Artificial Intelligence has taken the world by storm, and there seems to be no way of stopping it. Every industry in the world has adopted AI, and M&A is no different. The integration of AI is revolutionizing how deals are sourced, evaluated, and executed. In short, AI is becoming an indispensable tool for M&A professionals.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we discuss how to make AI practical in M&A featuring two AI specialists: Michael Bachman, Head of Research, Architecture, and AI Strategy at Boomi, Chris Cappetta, Principal Solutions Architect at Boomi.
Things you will learn:
• Retrieval augmented generation
• Large language models
• Discriminative vs Generative AI
• Fine-tuning
• Agents
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Intro
03:07 Making AI practical
04:36 Retrieval augmented generation
10:07 Large language models
13:15 Discriminative vs. Generative AI
16:37 Fine tuning
22:14 Agents
28:46 Real-life use cases of AI
The technology industry is currently experiencing significant growth, particularly with the emergence of artificial intelligence. This trend has not only attracted significant investments but has also intensified the competition among tech companies striving to lead the market. This has made the tech space a prime area for M&A. Boomi is one of those companies who have recently made a significant move via acquisitions.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we will discuss how to source deals in the tech space with Steve Lucas, CEO of Boomi.
Things you will learn:
• Approach on strategy
• Acquiring capabilities
• Deal sourcing in M&A
• Building relationships
• Negotiations during M&A
This episode is sponsored by DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Intro
10:16 Boomi’s approach on strategy
16:32 Acquiring capabilities
18:55 Deal sourcing in M&A
22:12 Building relationships
25:45 Convincing someone to sell their business
30:51 Example of pitch
32:31 Negotiations during M&A
36:08 Tips on negotiating
38:45 M&A at Boomi
41:43 Making integration successful
47:26 AI in M&A
52:44 Boomi’s future
45:26 Craziest thing in M&A
Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital.
Here at M&A Science, our goal is to bring you the best and most effective techniques to improve your M&A practice.
In light of our 300th podcast episode, we have compiled the top 10 things that make M&A successful, together with Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital.
Things you will learn:
Alignment in the shared vision of the end-state
Cultural alignment
Reverse Diligence
Continuous learning and improvement
Empathetic leadership
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
05:58 Alignment in the shared vision of the end-state
10:51 Cultural alignment
15:03 Joint Go-to-market planning pre-LOI
20:24 Parallel diligence and integration planning
24:33 Reverse Diligence
27:13 Communication strategy with stakeholders
32:37 Continuous learning and improvement
35:16 Anticipate functional challenges
39:52 Empathetic leadership
44:47 Proper preparation
47:56 Craziest thing in M&A
Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President Corporate Development at Progress (NASDAQ: PRGS)
When it comes to M&A, time is of the essence. As a buyer, it’s best to identify whether to pursue the deal or not as soon as possible, to avoid wasting money and time. Also, if the seller is a good target company, procrastinating could lead to more competition.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President Corporate Development at Progress, shares their strategy on how to close deals in 30 days.
Things you will learn:
• Initial conversations with the target company
• Price negotiations
• Preliminary due diligence list
• Deal specific adjustments
• Confirmatory due diligence
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
04:16 Initial conversations with the target company
08:56 Price negotiations
12:33 Preliminary due diligence list
17:05 When to ask questions
18:34 People Involved
19:10 Sales and Go-to-Market
21:02 Revenue Synergies
23:43 Customer Journey
24:26 Surprises
27:40 Customer Success
28:46 Financials
32:11 Red flags in people
32:47 Information Technology
34:28 Legal
36:48 Marketing
39:19 Breakdown of COGS
41:30 Benefits Template
42:56 Operating Expenses
43:58 General
44:58 Deal specific adjustments
45:56 Processing the preliminary diligence information
47:11 Confirmatory due diligence
50:40 Craziest thing in M&A
Steven Freidkin, CEO and Founder of Ntiva, Inc. and Christopher Vollmond-Carstens, Chief M&A Officer at Ntiva, Inc.
In a highly fragmented industry, roll-ups are a great growth strategy. But integrating multiple entities can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a proven framework. Ntiva has been successful in its M&A strategy and has completed 15 acquisitions as of today.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Steven Freidkin, CEO and Founder of Ntiva, Inc. and Christopher Vollmond-Carstens, Chief M&A Officer at Ntiva, Inc., share their strategy on how to execute the roll-up strategy in the tech industry.
