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

As CEO of Paladin Capital, Bill Prevost wants to do business acquisition and ownership transfer via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan model. But the distress that hit smaller companies in the trucking industry — fallout from the pandemic — shrunk his deal pipeline because he's looking for companies of a certain fitness. In this conversation, Prevost talks about how that affected his firm, ESOPs and their popularity, and his outlook for 2021.

Crowdfunding was once seen as a way for entrepreneurs to raise cash and bootstrap their ideas. But Louis Foreman, CEO of Enventys Partners, sees it as a way to get market validation. We talked with Foreman about product innovation, raising capital, recent patent activity trends and the commonalties among his 15 clients who appeared on the TV show Shark Tank.

Though deals began to fail, were delayed or had their terms changed when the pandemic hit the U.S., the terrible effects many projected it would have on M&A didn't necessarily materialize. There will, however, be other consequences. George Riley Thomas II, a member at the law firm Metz Lewis Brodman Must O'Keefe, offers his take on 2020, and what dealmakers can expect in 2021.

The legal structure surrounding M&A continues to evolve as we climb out of the COVID crisis and begin to focus on 2021 and beyond. That means changes in contract language, structure and even deal terms. Michael Wilson, a partner at Locke Lord, discusses what to expect — and how to prepare.

Preserving wealth is a long-term initiative, and managing it through uncertainty is critical. Jim Benedict, senior vice president and senior wealth strategist at PNC Wealth Management, discusses how to stay the course in choppy waters, and the importance of remaining calm.

Carlton D. Dean III is seeing a lot of business owners looking for an exit in the wake of the pandemic. The president of Demarrt Building Services is also seeing deals that he might have foregone before look much better now. That's led him to adjust his approach to the acquisitions.

After Brookstone Capital Management founder Dean Zayed sold a majority share of his registered investment advisory firm to AmeriLife, he rekindled a conversation with the founder of another RIA, FormulaFolios. The result: the creation of a $6.5 billion business. We talked with Dean about both the AmeriLife and the FormulaFolios transactions, and how one deal informed the other.

David Woodburn, a shareholder at Roetzel & Andress, is seeing a lot of potential for M&A right now. Low interest rates and uncertainty over estate and income taxes have created an opportunity for owners to leverage their estate and gift tax dollars. But it's also an environment that's great for buyers looking to invest in a new business or expand their own.

As business leaders start to look ahead to 2021, balance sheet management and liquidity are top-of-mind issues. But when it comes to banking and finance, it will be relationships that could make or break deals in this new business reality. Brad Jones, Charlotte Regional President of First National Bank, discusses why strong relationships are the No. 1 factor moving forward — and why everything comes down to trust.

When you're looking to sell your company, maximizing value before the sale can ensure you have a successful liquidity event. Charles Robins, founder and CEO of Fairmount Partners discusses the keys to pre-deal preparation — and the secrets of his P5M process to drive value.