The M&A Science Podcast

Every company must have a strong capital allocation strategy to maximize its potential. Without it, the company may end up missing opportunities and spending money on things that won't help it grow or become more profitable. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Keith Levy, Operating Partner at Sonoma Brands, shares his experience on successful and unsuccessful capital allocation strategies.

Private equity firms are established for the sole purpose of generating substantial financial returns for its investors. And one of the most effective ways of maximizing investment returns is the roll up strategy. This involves buying small-sized businesses in a highly fragmented industry and combining them into a larger platform. The goal is to improve efficiency and be sold later for a higher price. In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, we will discuss roll up strategy in private equity with Gerry Williams, Partner at DLA Piper US LLP.

In a world where change is the only constant, businesses are continually seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. One such method that has gained prominence is the corporate diversification strategy, a multifaceted approach that can lead to new growth avenues and enhanced resilience. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A at EIS Holdings, discusses corporate diversification through M&A.

Before doing M&A, it is crucial for acquirers to target the right business, in the right market. Otherwise, it could potentially be a costly mistake that would waste the company’s time and money. To prevent this, Andrey Galiuk, Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, shares his expertise on how to perform strategic due diligence in M&A.

In the ever-evolving business world, staying ahead isn't just about what a company does today, but how it prepares for tomorrow. This is where a venture capital arm comes into play. It is a specialized division within a larger company that focuses on investing in emerging startups and innovative projects. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, George Kellerman, VP, Head of Investments & Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota and Alexander Baum, Corporate Development Lead at Woven by Toyota, share their experience on how to stand up a venture capital arm.

There is an intimate tie between M&A strategy and corporate strategy. To be truly effective, acquisitions must directly support the overarching goal of the company. But beyond that, there needs to be a strategic alignment with everyone involved. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Camilo Franco, Director, M&A Integration and Operations at Jamf, shares their secrets on how to achieve strategic alignment from top to bottom.

Most of the biggest M&A failures of all time are caused by culture clashes. Both companies cannot simply co-exist with each other, and instead of creating more value, they destroyed both of their businesses. This is why cultural due diligence is crucial in M&A. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, shares his expertise on how to perform cultural due diligence to better understand the target company.

Engaging in M&A activities just for the sake of doing them is one of the biggest reasons for failed deals. Without a well-defined purpose, these transactions can distract the business and waste massive amounts of resources. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Baljit Singh, Corporate Development Leader, discusses the importance of strategic alignment between M&A and corporate strategy.

Problems don’t usually surface at the early stages because it's the honeymoon phase. Both the buyer and the seller would like to see the deal happen, so they work together to build momentum. And often that means postponing dealing with some of the more difficult and contentious issues. However, these M&A challenges are inevitable and will arise as the deal progresses. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Douglas Barnard, former Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Advisor at CF Industries, discusses effective strategies to overcome M&A challenges.

M&A valuation isn’t just about looking at the numbers. There are a lot of different factors that affect and contribute to the volatility of the M&A market. In this episode, Allan Marks, Global Project, Energy & Infrastructure Partner at Milbank, discusses how business cycles affect M&A valuation.

When executing M&A, having a structured approach to validating the acquisition plan is crucial. The worst thing any acquirer can do is to buy a business that doesn’t bring value to the parent company. Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds, shared his insights on the M&A Science Podcast, outlining a meticulous 6-step process his company uses. Here’s a breakdown of these steps to help professionals streamline their M&A strategy.

A lot of times, M&A integration is considered only after closing the deal. It is often treated as an afterthought, and this approach is where many deal failures stem from. If we want to improve our M&A process and get better results from deals, we have to start updating our practices to the most efficient way of doing things. In this episode, Seema Nimmagadda, Head of M&A Integration for North America at Woven by Toyota, discusses how to master M&A integration.

In a highly competitive market, speed is crucial for companies wanting to do M&A. Especially with all the economic and market changes that’s happening, professionals must use M&A best practices to get better deals. In this episode, Brent Baxter, Chief Executive Officer at Association for Corporate Growth, and Jeff Giles, VP, Corporate Development at Core & Main, share their strategies and experiences when executing successful M&A.