Things you will learn:
• Creating value using a roll-up strategy
• Evaluating a target company
• Importance of recurring revenue
• Red flags pre-LOI
• Biggest advice for first-timers
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
08:04 Creating value using roll-up strategy
12:38 Pitching to private equity
18:32 Evaluating a target company
22:30 Importance of recurring revenue
23:35 Customer Concentration
26:42 Challenges of doing roll-ups
30:36 Mismanaging M&A
37:52 Deal Sourcing
43:46 Red flags pre-LOI
46:53 Deal structure on roll-ups
51:52 Biggest advice for first-timers
52:46 Craziest thing in M&A
Kyle Price, Chief of Staff & Corporate Development at Roblox
Creating a dedicated M&A function can be daunting for non-acquisitive companies. It’s a big commitment that could take away valuable time and resources from top level management. However, when done right, corporate development muscle can be built slowly, and organically.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kyle Price, Chief of Staff & Corporate Development at Roblox, shares his experience on how to start an M&A function slowly and successfully from scratch.
Things you will learn in this episode:
• When to build an M&A function
• Importance of the people side in M&A
• Working with business leaders
• Evolution of corporate development
• Handling biases in the M&A process
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
04:10 When to build an M&A function
07:40 Challenges of a high-growth company doing M&A
08:45 Lessons learned along the way
10:39 Importance of the people side in M&A
12:57 Integration planning
14:39 Working with business leaders
16:42 Deal sourcing
17:24 Overcoming anti-M&A culture
22:04 Team alignment from functional leads
24:02 M&A surprises
25:59 Setting up new leaders for success
28:07 Evolution of corporate development
33:15 Measuring corporate development activity
34:20 Incentivizing the team
35:03 Handling biases in the M&A process
43:33 Craziest thing in M&A
Ivan Golubic, CFO | Corporate Development M&A at FastLap Group
Roll ups are a great strategy for highly fragmented industries. It allows the platform company to increase its size, capabilities, and market presence through the acquisition and integration of other businesses. However, it can be challenging without a proper framework.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ivan Golubic, CFO, Corporate Development M&A at FastLap Group, shares his experience on how to start executing roll up strategy in M&A from scratch.
Things you will learn:
• Setting up the roll up strategy
• Valuation on roll up strategy
• Building the operating strategy
• Dealing with capital providers
• Biggest lessons learned doing roll up strategy
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
03:01 Transitioning from Corporate Development to CFO
07:39 Setting up the roll up strategy
12:26 Importance of industry expertise
14:10 Proactive approach to expanding industry expertise
16:11 Valuation on roll up strategy
22:10 Building the operating strategy
24:54 Dealing with capital providers
28:37 Building your pipeline
30:45 Pitching to the PE firm
35:48 Explaining your M&A process to investors
38:46 Building your M&A team
40:42 Monitoring Cost
42:05Success metrics
49:25 Utilizing Technology
50:45 Importance of a unified platform
52:58 Biggest lessons learned doing roll up strategy
56:39 Future trends in the roll up space
57:33 Craziest thing in M&A
Jim Buckley, Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions Integration at VMware
Integration planning is one of the most important aspects of M&A pre-close. Planning after the fact will cause massive delays and value leaks for the entire deal. It is why the integration team must be involved during the due diligence phase.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we will talk about how to create an executable integration plan during the diligence, featuring Jim Buckley, Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions Integration at VMware.
Things you will learn in this episode:
• How to work as an integration leader
• Building an integration plan
• Pre-LOI integration planning
• Connecting diligence with integration planning
• Defining 'done' in M&A integration
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
04:41 Navigating corporate transitions
08:31 Aligning the integration leader with the north star
10:02 How to work as an integration leader
11:25 The role of an integration lead
13:31 Building an integration plan
16:25 Focus on revenue and integration
18:51 Pre-LOI integration planning
25:08 M&A due diligence
27:37 Employee integration and customer satisfaction
29:56 Connecting diligence with integration planning
36:20 Approach to team collaboration
39:06 The details of integration plan
41:11 Complexities of M&A integration planning
44:57 Aligning with the target company
46:46 Defining 'done' in M&A integration
49:12 Integration teams leading due diligence
51:38 Leveraging diligence data for effective planning
53:13 Advice for M&A practitioners
55:45 Craziest thing in M&A
Keith Levy, Operating Partner at Sonoma Brands
Every company must have a strong capital allocation strategy to maximize its potential. Without it, the company may end up missing opportunities and spending money on things that won't help it grow or become more profitable.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Keith Levy, Operating Partner at Sonoma Brands, shares his experience on successful and unsuccessful capital allocation strategies.
