M&A Advisor Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Brent Baxter, CEO of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), to break down what’s really happening in the middle market M&A landscape.

From rising deal flow and extended private equity hold periods to the growing role of AI in value creation, Brent shares insider insights backed by decades of experience and data from across the dealmaking ecosystem.

We explore why 2026 is shaping up to be a “...

Closing a transaction in today's volatile market requires more than just a willing buyer and seller—it demands a relentless commitment to execution. In this episode, a panel of seasoned experts, including Tom Goldblatt, Derek Swanson, and Steven Nigro reveal the unvarnished truths of getting deals across the finish line.  

From managing "deal fatigue" and screaming sellers to building institutional-grade transaction committees, this...

Founders and boutique owners often fear that selling to a global giant means losing the culture and quality that made them successful. In this episode, Chip Register, CEO of Arno, explains how his "super boutique" model uses a "do no harm" integration strategy to reach $1 billion in revenue.  

Learn how to use the "Four Cs" framework—Completeness, Connectedness, Claim, and Quality—to identify high-perfo...

In a transaction environment defined by regulatory shifts and economic uncertainty, data-driven intelligence is the only path to certainty. Joe Mantone, U.S. Financial Institutions News Desk Manager at S&P Global Market Intelligence, delivers a sober, evidence-based assessment of the 2025 M&A landscape.  

This masterclass for Founders, PE partners, and corporate leaders reveals why total global deal value has surged 19% to i...

Before focusing solely on operational checkboxes and financial due diligence, dealmakers often found their integrations derailed by cultural friction and unforeseen crises; however, after adopting Shawn Whiteside and Corey Massella’s leadership-first framework, they can build the trust and resilience necessary to protect deal value and navigate any post-close storm. 

In this masterclass on leadership and resilience, Shawn Whiteside...

Middle-market dealmakers now face aggressive 30-day sprints instead of 60-day windows. In this episode from the 2025 LID Summit, Dan Lee, Marc McCabe, Jeffrey Michelson, and Erika Highland reveal how to protect value under extreme time pressure. Learn how AI-driven Quality of Earnings (QofE) and Reps & Warranties insurance bridge the indemnity gap.  

Discover why independent sponsors are the new power players in private equity. ...

Before achieving his greatest success, Ricardo Lacerda navigated the peak of global finance at Goldman Sachs and Citibank during historic world crises; however, after launching BR Partners in the wake of the 2009 financial collapse, he transformed from a corporate banker into the architect of Latin America’s leading independent investment bank.  

Ricardo Lacerda (Founder and CEO of BR Partners) joins Jack Butler to share a rare look...

In this special keynote from the 2025 FOD Summit, moderator Roger Ado sits down with a distinguished group of industry icons: the original Thomas Farrell Memorial Award Honorees. Featuring Jacob Voorhees (2025 Winner), David Deutsch, Tony Caudle, Bobby Blumenfeld, and Ramsey Goodrich, this conversation moves beyond the balance sheet to the human side of dealmaking. 

Discover the "dairy farm ethics" that drove Jacob Voorhee...

Is your deal team tracking the right metrics, or just the loudest ones? While financials tell part of the story, they often mask the "Inhomogeneous Structure" that devalues a target before the ink is dry. In this briefing, we deconstruct the operational roadmap required to bridge the gap between a "good" deal and a "great" one.

👉 Stay ahead of the next cycle. Subscribe to M&A Alerts for your definitive daily source of premium t...

Many investors find themselves caught between aggressive capital strategies and the slow friction of regulatory oversight. In this episode, Wilbur Ross—legendary restructuring expert and former US Secretary of Commerce—shares masterclass lessons from his memoir, Risks and Returns. Discover how to navigate the "speed gap" between private sector execution and government bureaucracy, and why mastering the "three buckets...

Is your leadership philosophy built on a "Signal" or just market noise? 📡 While many focus strictly on the exit, lifelong entrepreneur George Zimmer reveals why the most enduring deals are driven by operational passion and employee-centric scaling. In this briefing, we deconstruct his transition from a $2.5B public market cap to the agile, online model of Generation Tux.

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In the high-stakes world of AI and technology M&A, most deals fail not because of financial engineering, but because of a lack of cultural alignment. In this episode, Puneet Arora (EY-Parthenon) and Satish Raman (Fractal) discuss the "three Cs"—culture, comfort, and chemistry—that dictate the success of hyper-growth integrations. Learn how to navigate the shift from historical data to predictive AI and why maintaining transpare...

Is a standard balance sheet fix enough to save a failing entity, or are you just delaying the inevitable "Chapter 22"? 📊 In this briefing, we explore why many modern restructurings fail to address the underlying business model and how "Band-Aid" deals from the pandemic era are finally coming due.

👉 Stay ahead of the next cycle. Subscribe to M&A Alerts for your definitive daily source of premium transaction ...

Stop wasting years in Chapter 11 litigation! Learn directly from Jay Goffman, the inventor of the pre-pack, how to save distressed companies quickly and cost-effectively. In this episode with Derek Hunter, Jay reveals the mindset shift from "warrior" lawyer to creative business problem-solver. Don't let your firm be left behind—master this mindset and accelerate your deal-making craft today. 

• [0:02:00] Meet Jay Gof...

Before facing a complete liquidation due to irreconcilable governance friction and an unsustainable capital structure, Icon Aircraft’s stakeholders were stuck in a multi-year deadlock; however, after the expert intervention of Thomas McCabe, Sam Newman, and Neil Gupta, they successfully navigated a complex Chapter 11 process to preserve the value of a revolutionary aerospace product. 

Thomas McCabe (GlassRatner), Sam Newman (Sidley ...

Most insurance agency owners fear that rising interest rates have killed their exit valuations—but the data suggests otherwise. In this episode, Jason Murgio and Steven Nigro reveal why the fee-based distribution market remains red-hot despite economic friction.  

Learn how to navigate the shift from risk-bearing carriers to high-margin agencies and where private equity is still deploying aggressive capital. Discover how to turn you...

Before entering 2025 with high expectations only to face a challenging first half and a sluggish deal volume, market participants struggled to find momentum in a complex economic landscape; however, after analyzing the recent surge in large-cap deals and integrating Gen AI into their due diligence processes, dealmakers are now equipped with the creative structures and technological speed needed to dominate the 2026 market.  

EY lead...

In an era defined by rapid policy shifts and shifting consumer behavior, uncertainty has become the only constant in the restructuring world. In this episode, industry veterans Lisa Donahue and J. Gregory Milmoe join Richard Goldman to dissect the distress signals emerging in the electric vehicle, renewable energy, and oil and gas sectors.  

From the impact of AI on professional services to the "genius tax" on high-tech ta...

Institutional investors often misread the Latin American market as a monolith of volatility, leaving significant value on the table. In this episode, Alexandre Pierantoni (Kroll) and Ricardo Lacerda (BR Partners) break down the structural shift from currency risk to regulatory uncertainty in Brazil and the wider region.  

Discover how local entrepreneurship and private capital are driving a record 1,400 announced transactions despit...