Martinka Consulting's Getting the Deal Done Podcast

John & Jessica Martinka
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Informative insights and conversations with owners, CEOs, M&A dealmakers, and other professionals on lessons learned, tips, current business conditions, and more.

  1. 14h ago

    Tips on Selling Good Businesses with Mark Hartmann

    Mark shares his journey from helping family members buy a business to becoming a full-time business intermediary. He explained how he sold his company Ethicare Advisors in 2017 and has been helping other entrepreneurs with business transactions for the past 8 years. Mark and his wife Shelby Rhodes run their business together. Mark discusses his four key rules for business sales, including focusing on profitable businesses and working with sellers he likes, with a preference for deals ranging from $1 to $25 million in enterprise value. He noted that there is significant opportunity in the $1-5 million range on the East Coast and discussed how a generational shift is creating opportunities as boomers sell to his generation and millennials. John agreed with Mark's market positioning, noting that while a predicted tsunami of business sales didn't materialize, there has been a steady wave of opportunities. Mark stressea the importance of business owners being prepared for exit strategies and emphasizes the value of coaching and accountability in improving business value. He outlines key actions owners should take, including cleaning up financial books and de-risking vendor, customer, and employee relationships. Mark and John discussed the importance of de-risking a business for potential buyers, particularly focusing on owner dependency. Mark explained his "kidnap test" concept to assess how critical an owner is to the business's operations. They noted that buyers typically look for situations where owners can be replaced, and Mark's typical clients are older business owners looking to retire rather than those planning to work for the buying company. Mark can be reached at at mark@hartmannrhodes.com and hartmannrhodes.com.  John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    34 min

  2. Jul 6

    Transitioning from Founder to Family with Paul and Brian Riemer

    Paul and Brian Riemer are second-generation owners of Riemer Insurance, a family-owned all-lines insurance agency in Miami founded in 1978 by their father Steven. The brothers discuss their transition into leadership roles, with both completing MBA programs while working in the business, and their gradual ownership transition that was gifted to them rather than purchased.   They explain how they grew the company to near 80 employees across five offices licensed in 50 states, operating in commercial lines, personal lines, employee benefits, and life insurance while maintaining a "family first, business second" culture. The discussion covers their competitive advantages including senior-level client attention, quick decision-making, and strong carrier relationships, as well as challenges in people management and maintaining personal service while scaling operations.   They share insights on family business transitions, emphasizing the importance of patience, open communication, and letting team members learn from mistakes, while noting that technology advancement and leadership development were key areas where they exceeded their father's approach. They can be reached at www.riemerinsurance.com.   John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    26 min

  3. Jun 30

    Chapter Six from Exit With Style, Grace and More Money - Due Diligence, aka Prove It

    Chapter six is all about what buyers will ask you, which means everything about every subject. (If they don't, I wouldn't have faith in the buyer.) Take a listen. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    43 min

  4. Jun 29

    Learn How to Grow by Substraction with Yarin Gaon

    Yarin was an entrepreneur in residence in a venture capital firm, and what that means in simple terms is, he was the in-house entrepreneur for the fund, and his job was to take distressed assets and basically startups that ran out of money and turn them around. For about 3 years, he volunteered as a business mentor in the University of Chicago, and in SCORE, mentoring about 400 different founders, and saw interesting themes.  That led him to kind of quit his venture capital job and start Fraction Partners, to help growth companies grow profitably. So, there's a difference between revenue and profits, we know that, but a lot of companies can grow top line, but have a very difficult time growing bottom line. And Yarin is hyper-focused on bottom line, so what he does is help them find their path of least resistance to growing profitably.  Listen for more on the why and how of what he does. You can reach Yarin at www.fractional.partners John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    30 min

  5. Jun 15

    How Big Wins Come From Small Losses with Haren Bhakta

    Learn how business owners can apply lessons from successful companies to improve their own businesses. Haren shares his experience acquiring a company in Las Vegas, highlighting issues with leadership and suggesting ways to increase business value by reducing bureaucracy and incentivizing employees.  He initially found the publicly traded micro-cap company in 2016 when it was down 99% from its high, and after launching a proxy contest in 2019, he successfully joined the board in 2019. The company faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic when the entire show business shut down, leading to bankruptcy by 2022, which he and his team then purchased out of bankruptcy. He identified several operational issues, including lack of website presence, poor management structure, and inadequate incentives for staff. Haren worked directly in one of their retail locations to understand the business better and implemented changes including cutting the CEO's salary and rewarding frontline staff. The pany was successfully sold to a show producer in 2023 after Haren's revival efforts. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    25 min