Things you will learn in this episode:
• Strategy vs IRR
• Venture capital vs recapitalization strategy
• Minority vs majority recapitalization
• Evaluating exit strategy
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
11:27 Focusing on organic growth
16:37 Post-merger integration execution
25:01 Strategy vs IRR
26:59 Handling projections
28:07 Integration with Mars
36:20 Role of an operating partner
42:07 Big company vs Small company in M&A
43:39 Venture capital vs recapitalization strategy
48:44 Cashing out from an owner’s perspective
50:42 Minority vs majority recapitalization
54:03 Impact of valuations and interest rates on investment decisions
59:07 Timing on investments
1:01:25 Evaluating exit strategy
1:03:46 Advice for practitioners
1:05:41 Craziest thing in M&A
Gerry Williams, Partner at DLA Piper US LLP and a member of their management committee.
Private equity firms are established for the sole purpose of generating substantial financial returns for its investors. And one of the most effective ways of maximizing investment returns is the roll up strategy. This involves buying small-sized businesses in a highly fragmented industry and combining them into a larger platform. The goal is to improve efficiency and be sold later for a higher price.
In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, we will discuss roll up strategy in private equity with Gerry Williams, Partner at DLA Piper US LLP.
Things you will learn this episode:
• Industries susceptible to roll up strategy
• Challenges of executing roll up strategy
• Negotiating the LOI in roll up strategy
• Typical deal structure in roll up strategy
• Employing Earnouts in roll up strategy
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to firmroom.com
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
04:06 Industries susceptible to roll up strategy
06:22 The trend of roll up strategy in private equity
10:42 Complexities of Roll up strategy
15:52 Challenges of executing roll up strategy
20:32 How to mitigate risks
24:19 Managing multiple roll up businesses
26:49 Negotiating the LOI in roll up strategy
33:00 Breakup fees on private deals
35:57 Typical deal structure in roll up strategy
43:24 Employing Earnouts in roll up strategy
48:07 Unique negotiations during LOI
49:31 Do’s and Don’ts of executing roll up strategy
52:57 Craziest thing in M&A
Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A at EIS Holdings
In a world where change is the only constant, businesses are continually seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. One such method that has gained prominence is the corporate diversification strategy, a multifaceted approach that can lead to new growth avenues and enhanced resilience.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A at EIS Holdings, discusses corporate diversification through M&A.
Things you will learn:
• Corporate diversification strategy
• Drivers of corporate diversification
• People involved in corporate diversification
• Projecting revenue synergies
• Closing deals with competition
This episode is brought to you by the M&A Science Spring Summit 2024 happening on April 10th at 10AM ET. It's your chance to join leading M&A experts as they share innovative and the latest trends from their own deals. Save your spot here.
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
02:55 Corporate diversification strategy
03:32 Drivers of corporate diversification
05:22 People involved in corporate diversification
08:00 Communicating the diversification strategy - The number one step
08:51 Customer overlaps on deals
11:17 Capital Allocation
13:41 Proprietary deal vs Bank Deal
15:22 Deal Sourcing
17:57 Closing deals with competition
19:22 Cultural integration
22:03 Handling resistance
23:21 Measuring Success
24:31 Projecting revenue synergies
26:09 Earnouts
30:31 Letter on intent exclusivity
32:10 Combining diligence with integration using DealRoom
36:42 Using DealRoom with Sellers
40:02 Advice for practitioners doing corporate diversification
40:30 AI in M&A
46:34 Craziest thing in M&A
Andrey Galiuk, Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations
Before doing M&A, it is crucial for acquirers to target the right business, in the right market. Otherwise, it could potentially be a costly mistake that would waste the company’s time and money.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Andrey Galiuk, Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, shares his expertise on how to perform strategic due diligence in M&A.
Things you will learn:
• What is strategic due diligence
• How to perform strategic due diligence in M&A
• Entering the right market
• Finding the right target company
• Biggest challenge when performing strategic diligence
This episode is brought to you by the M&A Science Spring Summit 2024 happening on April 10th at 10AM ET. It's your chance to join leading M&A experts as they share innovative and the latest trends from their own deals. Save your spot here.
