M&A Talk (Mergers & Acquisitions), by Morgan & Westfield Morgan & Westfield

Private equity (PE) firms are the most active buyers in the market, so sellers need to understand how they operate. Matt Coyne offers expert advice on how to make selling your middle-market company to a PE firm the best option. He discusses what PE firms look for in a company, the benefits and concerns when considering selling to a PE firm, tips on how to work with them, how the finances are typically structured, and what an owner can expect once they sell.
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What You'll Learn
The Basics of PE Firms: Learn about private equity, who the investors are, and the 10-year plan once they’ve bought your company.  What PE Firms Look For: PE firms are often the best buyers for hard-to-sell companies, whether they are making a platform acquisition or an add-on acquisition. Considerations for Owners: Sellers need to consider how long they are willing to stay on after the sale and how they will be compensated when selling to a PE firm. Benefits and Challenges: PE firms are very good at growing companies, but they won’t buy 100% of your business. Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes What Returns Do Private Equity Firms Really Generate?
The Basics of Selling Your Business to a Private Equity Firm
Understanding Private Equity – A Primer for Sellers

M&A integration expert Ben de Haldevang shares insights into what can make post-acquisition integration smooth and successful. The integration structure evolves through the diligence process and can help defy false optimism and outlooks that are not based on reality. 
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Want More? Related Resources: 
M&A Post-Closing Technical Aspects - Morgan & Westfield M&A Due Diligence | Checklist & Overview - Morgan & Westfield M&A Post-Closing Technical Aspects - Morgan & Westfield Save the Silver Bullet: The small steps to successful transformation by Ben de Haldevang Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes:
Managing Personality and Cultural Differences When Selling Your Business - Morgan & Westfield How Your Employees Can Impact the Value of Your Business Helping the Buyer Integrate Your Company with Theirs - Morgan & Westfield  

M&A disputes post-closing are more common than people realize. Disputes arise from different sources for different reasons and can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation costs. Bill Wiersema returns to M&A Talk to offer expert advice on how to best prepare during the sales process to avoid potential disputes after the closing. He discusses the three most common areas of dispute and the value of having expert advisors to navigate financial due diligence to prevent issues from arising.
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Learn More About This Episode:
M&A Basics | The Letter of Intent – Morgan & Westfield Earnouts When Selling or Buying a Business | Complete Guide – Morgan & Westfield The M&A Training & Transition Period – Morgan & Westfield Net Working Capital (NWC) for M&A – A Complete Guide – Morgan & Westfield Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes:
Expert Advice on Preparing for Due Diligence in Middle-Market M&A - Morgan & Westfield How to Avoid Mismatched Expectations with Buyers - Morgan & Westfield Avoiding Pitfalls in Financial Due Diligence When Selling a Business

Don’t underestimate the role and impact of human nature in M&A transactions and the power of collaboration. Julienne Baron discusses connecting the dots in M&A, including communication, the importance of advisors understanding the details in a deal, and knowing the right questions to ask to make it all a success. She shares tips on successfully navigating risk, how cultural differences impact communication, and the importance of hands-on experience in addressing the complexities of any M&A transaction.
View the complete show notes for this episode.
Learn More About This Episode
Business Valuation: A List of Factors to Consider Business Valuation Process: What is Your Process? Can I Sell my Business to a Non-US Citizen or Foreigner? M&A Basics | Why Do Business Owners Sell Their Business? M&A Purchase Agreement | A Complete Guide Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes:
How an M&A Attorney Can Help Sell Your Business Managing Personality and Cultural Differences When Selling Your Business Maximizing Profits: Key Insights on Preparing a Company for Sale from an Experienced M&A Attorney The Practical Side of M&A They Don’t Teach in Law School  

M&A is part art and part science, and sellers and buyers can benefit from considering the view from the other side of the negotiating table. Andrew Morbitzer goes into detail about where the art and science lie in M&A transactions. He discusses the concept of proactive vs. reactive M&A strategies, what to learn from past failed acquisitions, the lifecycle of an acquisition – from strategy to alignment, to commitment, to integration – and how to transfer this science to successful transactions.
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Learn More:
M&A Guide | The 4 Types of Buyers of Businesses Why Do Some Businesses Not Sell? What Affects How Easy It Will Be to Sell My Business? M&A Due Diligence | Checklist & Overview Selling Your Business? Hire an Attorney to Increase the Bottom Line Allocation of Purchase Price & Taxes When Selling a Business Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes:
A Buyer’s Perspective — Why the Human Side is More Important Than Money in M&A Transactions A Look Inside the Head of a Strategic Buyer How an M&A Attorney Can Help Sell Your Business.

The world of alternative investments is complex but compelling for middle-market business owners and entrepreneurs to understand. Kimberly Flynn discusses how M&A fits into the world of asset management. She defines alternative investments, explains how they fit into investment portfolios, discusses institutional money management, looks at how private equity and VC firms utilize M&A, considers options for raising capital, and speculates on the future of alternative investments and the potential impact on M&A.
View the complete show notes for this episode.
Learn More:
Business Valuation & Return on Investment (ROI) M&A Basics: Building a Sellable Business M&A Seller Financing: A Complete Guide Additional Resources:
Planning to sell your business? Schedule a free consultation today. Download a free PDF copy of The Art of The Exit: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Business, Acquired: The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue, and Food and Beverage M&A: An Insider’s Guide to Selling a Food or Beverage Manufacturing, Distribution, or Grocery Business. Purchase your copy now of A Beginner’s Guide to Business Valuation | The Exit Strategy Handbook | Closing the Deal To suggest guests, topics, or questions for future podcast episodes, contact Morgan & Westfield. Listen to Other Episodes:
A VC’s Advice on Increasing the Value of Your Business How to Determine When a Business is Ripe for Investment Understanding Private Equity – A Primer for Sellers