M&A Talk (Mergers & Acquisitions), by Morgan & Westfield

The personal touch can be hard to find when it comes to selling a business, but family offices can bring the personal touch back into the mix. Father and son Geordie and B.G. Lemmon talk about their family office, Brynavon, and how family offices work in the M&A world. They discuss the differences between a family office, a PE firm, and a strategic buyer, how they make investment decisions, how they work alongside the existing management team and the long-term perspective they take with their investments. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: The Fungibility of Businesses as an Investment7 Steps to Sell a Business FastQuality of Earnings in M&A – The Ultimate Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Behind the Scenes of a Family OfficeSelling Your Company to a Private Equity Firm vs. a Family OfficeEverything An Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Selling to PE Firm

The digital marketplace is rapidly evolving and has unique challenges in M&A. Yury Byalik, an expert in buying digital companies, shares what he looks for when acquiring a digital business and offers advice on preparing a digital company for sale. Yury describes the most common mistakes sellers make the criteria buyers consider as they evaluate a company, and gives clear definitions of some of the hottest topics in M&A today. This is a show full of advice for sellers from a buyer’s perspective. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Top 5 M&A Value Drivers for Tech & Software CompaniesA Guide to Valuing Tech, Software & Online BusinessesHow Do I Sell My Amazon FBA Business?The Fungibility of Businesses as an Investment Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Selling Your Company to a Private Equity Firm vs. a Family OfficeEverything An Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Selling to PE FirmWhat Exactly is a Rollover and Why Should a Seller Care?

The human element of a business sale is often overlooked. Attorney Danya Shakfeh discusses the impact of cultural differences where personal backgrounds, values, and cultural influences can impact how a sale proceeds or falls apart. She discusses what to expect when working with an attorney, the importance of managing personality and cultural differences, how cultural differences can impact negotiations, some real-world cultural issues she has encountered, and what she has learned that is not taught in law school. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Non-Compete Agreement | A Complete GuideM&A Purchase Agreement | A Complete GuideM&A Basics | Handling Buyer MeetingsCan You Give me a Quick Opinion of the Value of my Business?Preparing Emotionally for the ClosingHow Long Does it Take to Sell a Business? Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: The Practical Side of M&A Deals That Law Schools OverlookHow an M&A Attorney Can Help Sell Your BusinessAn Expert Negotiator’s Perspectives on Selling Your Business

Preparing your business for sale is critical for success. Patrick O’Connell works with buyers during a transaction to perform financial due diligence (FDD). He joins M&A Talk to explain the FDD process and give advice to sellers on how best to prepare their company for sale from a financial perspective. He discusses the issues that come up during diligence, who is involved in the process, and the biggest mistakes sellers make, and gives perspective on what a buyer looks at during financial due diligence. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Tips on Preparing Your Business for Sale3 Simple Things to Look for When Hiring a CPAM&A Due Diligence | Checklist & OverviewPreparing Financial Statements When Selling a Business Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Financial Due DiligenceHow a Q of E Report Can Save Time and Money in an M&A TransactionUnveiling the Challenges of Financial Due Diligence: Strategies for a Smooth Integration

The earlier an entrepreneur starts planning for the sale of their business, the longer they have to compound value as it grows. Mac Lackey gives advice for maximizing the strategic value of a business. Mac shares lessons he has learned from starting and selling six companies all for strategic value, including designing a business with prospective buyers in mind, telling a compelling story about competitive advantages, and why planning ahead is critical to selling a business for strategic value. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Top 5 M&A Value Drivers for Tech & Software CompaniesBusiness Valuation Basics: 9 Critical Concepts to UnderstandTips on Preparing Your Business for Sale7 Steps to Sell a Business Fast Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Entrepreneurship and M&A: Perspectives on Start-ups, Mergers, and IntegrationWhat Are You Getting Into When You Want To Sell Your Business?Eight Key Elements to Creating Business Value

It is critical to have the right partner in place to successfully grow into an international market. Michele Museyri, with HSP Group, specializes in helping companies expand internationally, and she shares expert tips for managing the process. This jam-packed show discusses what goes into making the decision to expand, issues to consider, legal and cultural differences, and the intricacies of compliance. Also, a brief quiz with facts on cultural and legal differences in regions and countries around the globe. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Carve-outsThe Biggest Showstopper in Cross-Border Carve-outs: The EmployeesWhen Does Using an Employer of Record (EOR) Make Sense? Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Inside Details on Descartes’ International Acquisition of LocalzCross-Border M&A TransactionsM&A Integration

Selling your business through a rollover is complicated. Attorney Trevor Crow breaks this technical topic down into clear language as he explains how a rollover works, discusses major terms and documents involved, offers insights into the tactics and negotiating strategies employed by PE firms, explains what to expect, and highlights the critical element of understanding the economic provisions involved in a rollover. Listen to this discussion and maintain your negotiating leverage by knowing what to expect. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Earnouts When Selling or Buying a Business | Complete GuideRetirement Funds Financing When Buying or Selling a BusinessSmall Business Acquisition FinancingM&A Guide | The 4 Types of Buyers of Businesses Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Upper Middle-Market M&AHow to Use Your Retirement Account to Fund Your C Corp and Other Funding OptionsSelling Your Company to a Private Equity Firm vs. a Family Office