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
11:17 What is strategic due diligence
16:25 How to perform strategic due diligence in M&A
25:00 Entering the right market
38:05 Finding the right target company
41:25 When to perform strategic due diligence
42:38 Proactive vs. Reactive deal sourcing
44:33 Importance of culture
47:05 When to start integration planning
49:11 Red flags during strategic diligence
50:33 Assessing incoming people
51:20 Biggest challenge when performing strategic diligence
George Kellerman, VP, Head of Investments & Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota and Alexander Baum, Corporate Development Lead at Woven by Toyota
In the ever-evolving world of business, staying ahead isn't just about what a company does today, but how it prepares for tomorrow. This is where a venture capital arm comes into play. It is a specialized division within a larger company that focuses on investing in emerging startups and innovative projects.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, George Kellerman, VP, Head of Investments & Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota, and Alexander Baum, Corporate Development Lead at Woven by Toyota, share their experience on how to stand up a venture capital arm.
Things you will learn:
• How did Woven by Toyota got started
• Successfully start a venture capital arm
• Leadership in managing people
• Biggest Lessons Learned
• Dealing with cultural difference
This episode is brought to you by the M&A Science Spring Summit 2024 happening on April 10th at 10AM ET. It's your chance to join leading M&A experts as they share innovative and the latest trends from their own deals. Save your spot here.
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Episode Bookmarks
*George Kellerman
00:00 Intro
06:15 From firefighter to M&A
09:49 How did Woven by Toyota got started
11:19 Project Kate
12:58 Pitching the shift in strategy
14:31 Woven Capital’s strategy
16:48 How to successfully start a venture capital arm
19:45 Leadership in managing people
22:03 Biggest lessons learned
26:00 A change in strategy
27:04 The Woven City Project
31:11 Dealing with cultural difference
35:40 Craziest thing in M&A
*Alex Baum
39:34 Noticing cultural differences in Japan
42:11 Relocating to Tokyo
44:07 New York vs Japan culture
45:28 Work culture in Japan
48:32 Rubber stamp approval in Japan
49:51 Balancing American and Japanese culture
51:27 Maintaining alignment
52:09 Craziest thing in M&A
Camilo Franco, Director, M&A Integration and Operations at Jamf
There is an intimate tie between M&A strategy and corporate strategy. To be truly effective, acquisitions must directly support the overarching goal of the company. But beyond that, there needs to be a strategic alignment with everyone involved.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Camilo Franco, Director, M&A Integration and Operations at Jamf, shares their secrets on how to achieve strategic alignment from top to bottom.
Things you will learn:
• How to achieve strategic alignment
• Strategies for effectively communicating M&A plans
• Tools used to maintain alignment
• Connecting diligence and Integration
• Advice for integration practitioners
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This episode is brought to you by the M&A Science Spring Summit 2024 happening on April 10th at 10AM ET. It's your chance to join leading M&A experts as they share innovative and the latest trends from their own deals. Save your spot here.
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
08:45 Definition of strategic alignment
10:31 How to achieve strategic alignment
12:51 Relaying M&A strategy against corporate strategy
13:54 Getting buy-in from team members
15:37 Overcoming anti-M&A culture
18:44 Strategies for effectively communicating M&A plans
21:21 Alignment with the integration team
23:51 Formulating the integration thesis
26:37 Role of steering committee
28:04 Communicating decisions with the broader organization
29:30 Managing integration without IMO
32:09 Ensuring company readiness for integration
34:11 Gauging M&A readiness
36:06 Side effects of burnout people
37:25 Defining the end of integration
39:30 Tools used to maintain alignment
43:32 Agile M&A
44:46 Connecting diligence and integration
48:13 Using integration templates
50:36 Advice for integration p
Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group.
Most of the biggest M&A failures of all time are caused by culture clashes. Both companies cannot simply co-exist with each other, and instead of creating more value, they destroyed both of their businesses. This is why cultural due diligence is crucial in M&A.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, shares his expertise on how to perform cultural due diligence to better understand the target company.
Things you will learn:
• The person responsible for cultural due diligence
• Executing cultural due diligence
• Using Playbooks
• Successful partnership between Corporate Development and Integration
• Advice for practitioners
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This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at www.dealroom.net.