It's common to see due diligence and integration as separate stages in M&A, but combining them can make the M&A process much smoother and more effective. But how exactly can we weave these two critical phases together effectively? In this episode, Amy M Weck, VP, M&A and Integrations at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, offers practical strategies in connecting diligence and integration in M&A for optimal outcomes.

In M&A, it’s very common for buyers and sellers to disagree on the value of the business. If both parties cannot agree on the price, the deal could fall apart. However, there are certain strategies and tools that both parties can use to compromise and be happy during closing. In this interview, John Blair, Partner M&A Attorney at K&L Gates, shares best practices on how to bridge valuation gaps in M&A.

In the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), creating an effective team is crucial for success. This process can be complex and demanding, but also immensely rewarding. After all, having an internal team means having the capability of acquiring companies in the future, rather than treating M&A as one-time event. In this episode, Birgitta Elfversson, Non-Executive Director at Netlight, shares her experience in transforming existing staff into M&A experts.

Navigating cross border M&A is one of the most challenging tasks for deal makers. There are a lot of intricacies involved that are unique to each country, and must be handled delicately. In this article, Jake Lin, Head of Corporate Development at Xendit, shares his best practices when executing cross border M&A, particularly in South East Asia.

In today’s competitive global market, organizations need to leverage every tool in their arsenal to stay ahead of the curve. One of the best ways to do this is strategic M&A. With the right approach, M&A can drive significant growth, unlock fresh opportunities, and expedite the achievement of strategic business goals. In this episode, Yoav Zeif, CEO at Stratasys, shares his experience on achieving business growth through strategic M&A.

Every owner loves their business. This makes selling their company even harder than it already is. But aside from the emotional turmoil that founders go through every exit, there are also a lot of intricacies included in the process. In this interview, Russ Heddleston, Co-founder & former CEO of DocSend, discusses the challenges of sell-side M&A and how to navigate them.

Partnering with PE firms is a great way to exponentially grow a business and reach new heights. However, there are considerations that must be taken into account, before taking PE capital. Fully understanding them will increase chances of success, in the attempt to unlock the full potential of the business. In this interview, Jason Mironov, Managing Director at TA Associates, discusses the pros and cons of taking PE capital.

When times are good, big companies tend to ignore their smaller business units, as they operate smoothly on their own. It is only when the economy gets tough that these little businesses get more attention, and often seen as off-strategy or a distraction. That's when the company's leaders decide it's time to sell them, which is not ideal, as the business is no longer in their prime, making it harder to sell. In this episode of M&A Science podcast, Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital, joins us to share his best practices on how to sell a small business without a broker.

Selling your business is never easy. Aside from the emotional stress that it provides, it can also be detrimental to the business if it's sold to the wrong company. Oftentimes, during the process, it can also serve as a massive distraction to the operations, harming the business in the process. In this episode, we will discuss how to create a positive sell side M&A experience with Swapnil Shinde, CEO at Zeni.

Revenue synergies are often the reason for companies doing acquisitions. However, unlike cost synergies that happen instantly, they are more difficult to achieve and often go unrealized. One of the biggest problems in M&A is that when a company pursues a deal, different departments have varying perspectives on what's essential. This results in massive value leaks in the deal rationale. In this episode M&A Science Podcast, Chris Von Bogdandy, Global Lead M&A Solutions at Slalom, discusses his framework for realizing revenue synergies in M&A.

While ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a fairly new term, it represents a range of critical issues and priorities that companies have long considered. And despite common beliefs, it doesn’t just apply to non-profit organizations. ESG elements are essential for risk management and maintaining company value even for for-profit organizations. In this episode, we will discuss focusing on ESG in M&A, featuring Casey Nault, SVP, General Counsel, and Chief ESG Officer at Coeur Mining, Inc.

M&A is a never-ending web of complexities and challenges. While the potential for growth and transformation is promising, the chances of failure are extremely high. To increase chances of success, acquirers must learn how to be adaptable and work with the target company for alignment. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Brock Blake, Co-Founder and CEO of Lendio, shares his techniques on M&A best practices.