Evolving M&A Strategy with a Buyer-Led M&A™ Approach
Michael Belluomini, Senior Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions, Carson Group
In this episode, Kison Patel sits down with Michael Belluomini to unpack how Carson Group scaled its M&A strategy—shifting from internal partner investments to sourcing proprietary external deals at volume. Michael shares tactical insights into managing concurrent transactions, building a sourcing engine, and executing with precision. You’ll learn how Carson Group structures deals, builds trust with sellers, and navigates both seller-led and Buyer-Led M&A™ with intention and speed.
Things You’ll Learn:
- The differences between Buyer-Led and Seller-Led M&A—and when to use each
- How Carson Group built a scalable sourcing engine across multiple deal channels
- Strategies for managing 3–5 concurrent deals without burning out internal teams
- Why culture fit and trust are non-negotiables in M&A success
Carson Group is a national financial services firm offering wealth management, coaching, and partnership support to financial advisors and investors. With more than $30 billion in assets under management, Carson Group empowers advisors through cutting-edge technology, personalized planning, and a values-driven culture. Founded in 1983 by Ron Carson, the firm continues to grow through both organic channels and strategic M&A, while investing heavily in advisor development and next-generation leadership.
Michael Belluomini
Michael Belluomini is the Senior Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at Carson Group. With over 20 years of experience in financial services and business development, Michael leads the firm’s external M&A strategy—focused on proprietary sourcing, strategic growth, and deal execution. Since joining Carson, he’s played a pivotal role in scaling the company’s M&A program to support its mission of building a national footprint through intentional, high-quality acquisitions.
Episode Transcript
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