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
05:11 Person responsible for cultural due diligence
05:54 Importance of cultural due diligence
08:08 Executing cultural due diligence
10:29 Killing the deal due to cultural conflict
14:54 Using Playbooks
17:31 Cultural due diligence during early conversations
20:12 Understanding how the target company makes decisions
22:40 Things to look for during due diligence
25:09 Using questionnaires for cultural due diligence
27:08 Bilateral deal vs. Auction process
30:10 Hardest part of cultural due diligence
32:27 Successful partnership between Corporate Development and Integration
35:33 Subculture due diligence
37:07 Advice for practitioners
38:31 Craziest thing in M&A
Baljit Singh, Former SVP, Global Head of Corporate Development at Nielsen Ventures
Engaging in M&A activities just for the sake of doing them is one of the biggest reasons for failed deals. Without a well-defined purpose, these transactions can distract the business and waste massive amounts of resources.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Baljit Singh, Former SVP, Global Head of Corporate Development at Nielsen Ventures, discusses the importance of strategic alignment between M&A and corporate strategy.
Things you will learn:
• Corporate strategy vs M&A strategy
• Getting the strategy right
• Capital allocation
• Measuring business unit’s success
• Deal structure to preserve cash
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This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to firmroom.com
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Episode Bookmarks
00:00 Intro
05:10 Corporate strategy vs M&A strategy
09:25 Getting the strategy right
11:17 Best ways to pitch deals
13:09 Pillars of corporate strategy
15:50 Capital allocation
21:06 Measuring business unit’s success
24:52 Holding business units accountable
27:20 Why take a public company private
33:51 Steps to take a public company to private
38:11 Real life examples
48:29 Deal structure to preserve cash
54:45 Dealing with reluctant seller
59:30 Craziest thing in M&A
Problems don’t usually surface at the early stages because it's the honeymoon phase. Both the buyer and the seller would like to see the deal happen, so they work together to build momentum. And often that means postponing dealing with some of the more difficult and contentious issues. However, these M&A challenges are inevitable and will arise as the deal progresses.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Douglas Barnard, former Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Advisor at CF Industries, discusses effective strategies to overcome M&A challenges.
Things you will learn:
• Mindset to prepare for M&A
• Overcoming M&A Challenges Between Signing and Closing
• Mitigating Post-Merger Integration Risks
• Biggest Challenges in M&A
• Advice for First-time Acquirers
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This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom.
FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to www.firmroom.com.
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Intro
05:26 Mindset to prepare for M&A
10:26 Strategic Negotiation Tactics
13:03 Having a Foundation of Trust and Honesty
17:31 Assessing Buyer Transparency in Deal Negotiations
20:17 Mastering Valuation and Identifying Synergies
22:43 Identifying and Overcoming Obstacles in the M&A Process
24:40 Uncovering Surprises in Due Diligence
28:53 Utilizing a Private Investigator (PI) in a Deal
29:57 Navigating Complex Negotiation Stages
33:54 Zero-Sum Scenarios in M&A Auctions
35:51 Valuation and Auction Bidding Strategies
37:57 Overcoming M&A Challenges Between Signing and Closing
41:29 Mitigating Post-Merger Integration Risks
46:16 Biggest Challenges in M&A
50:24 Advice for First-time Acquirers
52:51 Craziest thing in M&A
Allan Marks, Global Project, Energy & Infrastructure Partner at Milbank
M&A valuation isn’t just about looking at the numbers. There are a lot of different factors that affect and contribute to the volatility of the M&A market.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Allan Marks, Global Project, Energy & Infrastructure Partner at Milbank, discusses how business cycles affect M&A valuation.
Things you will learn:
• What is a business cycle
• What is a credit cycle
• How business cycle impact M&A valuation
• Common Mistake during M&A valuation
• Importance of culture in M&A
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at dealroom.net.
00:00 Intro
11:00 What is a business cycle
12:41 What is a credit cycle
16:59 Cycle’s impact on energy sector
19:09 How business cycle impact M&A valuation
22:36 Industries most affected by the cycles
26:43 M&A valuation for first-timers
31:47 Importance of culture in M&A
34:23 When to pull of a deal
37:37 Example of failed deals
41:59 Example of good deals
45:43 Common Mistake during M&A valuation
46:43 M&A function maturity
48:02 Other early M&A considerations
49:15 Craziest thing in M&A
When executing M&A, having a structured approach to validating the acquisition plan is crucial. The worst thing any acquirer can do is to buy a business that doesn’t bring value to the parent company.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds, shares the meticulous 6-step process his company uses to validate their acquisition plan.
