This Is M&A Podcast

There is a seismic shift in M&A, and most founders are not ready for it. AI is not just transforming products, it is rewriting valuation models, exit timing and competitive strategy.
In this episode, Bob Cronin, Managing Director at Telegraph Hill Advisors, breaks down how AI is reshaping SaaS and software deals, why AI native companies are earning extreme multiples, and what CEOs need to do before the window closes.
Connect with Bob Cronin:Website: telegraphhilladvisors.comEmail: bob@telehilladvisors.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robertncronin/
Connect with your host Steven MonterrosoFollow Steven Monterroso: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/Follow This is M&A Podcast: sharevault.com/this-is-ma
00:00  Intro03:41  How AI Is Disrupting Traditional SaaS Valuations08:13  Why AI Companies Are Getting 25-150x ARR Multiples17:25  When Should Founders Exit In This Accelerating Market?31:00  Why Small AI-First Companies Are Outpacing Giants40:32  The 12-15 Month Warning: Adapt Or Sell Now

What makes a company attractive to buyers?
It is not revenue alone.
In this episode of This Is M&A, Jordi Pujol, CFA, Managing Director at Objective, Investment Banking & Valuation, explains the financial and operational fundamentals that influence valuation, deal interest, and buyer confidence.
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Connect with Jordi: Website: objectiveibv.comEmail: Jordi.Pujol@objectiveibv.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jpujol1/
Follow your host, Steven Monterroso: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/ Follow This is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/
 

Taxes may not kill your deal outright, but they can quietly destroy its value. Christine “Chrissy” Green, Member and Tax Attorney at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, reveals how middle-market dealmakers can use tax strategy as a competitive edge.
Chrissy works across buy-side and sell-side M&A in the middle market. She covers federal, state and international tax. She also led firm efforts on the Corporate Transparency Act.
Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe to get updates 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
 
Learn more about Christine Green:Website:  steptoe-johnson.comEmail:  Christine.Green@steptoe-johnson.comLinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/christine-green-37b9b3138
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/

If you wait for perfect timing, you will pay for it. In this market, time either adds zeros or kills deals.
Ben Boissevain is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ascento Capital Invest. A boutique investment bank laser-focused on tech M&A. He specializes in sell-side mandates for high-growth companies in the $20M to $220M range. Regular on Bloomberg TV and Fox Business News.
Subscribe and follow This Is M&A Podcast: www.sharevault.com/this-is-ma

Why are the biggest food brands selling off assets? They know something most founders don't.
Ross Colbert joins This Is M&A to discuss the new food & beverage M&A landscape and why revenue multiples are outdated, while EBITDA discipline and distribution are the key drivers of real value.
Ross Colbert is a Managing Director at Carter Morse & Goodrich with over three decades of experience in the global beverage industry. He has worked on over 100 transactions and brings battlefield insights from KPMG, Capstone Partners, and advising high-growth founders.
Connect with Ross Colbert: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ross-colbert-664a5710/ Phone: (203)203-0057
Connect with Carter Morse & Goodrich: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/carter-morse-goodrich/ Website: cartermorse.com YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCCNhdbjdfly0X8PDE76UuFw
Follow our host Steven Monterroso: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This is M&A Podcast on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/this-is-m-a/

Most founders think selling their business takes three months. The reality? Try 8 to 12 months. And that's if everything goes right. 
 
Listen to the podcast: https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Connect with Juan Ortega:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanortega27/Newsletter: https://nighteaglestrategies.comFollow Steven Monterroso: linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/ Follow This Is M&A Podcast: linkedin.com/showcase/this-is-manda
2:42 - Emotional readiness for the 8-12 month grind 06:44 - Founder as quarterback with the right advisory team 10:28 - Beyond EBITDA: building a transferable asset story 14:16 - Post-sale reality: when the music stops 23:28 - Integration planning as biggest M&A risk 27:15 - The golden question: Why would somebody buy this business today?

Why do most M&A deals crumble after the ink dries? Diane Weinheimer reveals the hidden traps. Diane Weinheimer, CEO and founder of AviatrXX, is a change management expert with over 30 years of experience steering post-merger integrations for giants like Nike, CBRE, Visa, and Chevron. Also, the author of Invisible Forces at Work, decoding workplace conflict.
Learn more about Diane at:Website: aviatrxx.comEmail: diane@aviatrxx.comLinkedIn: AviatrXXResource: Invisible Forces at Work by Diane Weinsheimer
Follow Steven Monterroso:linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/Follow This is M&A on LinkedIn:linkedin.com/showcase/this-is-manda
Want to become our next guest?Sign up or subscribe to get updates 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/

Dealmaking without the B.S.
Welcome to This is M&A — the podcast that takes you inside the real world of mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and strategic growth. Each episode dives into the high-stakes decisions behind the deals that shape industries — what works, what doesn’t, and what leaders wish they’d known sooner.
Hosted by Steven Monterroso, CEO of ShareVault, This is M&A brings honest conversations with dealmakers, founders, investors, and advisors who live and breathe transactions. Whether you’re raising capital, preparing for an exit, or leading corporate development, you’ll gain insider insights to help you move smarter and faster.
Subscribe now and join the community of professionals redefining what it means to get deals done.
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