — but what does that mean for your agency? In this episode, Tobinleff partner and former CPA with Ernst & Young, Chuck Gottschalk, explains what Private Equity is and how PE firms can get you a bigger payday for your business. Get answers to questions like: What is Private Equity (PE), and why would it be interested in purchasing marketing, ad...

For there to be a market for buying or selling an agency, there needs to be funding available. Often, especially in the case of agency sales between partners or to leadership teams, that funding takes the form of SBA financing. But, in this age of COVID, is SBA lending available?   The short answer? Yes, there is money; yes, they are lending. In this episode, co-principal Scott Leff interviews Ada...

In today’s COVID Economy, acquihires (sometimes referred to as “bolt-ons” or “tuck-ins”) remain a productive growth strategy for buyers, and a viable way for sellers to find a new home. In this episode, Jeff Lambert, founder and CEO of Lambert Agency and a veteran of several acquisitions, and Holt Vaughn, a partner in TobinLeff, provide information, insights, and case studies on acquihire opportun...

How has the recent economic shock of COVID-19 changed the landscape for acquisitions? Are buyers still buying? How are valuations and multiples impacted? More than ever, companies are now assessing if strategic acquisitions should be a part of their growth plans. To provide insights and answer questions like these, we interviewed industry leaders Peter Finn, Managing Partner of Finn Partners, and...

Building your business was hard, but COVID-19 has left many business owners wondering what the future looks like for their company value. What can we know about the future of business now that COVID-19 has entered the scene? To quote a Hollywood legend, right now "nobody knows anything." Yet there are still many insights that can be had!   Listen to the premiere episode of The TobinLeff M&A Podcas...