Things you will learn:
• Surveying Customers
• Industry Trend Analysis
• Partner vs Build Analysis
• Formulating the strategic rationale
• In-depth Company Analysis and Product Demos
• Drafting a detailed memo
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net
00:00 Intro
08:45 Approaching M&A
18:20 Surveying Customers
23:47 Industry Trend Analysis
28:13 Partner vs Build Analysis
34:12 Formulating the strategic rationale
36:50 In-depth Company Analysis and Product Demos
41:18 Drafting a detailed memo
44:15 Pitching M&A to the board
44:54 Craziest thing in M&A
Seema Nimmagadda, Head of M&A Integration for North America at Woven by Toyota.
A lot of times, M&A integration is considered only after closing the deal. It is often treated as an afterthought, and this approach is where many deal failures stem from. If we want to improve our M&A process and get better results from deals, we have to start updating our practices to the most efficient way of doing things.
In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Seema Nimmagadda, Head of M&A Integration for North America at Woven by Toyota, discusses how to master M&A integration.
Things you will learn in this episode:
• The Ideal Integration Process
• M&A Integration planning pre-LOI
• Setting up an early version of the IMO
• Detailing the M&A Integration Strategy
• Aligning deal goals with integration strategy
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom. FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com
00:00 Intro
04:00 Toyota’s Woven Business Unit
05:00 The Ideal Integration Process
06:53 The Importance of Integration Capabilities
08:52 Integration planning pre-LOI
11:50 Ensuring Adequate Resources and Capabilities during M&A Integrations
13:27 Avoiding early pitfalls for integration
14:40 Key integration milestones from LOI to Close
18:53 Aligning the IMO and Corporate Development
21:49 Adapting mature M&A teams to change
23:28 Setting up an early version of the IMO
25:04 Key people in forming an early IMO
26:16 Detailing the Integration Strategy
29:09 Balancing team autonomy in integration planning
31:56 Maintaining collaboration and progress in integration
34:24 Managing cross-functional dependencies
35:16 Tech stack diversity
36:41 M&A execution checkpoints
38:04 Information gathering challenges pre-close
39:08 Managing vendor dependencies and ensuring transparency
40:12 Balancing functional plans with the master integration strategy
42:04 Securing stakeholder buy-in
43:04 Risks of overlooking integration
44:03 Aligning deal goals with integration strategy
44:36 Identifying when an M&A integration is complete
46:25 Best practices for smooth post-close integrations
46:59 Craziest thing in M&A
Brent Baxter, Chief Executive Officer at Association for Corporate Growth, and Jeff Giles, VP, Corporate Development at Core & Main (NYSE: CNM)
In a highly competitive market, speed is crucial for companies wanting to do M&A. Especially with all the economic and market changes that’s happening, professionals must use M&A best practices to get better deals.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Brent Baxter, Chief Executive Officer at Association for Corporate Growth, and Jeff Giles, VP, Corporate Development at Core & Main, share their strategies and experiences when executing successful M&A.
Things you will learn:
• Target outreach
• Best practices when building relationships
• Challenges of working with private sellers
• Executing agile and efficient Diligence
• Role of technology in the M&A process
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
00:00 Intro
07:12 Getting deals faster
10:35 Target outreach
15:54 Best practices when building relationships
19:47 How to best optimize ACG
22:46 M&A challenges
25:20 Challenges of working with private sellers
29:39 Executing agile and efficient Diligence
34:53 Executing deals during COVID
39:59 Role of technology in the M&A process
42:06 Role of technology in the future
46:47 Craziest thing in M&A
Amy M. Weck, VP, M&A and integrations at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, LLC
It's common to see due diligence and integration as separate stages, but combining them can make the M&A process much smoother and more effective. But how exactly can we weave these two critical phases together effectively?
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Amy M. Weck, VP, M&A and integrations at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, offers practical strategies to align integration and diligence for optimal outcomes.
Things you will learn in the episode:
• Merging separate integration departments
• How to connect diligence and integration
• Fostering a ‘One Team’ Mindset
• Maintaining Team Rhythm in High-Volume Acquisitions
This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom. FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://firmroom.com.
