This Is M&A Podcast

Most CEOs think value equals revenue and EBITDA.
Buyers think differently.
In this episode of This Is M&A, Lindsey Wendler, Managing Director at 414 Capital, breaks down what buyers actually score you on, what you need to have in order before going to market, and what quietly kills deals before they close.
Lindsey advises lower middle market companies on M&A, capital raises, and restructures across industries from roofing and landscaping to staffing and legal services. She is a Certified M&A Advisor and Certified Business Appraiser, Vice Chair of the AM&AA, and incoming President of that organization. She has been on both sides of the table — as an advisor and as a founder who started a business abroad and raised capital in Geneva, Switzerland.
In this episode, you will learn:•  Why recurring revenue, management depth, and technology resistance matter more than most sellers realize•  How buyers use a valuation scorecard to raise or lower your multiple•  Why owner dependency is one of the most common deal limiters in the lower middle market•  What a Quality of Earnings report actually does for your valuation•  The silent deal killers showing up in diligence right now — from EBITDA disputes to I-9 compliance
Learn more about Lindsey and 414 Capital: Website: https://414capital.com/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lindseywendler/
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
Want to become our next guest? Sign up or subscribe: https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
#thisismapodcast #mna #mergersandacquisitions #exitplanning #middlemarket #founders #valuation #privateequity

The cash runs thin. Debt piles up. The market turns against you. This is distress.
In this episode of This Is M&A, Phil Cassel, Managing Director at Cassel Salpeter & Co., breaks down the early warning signs most founders miss, the playbook for protecting value under pressure, and why moving fast is the single most important thing you can do when things start to go wrong.
Phil started his career at Alvarez & Marsal in the Turnaround and Restructuring Group, worked in private equity at Rialto Capital, and joined his father in building Cassel Salpeter & Co. into a 15-person boutique investment bank based in Miami. He has guided companies through distressed M&A, bankruptcy proceedings, and healthy transactions across healthcare, manufacturing, technology, consumer products, and more.
In this episode, you will learn:
The early warning signs that your business may be heading toward distress
Why the most common mistake in distressed M&A is not moving fast enough
How to retain key people, manage suppliers, and preserve value when cash is tight
Why bankruptcy is not a dirty word and how it can actually protect jobs
What a Quality of Earnings report does for your deal and why it pays for itself
How lessons from distressed deals apply directly to healthy transactions
Learn more about Phil and Cassel Salpeter & Co.: Website: https://casselsalpeter.com/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/philipcassel/ Email: pcassel@cs-ib.com
🔗 Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
Want to become our next guest?  Sign up or subscribe: https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
#thisismapodcast #mna #distressedma #restructuring #privateequity #founders #exitplanning #turnaround

James Marciano has built four companies, sold several, invested in a dozen more, and now helps founders exit. He has sat at every seat at the table — founder, angel, LP, banker — and he came out of retirement because he saw that most investment banks only close 35% of their deals.
Last year, Tuck Advisors closed 100% of theirs.
In this episode of This Is M&A, James breaks down what it actually felt like to build in the chaos of the early internet, what founders today are getting wrong with capital, and the tactical moves that matter most when it is time to sell.
In this episode, you will learn:•  What building a startup in 1995 taught James that still applies today•  Why raising too much capital is often just as dangerous as raising too little•  How companies are bought, not sold — and what a UFO can cost you if you are not prepared•  Why you should never tell a buyer your number•  The one thing James would change across all four of his startups
Learn more about James and Tuck Advisors: Website: https://tuckadvisors.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marciano/ Email: justjames@tuckadvisors.comSpecialties: Education, healthcare, sustainability, safety, pet industry
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
Want to become our next guest? Sign up or subscribe: https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.
01:00 - The Man Who Closed 100% Of His Deals Last Year08:15 - What Building A Startup Felt Like Before The Internet Existed13:20 - He Raised $6 Million Three Days Before The Dot-Com Cras19:15 - Why You Should Think About Selling Before You Even Star27:40 - How One Phone Call Doubled A $10 Million Exit43:10 - Why Growing Up Poor Might Be The Best Business Training
#thisismapodcast #mna #founders #startups #exitplanning #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

