Top M&A Entrepreneurs Jon Stoddard

Ever thought about being an M&A Advisor? Watch this video about Denis Mezheritkiy's journey to learn if the gig is right for you.

When Denis Mezheritskiy inherited his parents' trucking company, he saw an opportunity to merge it with his wholesale distribution business, creating a more robust operation. Facing challenges like low margins and perishable goods, Denis refined his strategy to enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
His entrepreneurial journey didn't stop there. Denis ventured into the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) sector, learning to differentiate the roles of business brokers and M&A advisors. He emphasized the importance of clean financials and organized operations for successful transactions, drawing from his experience with deals ranging from $100,000 to $23 million.
In a revealing conversation with Jon Stoddard, Denis shared key insights about the M&A industry, including valuation techniques, due diligence, and the intricacies of negotiating deals. His advice is invaluable for those interested in M&A, highlighting the blend of financial acumen and relationship-building necessary to thrive.
For more in-depth insights, watch the full interview where Denis dives deeper into the challenges and complexities of buying and selling businesses.
Buy a Million-Dollar Business in 2024

Running a startup during a global pandemic can feel like navigating through a storm. This is the story of Joe Davey, the entrepreneur behind the tech startup Banzai.

Starting with venture capital backing, Joe’s venture began to gain momentum, but the arrival of COVID-19 put everything at risk. Faced with the potential collapse of his company, Joe needed to make a critical decision quickly.

He proposed a strategic pivot to his investors: acquiring two companies that could provide the necessary stability and growth. This move not only saved Banzai but also set it on a new path forward. Following this, the company ventured into the public markets through a SPAC to support its expansion.

However, the challenges were far from over. Despite a promising start, the SPAC's value fell dramatically from $10 to just 30 cents a share. Despite these setbacks, Joe Davey's journey with Banzai is a lesson in persistence, adaptation, and the realities of navigating a startup through unpredictable times.

Watch the video to see how Joe's decisions shaped the future of Banzai and what it takes to keep a dream alive in the face of adversity



00:00 Introduction and Background
07:07 Adapting to the Impact of COVID-19
12:35 Acquisitions: High Attendance and Demio
26:01 Going Public and Seeking Acquisitions
35:19 Lessons Learned and the Importance of Resilience

www.dealflowsystem.net

Jordan Evans, an accidental M&A Roll-Up entrepreneur, shares his journey of acquiring his family's language service business and turning it into a successful roll-up strategy. He discusses the importance of earning and learning while working for someone else, the value of self-teaching and optimizing for roles that provide real-world experience. Jordan emphasizes the need to be willing to do every role in a small business and the importance of understanding cash flow and financials. He also shares his experience with buying multiple businesses, the challenges and successes of the roll-up strategy, and the importance of building relationships with brokers and sellers. In this conversation, Jon Stoddard discusses his experience with acquiring and integrating multiple businesses. He shares insights on the challenges and strategies involved in the acquisition process, including finding the right deals, managing integration and personnel changes, and dealing with difficult sellers. He also emphasizes the importance of focusing on people and building trust with the acquired companies. Jon highlights the benefits of outsourcing and hiring overseas, particularly in Latin America, to reduce labor costs and improve cash flow. He also discusses the role of off-the-shelf software in streamlining operations and maximizing efficiency. Jon concludes by sharing his plans for future acquisitions and the potential for growth in the fragmented service industry.

Keywords

roll-up strategy, language service business, acquiring a business, earning and learning, self-teaching, real-world experience, cash flow, financials, buying businesses, challenges, successes, relationships with brokers and sellers, acquisitions, integration, personnel, outsourcing, cash flow, software, growth

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
02:38 Transitioning from Employee to Entrepreneur
08:26 The Benefits of Buying a Business
14:44 Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced
29:45 Creating Generational Wealth
36:18 The Importance of Sales and Representation
37:14 Navigating the Acquisition Process
39:06 Building Trust and Maintaining Goodwill
40:05 Maximizing Cash Flow through Outsourcing
44:16 Expanding the Scope of Acquisitions
48:03 Challenges with Working Capital
52:46 The Benefits of Off-the-Shelf Software
56:06 Overcoming Blind Spots and Evolving as a Leader
01:02:43 The Journey of Finding the Right Deals
01:04:40 Walking Away from a Deal
01:06:01 Reassessing Capital Allocation

Ross Turner Raised $235 Million for Ecomm Acquisitions in the Women's niche

Summary

Ross Turner shares his journey from digital marketing to raising $235 Million for acquiring e-commerce companies. He started in direct response and grew a successful survivalist company before transitioning to direct response e-commerce. 

Ross emphasizes the importance of copywriting and driving traffic to generate revenue. He also discusses the value of paying for courses and finding the right business partner. Ross and his partner have created a roadmap to build a billion-dollar enterprise value company. 

They have secured support from investors and are expanding their business by opening new offices and exploring project financing and corporate bonds. Ross Turner shares his journey of navigating the e-commerce landscape and building a portfolio of successful companies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the industry's language and terminology and the value of learning by doing. 

Ross discusses the scalability strategy his organization employs and the key pillars for driving profit in e-commerce businesses. He also highlights the significance of women leadership in achieving growth and success. Ross shares his long-term goals and exit strategy, aiming to sell the company for a billion or more and impact the underserved SME market. He emphasizes the importance of building the right team and cultural fit and preparing for potential challenges and black swan events.

Duke Heninger's journey from CFO to acquisition entrepreneur is a tale of resilience, adaptation, and learning. Taking on a failing restoration company, Duke faced the steep challenges of an industry built on trust and relationships, grappling with cash flow issues and operational hurdles. 

An unexpected large job opportunity provided a lifeline, allowing him to stabilize the business temporarily. However, the relentless challenges of sales, finances, and the impacts of COVID-19 led 
Duke to a critical decision: selling the company. 

This journey, filled with regret, trials, taught him invaluable lessons on due diligence, cash forecasting, and the essence of building genuine relationships. 

Now a fractional CFO, Duke's experiences have equipped him to guide other entrepreneurs through their financial challenges with empathy and effectiveness. #Entrepreneurship #Resilience #BusinessGrowth #Leadership