00:00 Intro
04:26 Getting into M&A
06:12 Evolving into integration
07:55 Transitioning from deal team to integration team
09:26 Pre-LOI considerations in M&A
10:40 Merging Corp Dev and Integration Team
13:26 The impact of mindset during transition
15:26 Connecting the two functions
18:42 Keeping teams and workflows aligned
22:14 Biggest challenge in the transition
24:05 The challenge of change management
26:11 Managing new hires in key roles
27:29 Key advice for managing the end-to-end M&A process
34:37 Optimizing the M&A function for a roll-up
36:21 Practical Tips for Learning from Past Due Diligence
38:16 Maintaining Team Rhythm in High-Volume Acquisitions
40:05 Key Strategies to Avoid Failing in Your Integrations
42:02 Key Questions to Ask Before the LOI
43:17 Evaluating Cultural Fit and Red Flags
48:15 Ideal candidate for an M&A role
59:44 Advice to first-time M&A practitioners
1:01:02 Craziest thing in M&A
John Blair, Partner M&A Attorney at K&L Gates
In M&A, it’s very common for buyers and sellers to disagree on the value of the business. If both parties cannot agree on the price, the deal could fall apart. However there are certain strategies and tools that both parties can use to compromise and be happy during closing.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, John Blair, Partner M&A Attorney at K&L Gates, shares best practices on how to bridge valuation gaps in M&A.
Things you will learn in this episode:
•Bridging gaps in M&A Valuation
•Earnouts
•Seller Financing
•Equity structure
•Market’s impact on Bridging M&A Valuation Gaps
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
00:00 Intro
04:13 When to get involved in the M&A Process
07:50 Negotiations during LOI
09:42 Bridging gaps in M&A Valuation
11:09 Using Holdbacks to Bridge M&A Valuation Gaps
13:20 Seller Financing
15:00 Earnouts
16:43 Earnouts on Intellectual Property
18:45 Key Variables in an Earnout
23:14 Earnout payment structure
25:53 Making Earnouts Successful
29:08 Structures of Seller Financing
36:24 Traditional terms of seller financing
38:20 Equity structure
41:04 Stock options
43:52 Minimizing the cash upfront during a sale
46:34 Contents of Letter of Intent
49:14 Advice for first timers
50:01 Craziest Thing in M&A
In the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), creating an effective team is crucial for success. This process can be complex and demanding, but also immensely rewarding. After all, having an internal team means having the capability of acquiring companies in the future, rather than treating M&A as a one-time event.
In this episode, Birgitta Elfversson, Non-Executive Director at Netlight, shares her experience in transforming existing staff into M&A experts.
Things you will learn from this episode:
• Shaping the M&A strategy
• Building an M&A team
• Scaling the M&A Team
• Recruiting competent people
• Managing burnout
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net
00:00 Intro
10:54 Shaping the M&A strategy
12:46 Key elements of the strategy
14:58 Strategy approval
16:10 Challenges on the first acquisition
18:30 Building an M&A team
22:05 Scaling the M&A Team
25:10 Recruiting competent people
26:44 M&A Aptitude test
32:48 Working with consulting firms during M&A
37:17 Setting the external team up for success
39:08 M&A Team structure
39:48 Managing burnout
43:18 Programmatic M&A
49:09 Start up doing M&A
51:47 Integration execution
53:19 Smart collaboration in the future
55:51 Setting integration up for success
58:20 Craziest thing in M&A
Jake Lin, Head of Corporate Development at Xendit
Navigating cross border M&A is one of the most challenging tasks for deal makers. There are a lot of intricacies involved that are unique to each country, and must be handled delicately.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Jake Lin, Head of Corporate Development at Xendit, shares his best practices when executing cross border M&A, particularly in South East Asia.
Things you will learn:
Biggest challenge in Cross Border M&A
Language barrier during Cross border M&A
Managing Cultural Differences during negotiations
Cross border M&A best practices
Integration approach to cross border M&A
This episode is sponsored by the DealRoom.
Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://dealroom.net.
00:00 Intro
05:44 Biggest challenge in Cross Border M&A
08:18 Cross Border M&A without Bankers
09:04 Working with Local Bankers
09:55 Language barrier during Cross border M&A
12:05 Managing Cultural Differences during negotiations
16:01 Managing the Speed of Cross border M&A
17:20 Cultural Differences almost killing the deal
18:48 Countries easiest to work with
21:06 Cross border M&A best practices
22:32 Strategic tips when dealing with Cross border M&A
23:49 Integration approach to cross border M&A
25:37 Negotiating Payment terms
28:59 Computation for stock payments
30:06 Advice for first-timers
30:29 Craziest thing in M&A