Education is undergoing a fundamental shift driven by policy, capital flows and AI.
Trace Urdan, Managing Director at Tyton Partners, joins This Is M&A to break down what is really happening beneath the surface and how buyers, founders and investors should be thinking about the sector today.
With nearly 20 years of experience covering the global knowledge market across equity research and investment banking, Trace explains how regulation, consolidation and technology are reshaping outcomes in ways most dealmakers overlook.
In this episode, you will learn:•  Why nonprofit consolidation introduces a different kind of deal complexity•  How AI in education is separating real platforms from hype•  What policy changes reveal about timing, valuation, and buyer behavior
 
📌 Learn more about Trace:Website: https://tytonpartners.com/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/traceurdan/Email: turdan@tytonpartners.com
🎙 Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
📢 Follow This Is M&A Podcast:https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
📩 Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and Spotify
 
00:00 Intro00:03:30 The Unique World of Nonprofit College M&A00:07:50 When Culture Derails Deals Before They Start00:10:19 AI in the Classroom: Separating Hype from Reality00:18:49 How to Spot Real AI vs. Marketing Fluff in EdTech00:28:04 When Policy Kills Deals: Navigating Regulatory Risk00:35:04 The Path from Wall Street to Education M&A
#thisismapodcast #mna #privateequity #education #edtech #founders #valuation

Most M&A deals do not fail at signing. They fail after close.
Rachel Smith, Vice President of Nota Consulting, joins This Is M&A to break down the human side of post-merger integration and why culture is revenue.
Rachel has led integration efforts on multi-billion-dollar transactions, including execution on a $3.1B acquisition that delivered nearly $100M in cost savings. In this episode, she shares what actually drives post-close value creation and where leadership teams go wrong.
You’ll learn:•  Why culture directly impacts revenue and execution•  The danger of surrounding yourself with yes-people•  How to win buy-in at every level of the organization•  What carve-outs teach leaders about operating under impossible deadlines•  How to execute integrations without burning out your team
If you are a CEO, private equity leader, or corporate development executive navigating M&A integration, carve-outs, or enterprise transformation, this conversation is for you.
Learn more about Rachel and Nota Consulting:Website: https://notaconsulting.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/rachelesmith1/Email: rsmith@notaconsulting.com
Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and Spotify.
👀 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/L3utNE2wGTY
#thisismandapodcast #mergersandacquisitions #postmergerintegration #carveout #privateequity #leadership #dealexecution
00:00 Intro03:11 Why Culture Is Revenue (And It’s Not About Perks)05:49 The Critical Need for Buy-In at All Levels10:30 The Danger of Egos and "Yes People"21:48 Executing a Carve-Out on an Impossible Deadline 
 

Every founder eventually faces it:Raise capital, recapitalize, or sell?
Matt Plooster, CEO & Co-Founder of Bridgepoint Investment Banking, joins This Is M&A to break down how founders should think about control, liquidity and timing.
With over $41B in completed transactions and experience at Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, Matt shares how to:
Raise growth capital without losing control
Structure recapitalizations the right way
Know when it is truly time to sell
Run the private equity playbook without private equity
Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Bridgepoint Investment Banking advises middle market companies on capital raising and M&A across healthcare, industrials, consumer, transportation, and technology sectors.
Learn more about Matt and Bridgepoint:Website: https://bridgepointib.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/matt-plooster-6b91741/Email: mplooster@bridgepointib.com
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and all streaming platforms.
#thisismapodcast #mna #founders #capitalraising #privateequity

