Shows
This Is M&A Podcast3 Silent Deal Killers That Destroy Your Business Valuation with Lindsey Wendler | This Is M&AMost 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...
2026-04-2928 minThis Is M&A PodcastTime Kills Deals: A Masterclass on Surviving Distressed M&A with Phil Cassel | This Is M&AThe 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...
2026-04-1534 minThis Is M&A PodcastThe 4x Founder Who Borrowed $60K From His Grandma and Built Four Companies | This Is M&AJames 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...
2026-04-0148 minThis Is M&A PodcastMaking Sense of Turmoil in Education Markets with Trace Urdan | This Is M&AEducation 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...
2026-03-1842 minThis Is M&A PodcastCarve-Outs, Culture & Leadership: What Really Drives Deal Value with Rachel Smith | This Is M&AMost 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 surroundi...
2026-03-0434 minThis Is M&A PodcastThe Founder’s Dilemma: Growth Capital, Recap, or Full Exit with Matt Plooster | This Is M&AEvery 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
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Sign up or subscribe 👉 https://sha...
2026-02-1954 minThis Is M&A PodcastFounder-Owned Exits and Buyer Psychology with Nick Cipiti | This Is M&AFounder-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
•...
2026-02-0537 minThis Is M&A PodcastCross-Border Deals, Red Flags, and What Sellers Get Wrong with Feng Han | This Is M&ACross-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 Fen...
2026-01-2133 minThis Is M&A PodcastBusting the Biggest Myths About Selling Your Business with Hitesh Nathani | This Is M&ASelling 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...
2026-01-0748 minThis Is M&A PodcastFrom Zero to $1B in 18 Months with Alan Gessel | This Is M&ACan 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...
2025-12-1746 minThis Is M&A PodcastMaximizing SaaS Value In The Age of AI with Bob Cronin | This Is M&AThere 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.com
Email: bob@telehilladvisors.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robertncronin/
Connect with your...
2025-12-1046 minThis Is M&A PodcastHow to Build a Company Buyers Actually Want to Buy with Jordi Pujol | This Is M&AWhat 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.
Want to become our next guest?
Sign up or subscribe to get updates 👉 https://sharevault.com/this-is-ma/
Connect with Jordi:
Website: objectiveibv.com
Email: Jordi.Pujol@objectiveibv.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jpujol1/
Follow your host, Steven Monterroso:
link...
2025-11-2542 minThis Is M&A PodcastThe Tax Minefield in Business Sales with Christine Green | This Is M&ATaxes 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-j...
2025-11-1955 minThis Is M&A PodcastStop Quoting 2021 Multiples. Here’s Your Real Value with Ben Boissevain | This Is M&AIf 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
2025-11-1331 minThis Is M&A PodcastThe Hidden Moats & Deal Killers in Food & Beverage M&A | Ross Colbert | This Is M&AWhy 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:
...
2025-11-0442 minThis Is M&A PodcastWhy Buyers Won't Touch Your Business with Juan Ortega | This Is M&AMost 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.com
Follow 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 EBI...
2025-10-3138 minThis Is M&A PodcastWhy M&A Deals Die After Closing (And How to Save Them) with Diane Weinsheimer | This Is M&AWhy 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.com
Email: diane@aviatrxx.com
LinkedIn: AviatrXX
Resource: Invisible Forces at Work by Diane Weinsheimer
Follow Steven Monterroso:
linkedin.com/in/determined2succeed/
Follow This is...
2025-10-3135 minThis Is M&A PodcastThis Is M&A: Introduction (Trailer)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...
2025-10-1500 min