This in-depth conversation about preparing a company for sale looks at the process from the view at the end of the transaction. Pat Linden, an M&A attorney who has closed well over 100 deals, offers insights into the importance of being prepared before even starting the sales process. He shares tips on maximizing the final price, negotiating from a strong position, maintaining a poker face, recognizing sunk costs, dealing with emotional stress, and getting it right to get the best price possible. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Letter of IntentBusiness Valuation Standards of Value & Fair Market ValueThe Role of M&A Lawyers When Selling Your Business10 Key Components of Successfully Selling Your BusinessSelling Your Company: Bridging the Gaps Between Financial and Legal AdvisorsThe Last 5% in M&A: Why It Matters The Most“We Always Do It This Way” in M&A – Sellers Beware Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: The Human Side of M&A LawThe Practical Side of M&A Deals That Law Schools OverlookHow an M&A Attorney Can Help Sell Your Business

What does it take to complete a successful acquisition quickly and smoothly on an international scale? Get the insider’s view of global powerhouse Descartes’ acquisition of Australian company Localz in this discussion with both companies. Hear about the importance of clear communication, tips on being prepared for the intensity of the acquisition process, dealing with issues such as time zones, and relationship building on an international scale – all elements critical to achieving a successful acquisition. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Why do Companies Acquire other Businesses?Crossroads: Deciding to Sell Your Business vs. Doubling DownShould I Sell My Business?Process for Screening Buyers When Selling a BusinessM&A Closing Process | A Complete GuidePreparing Emotionally for the Closing Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Find Out How the Acquisition of GroundCloud by Descartes UnfoldedAdvice From a $5 Billion Company on Selling Your BusinessThe Secret to Success in the World of Corporate Development

Listen in for expert advice on selling a business, geared toward sellers of middle-market companies. Investment banker and author of Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies Bill Snow shares advice, tips, and insights from over 30 years of selling companies. He gives examples of adjustments that should be made or avoided, discusses the most common mistakes sellers make, explains why a cash flow statement is critical, covers the four methods of valuing a company, shares how an investment banker helps in negotiations, and his top piece of advice for all sellers. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: EBITDA | Definition, Formula & Example – A Complete GuideM&A Guide | The 4 Types of Buyers of BusinessesConfidential Information Memorandum (CIM) | A Detailed GuideM&A Due Diligence Preparation Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Unveiling the Challenges of Financial Due Diligence: Strategies for a Smooth IntegrationAdvice From a $5 Billion Company on Selling Your BusinessThe Art and Science of Valuing a Middle-Market Business

The world of private equity is often maligned and misunderstood. Adam Coffey brings his years of experience from the corporate and PE worlds to dispel the myths that surround the idea of selling a business to a PE firm. He shares stories from GE during its heyday under Jack Welch, discusses how he translates those lessons to the acquisitions, roll-ups, and turnarounds he has led, and talks about learning and the magic that private equity can bring to a company in helping it grow to the next level. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: The Importance of Persistence When Selling a BusinessIncreasing the Value of Your Business | The RVD ModelM&A Basics: Building a Sellable BusinessPreparing Financial Statements When Selling a BusinessThe Role of M&A Lawyers When Selling Your Business Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Partnering with Private Equity FirmsBehind the Scenes of Private EquityThe Private Equity Toolkit

Returning to M&A Talk, Dan Tamkin looks at how the market has changed in recent years; how changes in interest rates affect valuations; the problem with low revenue, high EBITDA businesses; and why it’s important for buyers and sellers to get along. He discusses the impact of a mismatch between buyer and seller expectations, the surprising influence of a good dinner meeting to build trust and establish a relationship between the buyer and seller, and stories about getting deals done and some that fell through. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Why Do Buyers Disappear When Selling My Business?Most Common Deal Killers When Selling Your BusinessSBA Financing When Buying or Selling a BusinessM&A Brokers & Adverse IncentivesDo I Need to Hire a Local Business Broker?M&A Purchase Agreement | A Complete Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Value Recovery Through RestructuringHow to Determine When a Business is Ripe for InvestmentWhat Are You Getting Into When You Want To Sell Your Business?

The world of M&A is complex, but it is possible to plan, learn, and be flexible enough to make an acquisition successfully happen. Cassio Bobsin takes a broad perspective of entrepreneurship and gives his insights into start-ups, mergers, integration, taking a company public, and the influence of AI on the M&A industry. Cassio doesn’t take the typical scientific approach to decide about an acquisition – he looks at core competencies, synergies, and best practices of a company and how to integrate them. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: 18 Differences Between Valuing Public and Private BusinessesM&A Guide | Selling Your Business to a CompetitorWhy do Companies Acquire Other Businesses?Earnouts When Selling or Buying a Business | Complete Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Creating M&A Value Through TechnologyFind Out How the Acquisition of GroundCloud by Descartes UnfoldedIT Integration and Its Role in the M&A World