Founder-owned exits are rarely clean breaks. In this episode, Nick Cipiti of CriticalPoint reveals the psychology behind partial exits and how buyers can structure deals where the founder wants to stay involved.
Nick is a Managing Director at CriticalPoint with over a decade of experience in middle-market M&A. He specializes in founder-led transactions, carve-outs, and private equity deals where structure and alignment matter as much as valuation.
With personal stories and tactical insight, Nick breaks down:• Why seller motivation isn’t always what it seems• How sponsors behave under dry powder pressure• The structures that align incentives without eroding trust
Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Learn more about Nick: Website: criticalpoint.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-cipiti-7b099b9/Email: ncipiti@criticalpoint.com
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and Spotify.
#thisismapodcast #mna #founders #privateequity #liquidityevent

Cross-border deals are tough and only a few teams get them right.
Feng Han has executed 100+ transactions in over 13 countries across healthcare, life sciences, and MedTech. In this episode, he reveals the red flags sellers miss, why strategic fit matters more than you think, and how international acquirers are behaving in 2026.
With decades of experience at Henry Schein, Fosun, and Pagoda Capital, Feng now leads Laurel Hollow Capital as Managing Partner.
Founders and dealmakers will walk away with practical tools for avoiding value erosion in international M&A.
📌 Learn more about Feng:  Website: laurelhollowcapital.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/feng-han-55b1901Email: feng.han@laurelhollowcapital.com
🎙 Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/📢 Follow This Is M&A Podcast:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/

Selling your company is not as straightforward as it seems.
In this episode of This Is M&A, Hitesh Nathani, Managing Director at CriticalPoint, reveals the myths that quietly destroy value, and what every founder, operator, and acquirer needs to understand before and after the LOI.
With 19+ years of experience across valuation, private capital, and operating strategy, Hitesh exposes what really happens when private equity gets involved and why most companies fail to realize the value they expect. Founders, operators, and investors will walk away with a clearer view of what it takes to sell well, avoid post-close chaos, and command attention from serious buyers.
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Connect with Hitesh Nathani: Website: criticalpoint.com Email: hnathani@criticalpoint.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hiteshnathani/
 
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/ Follow This Is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
 
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:45 Myth 1: “I’ll talk to bankers when I’m ready to retire” 07:02 Myth 2: “Selling my business is straightforward” 13:33 Myth 3: “I don’t need a banker—PE firms are calling me” 23:24 Hidden risks of engaging buyers directly 27:01 Myth 4: “The highest price is always the best deal” 34:44 Seller priorities beyond price (legacy, culture, outcomes) 35:00 Myth 5: “I don’t need a QOE report” 44:00 Hitesh’s Why: Why I left EY for founder-focused work 46:00 Conclusion And Contact Information

Can you scale from zero to $1.2B in under 2 years? Alan Gessel has... five times! In this episode, the CEO of Graystone Corporate breaks down how he built operations, raised capital, and managed risk while scaling at extreme speed.
Alan Gessel is a serial founder, investor, and the current CEO of Graystone Corporate. His resume spans C-suite roles at global firms like Aramark and Sodexo, and his leadership has taken teams from five to 4,500 employees. With over 30 years across buy-side, sell-side, and capital raises, Alan blends operator instinct with strategic depth.
Want to become our next guest? Sign up or subscribe for weekly updates 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Learn more about Alan Gessel: Email: alan@graystonecorporate.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/alangessel/ Website: https://www.graystonecorporate.com/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/graystonecorporate/ 
Connect with your host, Steven Monterroso: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/ Follow This Is M&A on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:31 The First Move You Must Make To Grow Fast 05:34 Why Top Performers Are 400% More Productive 10:31 The Critical Difference Between Growth And Scaling 14:45 The "Beware Of Squirrels" Rule For Founders 24:09 Systems You Need Before You Hit The Gas 32:08 Bootstrapping Vs. Raising Capital: How To Choose 45:01 Conclusion And Contact Information