  6. Jun 11

    Current Events with Nick Anderson of OneAccord

    A little different this time. Nick and I discuss and have some pointed discussions on: Washington State Economic PoliciesBusiness Environment ChallengesEnterprise Value Creation  in Light of the New Tax PoliciesWhat All this Means to local philanthropyBoeing's Impact as the GrowWill People Actually Leave to Avoid WA Taxes John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    39 min

  7. Jun 2

    Founder Mistakes - Instagram versus Reality with Entrepreneur Josh Resnikoff

    Sunstone Health operates as a voluntary employee benefit for self-funded employers, providing a white-glove service to help families with neurodivergent children or missing milestones navigate the healthcare system more efficiently, reducing the typical 7-year journey to 12 weeks. Josh discussed the importance of building a company centered around delivering something meaningful, rather than just seeking profit. He emphasizes the need to attract passionate people who are excited about the mission, sharing examples from his previous companies including one focused on reducing plastic waste. Josh explains that finding the right people often requires trial and error and being willing to let go of those who don't align with the company's goals. We discuss the importance of networking in building successful businesses, explaining how personal connections can significantly reduce the effort required to vet potential partners or employees. He emphasizes the common misconception among founders about the "Instagram versus reality" of entrepreneurship, noting that many aspiring entrepreneurs unrealistic expectations about quick success and large exits, when most successful entrepreneurs are typically in their 40s and have built on previous experiences.  One important topic discussed was the challenges of delegating responsibilities to high-performing team members as a founder, emphasizing the importance of learning to share credit and allowing others to grow. He highlights the need for founders to develop resilience and grit, as well as the ability to find and empower talented individuals who can contribute to the company's success. He also stresses the importance of understanding what motivates different team members, whether through equity or other incentives, and adapting management strategies accordingly. John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    31 min

  8. May 26

    Successful Business Transitions with Mark Coleman

    Mark discusses his background in management consulting and publishing, which ed to the creation of Convergence Mitigation Management (CMM) in 2010-2012. He explains how CMM facilitates peer-to-peer engagement between public and private sector leaders to address challenging issues, including environmental liabilities and technology innovation. This conversation ends with John introducing a topic about the transition of business value from baby boomers to the next generation. Mark then discusses the ongoing generational shift in wealth and business ownership, noting that while the impact of the "silver tsunami" hasn't fully materialized yet due to postponed retirements and COVID-era challenges, a significant transition is expected over the next decade. He highlights challenges in succession planning for family-owned businesses, where younger generations often lack interest in continuing the family business. Mark identifies an opportunity for business owners to preserve their legacy by transitioning to new owners, particularly noting that acquiring small to medium-sized businesses remains one of the best pathways into the business sector. John and Mark discuss the increased interest in buying businesses, noting that while more potential buyers exist now than in the past, many never follow through with purchases. They highlight the importance for business owners to carefully select qualified buyers who possess the necessary financial resources, management skills, and alignment with the business's values and legacy. Mark shares a specific example of a manufacturing company that successfully balanced profitability with sustainability, only to face challenges during a business transition, underscoring the complexities involved in selling a legacy business. They finish by discussing the challenges in private equity transactions, particularly the difficulty of selling businesses that have been cut to the bone. They note that while private equity focuses on EBITDA and short-term profitability, this approach can create a bubble that eventually collapses. Mark emphasizes the importance of maintaining the innovative DNA of enterprises beyond just financial metrics.  John Martinka Jessica Martinka Contact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our blog pages with new posts weekly. https://nokomisadvisory.com/ https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/ https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.com https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos  425-515-4903

    32 min
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Informative insights and conversations with owners, CEOs, M&A dealmakers, and other professionals on lessons learned, tips, current business conditions, and more.

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