What is a quality of earnings (Q of E) report? How can it help sellers and buyers in M&A transactions? Nicholas Spezio returns to M&A Talk to discuss the importance of the Q of E report. From an overview of the process to the difference between an audit and a Q of E, Nicholas covers how a Q of E can ensure that both parties are prepared for the diligence process by flushing out potential issues early enough in the transaction to be able to deal with the issues rather than losing the deal. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Due Diligence | Checklist & OverviewM&A Due Diligence PreparationEBITDA | Definition, Formula & Example – A Complete Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Financial Due DiligenceTop Seven Issues Today Critical to Understanding Quality of EarningsCooking the Books

Don’t rush to the closing – take the time to do financial due diligence properly. That’s the advice from Nicholas Spezio with Exbo Group, a strategic boutique advisor for growth-stage companies. He discusses the integration process, the objectives and advantages of doing financial due diligence, the problems with going too fast during the sale process, why financial due diligence is the most challenging part of integration, and how to set a company up for success with a seamless integration. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Due Diligence | Checklist & OverviewM&A Due Diligence PreparationEBITDA | Definition, Formula & Example – A Complete Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & WestfieldFood and Beverage M&A: An Insider's Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Business. Listen to Other Episodes: Financial Due DiligenceTop Seven Issues Today Critical to Understanding Quality of EarningsCooking the Books

Serial entrepreneur Ryan Buckley returns to M&A Talk to discuss lessons learned as he moves from bootstrapping to seeking venture capital backing with his current company, Shovels. Ryan talks about his decision to pursue climate tech as his next project, how the idea of mining and analyzing building permit and inspection data can help people make better decisions about contractors they work with, what went into his decision to pursue VC money, and the importance of focusing on providing the most value. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Business Valuation & Return on Investment (ROI)Tech & Software M&A DynamicsTop 5 M&A Value Drivers for Tech & Software CompaniesA Guide to Valuing Tech, Software & Online Businesses Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & Westfield Listen to Other Episodes: Scaling and Exiting Multiple Tech CompaniesCreating M&A Value Through TechnologyFrom Economics to Learning to Code to Building a Multi-Million Tech Co.

What can an M&A attorney bring to the table when selling a business? Jessica Fairchild, a corporate and M&A attorney for over 20 years, answers this question and many more. She discusses why it is so important to work with a lawyer who knows how the M&A process works, knows what your goals are, and understands the key issues of your business when they are negotiating for you. She highlights the need to prepare for a sale as early as possible and build a team of good advisors to help you throughout the sales process. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Basics | The Letter of IntentBusiness Exit Plan & Strategy Checklist | A Complete GuideThe Role of M&A Lawyers When Selling Your BusinessNon-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) | A Complete Guide for M&AJessica Fairchild Discusses Key Considerations for Founders Looking to Sell Their Business Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & WestfieldMorgan & Westfield Listen to Other Episodes: What Are You Getting Into When You Want To Sell Your Business?The Human Side of M&A LawExit Planning Strategy

What are the two most important things to know before starting the journey to sell your business? Chris Younger, with Class VI Partners, answers this question and many more. He discusses the fundamentals of selling a middle-market company, the importance of preparation and planning ahead, looking for a buyer with the right fit, building a growth plan that can survive due diligence, and the amount of stress involved in a sale and what an owner can do to manage the stress and inevitable problems that crop up. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: M&A Due Diligence | Checklist & OverviewM&A Due Diligence PreparationM&A Basics | Why Do Business Owners Sell Their Business?Business Exit Plan & Strategy Checklist | A Complete Guide Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your BusinessA Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & Westfield Listen to Other Episodes: What It Takes To Sell Your Company for a PremiumPreparing Your Company for Due Diligence Exit Planning Strategy

Consider the M&A world as science versus art. This fascinating discussion looks at acquisitions as transformations. Jay Goldman, author, and co-founder of Sensei Labs, defines enterprise and portfolio orchestration, discusses how automation, collaboration, and software can help build more value in an organization, looks at how a company can execute better on value creation and go beyond closing the deal to place the emphasis creating a more durable, repeatable, and scalable model for long-term value creation. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Tech & Software M&A Dynamics Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your BusinessA Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & Westfield Listen to Other Episodes: Virtual and Augmented Reality M&ADigging Into the World of Fintech and Private Capital MarketsEight Key Elements to Creating Business Value

A successful partnership was recently formed when Ed Gardner of Descartes led the acquisition of GroundCloud, founded by David Leland. They both discuss the acquisition process, from David’s decision to look for a partner to Descartes’ decision to make an offer. This discussion walks through the process from management presentations through the offer stage, due diligence, closing, and post-closing, with tips, advice, and insight into the thought processes that went into each stage of the acquisition. View the complete show notes for this episode. Learn More: Tips on Preparing Your Business for Sale7 Steps to Sell a Business FastStrategies for Maintaining ConfidentialityM&A Due Diligence | Checklist & OverviewM&A Basics: The Letter of Intent Additional Resources: The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business.A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal | AcquiredPlanning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today.Morgan & Westfield Listen to Other Episodes: The Highs and Lows of Growing A Business Through AcquisitionsWhat It Takes To Sell Your Company for a PremiumExit Planning Strategy