Search Funded: The ETA Podcast

Nick Lall

Interviews with acquisition entrepreneurs and investors to distill the best practices for acquiring and operating established businesses.

  1. What a Legendary Wall Street Insider Looks for in Search Fund Entrepreneurs, William D. Cohan

    JAN 6

    What a Legendary Wall Street Insider Looks for in Search Fund Entrepreneurs, William D. Cohan

    On this episode of Search Funded, we sit down with William D. Cohan, bestselling author, longtime financial journalist, and former Wall Street M&A banker, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans search fund investing, leadership, capitalism, and career reinvention. Before bringing moral clarity to the financial world through his journalism and books including Money and Power, House of Cards, The Last Tycoons, and Power Failure, Bill spent nearly two decades as an M&A banker at Lazard, Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase, and GE Capital. But what many people do not know is that he has also been a search fund investor for many years, backing entrepreneurs in the U.S. and internationally, including a decades-long investment that ultimately exited to the Pritzker family. In this episode, we cover: Why search fund investing appealed to Bill compared to traditional private equity, especially around incentives, fees, and alignment (00:03:30)Patterns he has observed across successful and unsuccessful search fund investments, and why outcomes are often unpredictable (00:06:45)The risk of greed creeping into search funds, parallels to SPACs and private equity, and why modesty still matters in entrepreneur compensation (00:17:52)Bill’s career pivot from Wall Street to journalism after being fired post-9/11, and why taking control of his work and time led to a more meaningful life (00:22:35)Send us a text Find us on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube.

    30 min
  2. Episode 21 - Abhi Golhar, Meridian 84

    04/29/2025

    Episode 21 - Abhi Golhar, Meridian 84

    Abhi Golhar is an entrepreneur, private equity investor, and nationally recognized speaker specializing in business leadership, innovation strategy, and private markets investing. With a track record of founding, scaling, and exiting multiple companies across healthcare, education, and technology sectors, Abhi brings a deep understanding of operational excellence, M&A, and strategic growth execution. He is the Managing Partner at Meridian 84, an investment platform focused on lower middle market acquisitions and roll-ups across healthcare, professional services, and automotive sectors. Abhi also leads capital formation initiatives and portfolio company operations, helping business owners and operators achieve transformative growth and sustainable value creation. A three-time nationally syndicated radio host with more than three million daily listeners, Abhi’s insights on Wall Street, private equity, and innovation have been featured in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Huffington Post. He is a frequent keynote speaker for corporate events and industry conferences, where he equips leaders and organizations to embrace doubt, drive change, and unlock new pathways to success. Abhi is passionate about bridging traditional industries with emerging technologies, advocating for a pragmatic approach to change management, AI adoption, and strategic reinvention. His leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that uncertainty, when navigated skillfully, becomes a catalyst for growth and innovation. Website links: https://www.lafayetteandoak.com https://meridian84.com/ Send a text Find us on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube.

    49 min

About

Interviews with acquisition entrepreneurs and investors to distill the best practices for acquiring and operating established businesses.