Founder and family-owned business owners often struggle to navigate the complex "Silver Tsunami" transition without leaving millions on the table. In this episode, Dena Jallbert of Align explores why private equity is aggressively targeting the lower middle market with buy-and-build strategies.

Learn to fix messy financials and address restrictive assignment clauses before they kill your deal. Transform your "hair-filled" business into a premium asset that attracts institutional-grade multiples. Watch now to master transaction readiness and visit MAAdvisor.com for more.

#MAAdvisor #LowerMiddleMarket #BuyAndBuild

Show Notes

• [00:01:00] Focus on $2M–$20M EBITDA founder-owned businesses

• [00:02:00] Three factors driving PE firms down market

• [00:03:00] Silver Tsunami: Boomers owning 67% of small businesses

• [00:04:00] Buy-and-build strategies vs. single large-cap acquisitions

• [00:05:00] Red-hot demand for "essential" service-based trade businesses

• [00:06:00] Quality gap: Messy financials and succession hurdles

• [00:08:00] Strategic education to bridge unrealistic valuation gaps

• [00:10:00] Consolidation trends in home services and cyber security

• [00:12:00] Navigating supply chain and tariff risks in manufacturing

• [00:14:00] Transaction readiness: Fixing "proverbial hair" before exit

• [00:16:00] 2026 outlook: The "Year of the Bull" for dealmaking
  

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From tinkering with lawnmowers in a suburban garage to steering global financial giants through crisis and innovation—Eric Aboaf’s journey is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and the power of data-driven transformation.In this episode of the M&A Advisor Podcast, Roger Aguinaldo, Founder and CEO of The M&A Advisor sits down with Eric Aboaf, CFO of S&P Global, for a riveting conversation that spans engineering roots, Wall Street resilience, and the future of financial intelligence. Discover how Eric’s passion for “fixing things” evolved from go-karts in a Westchester garage to steering billion-dollar institutions through crisis and transformation.What you'll hear in this episode:• How engineering shaped Eric’s approach to business strategy• Behind-the-scenes insights from Citigroup during the financial crisis• The evolving role of CFOs in the age of AI and data• S&P Global’s vision for growth, innovation, and M&A strategy• Advice for emerging leaders in finance and dealmakingSeasoned dealmaker or rising star? This episode is your front-row seat to bold insights, sharp wit, and game-changing inspiration from one of the most dynamic financial minds in M&A.Tune in now to hear how curiosity, grit, and data-driven leadership can shape a career—and an industry.Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15th & 16th at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummitandhttps://events.maadvisor.com/2025FutureofDealmakingSummitDo you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link:https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribeTill next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!

Uncertainty is over—and the phones are ringing off the hook. Welcome back to the fireside chat between Dena Jalbert, CEO and Founder at Align Business Advisory Services and Jon Moore, Partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP. Originally recorded live on November 20th at the 2024 Future of Dealmaking Summit in New York City. The podcast episode features the session entitled “Looking Beyond the Elections: Setting Your Clients Up for Success.” We’ve adapted this conversation into a podcast, highlighting insights that remain highly relevant and enduring for professionals across M&A, restructuring, and corporate finance. In this episode, John Moore sits down with Jana Jalbert to explore why founder- and family-owned businesses are suddenly at the center of a dealmaking rush. From election aftershocks to service-sector roll-ups, discover how business owners are preparing for 2025 and beyond, what investors’ “bags of money” really mean, and why rushing into the wrong deal can feel like a prison sentence. Packed with candid stories, practical frameworks, and a few surprising metaphors (Cheesecake Factory menus, anyone?), this conversation is a must-listen for dealmakers, family business leaders, and advisors looking to navigate the tidal wave of capital and opportunity ahead. Don’t just watch the rush—get ahead of it. Tune in now to hear how family business owners and advisors can seize new opportunities and turn transition into lasting value. Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15th & 16th at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:Do you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube. Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribe Till next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!

What happens when U.S. private equity playbooks collide with family-run firms in Brazil—or carve-out integrations stretch across Germany, Romania, and the Czech Republic?Welcome back to the fireside chat between Ammar Misto, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Development at Atar Capital, and Ricardo Lacerda, Founder and CEO of BR Partners; formerly Head of LATAM for Citi; CEO Brazil for Goldman Sachs. Originally recorded live on March 25th at the 2025 Distressed Investing Summit in Palm Beach, Florida, this episode features the session “The Cultural Power of a Cross-Border Transaction Experience.” This conversation is now adapted for podcast, we believe the key takeaways from their discussion are both relevant and timeless for discerning professionals in M&A, private equity, and investment banking. In this insightful episode, Ammar Misto and Ricardo Lacerda dive deep into the untold truths of cross-border M&A—from bureaucratic landmines and currency chaos to vacation delays that derail deals. Hear real stories of cultural missteps, leadership pivots, and the art of earning trust across continents.Whether you're buying across borders or preparing for global expansion, this episode is your crash course in international dealmaking.Tune in now to learn why understanding culture may be your best due diligence.Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15th & 16th at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummitDo you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribeTill next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!

What really drives deal success in today’s competitive M&A market?

Welcome back to this fireside chat from the Deal Forum at the 2024 Future of Dealmaking Summit, held on November 24–25 in New York City.

This insightful conversation between Cory Strickland, Senior Managing Director M&A at Generational Equity, and Rajesh Sharma, Director of Corporate Development at ITOCHU Corp., on the topic- “Dealmaking: Staying on Advisor’s Radar, Dealflow, Roll-Up Strategies and Beyond” has been repurposed into a podcast episode.

The perspectives from their conversation remain especially relevant in 2025, offering timely and lasting guidance for forward-looking professionals navigating M&A strategy, corporate development, and strategic dealmaking."In this exclusive episode, Rajesh Sharma of Itochu and Corey Strickland of Generational Equity pull back the curtain on corporate development and sell-side strategy.

From joint ventures vs. acquisitions, to roll-up tactics, post-sale matchmaking, and how strategic buyers approach risk, this conversation offers powerful insights for anyone navigating the dealmaking landscape. Whether you're a corporate buyer, founder, or advisor, this episode will reshape how you think about growth, timing, and value in M&A.Tap in to learn how smart deals are sourced, structured, and sold.

Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15 & 16 at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now!

Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummit

Do you want to know more about The M&A Advisor?

Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts?

Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribe

Till next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!

“We don’t have a bankruptcy problem—we’re just a little tight on covenants.” Sound familiar? When denial meets distress, communication becomes your most critical asset.Originally recorded live at the 2025 Distressed Investing Summit in Palm Beach, Florida, this episode features the session “Strategic Communications in Restructuring: From Pre-Filing Rumors to Stakeholder Engagement,” a candid and timely conversation between Greg Milmoe, Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, and Viveca Tress, Managing Director at Joele Frank. This conversation is now adapted for podcast, we believe the key takeaways from their discussion are both relevant and timeless for discerning professionals in M&A, restructuring, and corporate finance.Join Viveca Tress of Joele Frank and Greg Milmoe of Greenberg Traurig for a high-stakes conversation on what really happens when companies face the brink. Whether you're advising on a distressed M&A deal, navigating a pre-packaged bankruptcy, or managing internal chaos, this episode delivers sharp insights and real-world war stories, including:· How to align legal, financial, and comms teams before chaos erupts· What to say (and not say) to vendors, employees, and investors· Secrets to managing optics when facts are limited and emotions run high· The role of call centers, stakeholder triage, and staying ahead of the narrativeFor dealmakers, legal advisors, PE leaders, and corporate strategists—this is your blueprint for handling the conversations no one wants to have, but everyone remembers.Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15 & 16 at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummitDo you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribeTill next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!

What can a Paralympic gold medalist teach the M&A world about dealmaking? Everything.In this powerful episode, we bring you inside the 2024 Future of Dealmaking Summit for an unforgettable Fireside Chat featuring Michael “Mikey” Brannigan, a Paralympic Games gold medalist, and his longtime coach Sonja Robinson, in conversation with security and intelligence leader Robert J. Strang.Diagnosed with autism at age 3 and competing as a T20 athlete, Mikey defied the odds to reach the top of the Paralympic podium. But his story isn’t just about athletic excellence—it’s about overcoming adversity, navigating mental roadblocks, and the life-changing power of mentorship.From the training track to the boardroom, this episode reveals how the principles of grit, resilience, determination, and guided growth apply to more than sports—they're the core of dealmaking success. So, whether you're leading a billion-dollar merger or facing a career crossroads, Mikey’s story will inspire you to reframe setbacks as fuel for your greatest wins.Listen now and discover how true champions are made—on the field and in business.Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15 & 16 at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummitDo you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter- M&A ALERTS by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribeTill next time, stay tuned and happy dealing

After years of market turbulence, all signs point to a major rebound in M&A. But is it real—or just wishful thinking?Welcome back to this fireside chat from the Deal Forum at the 2024 Future of Dealmaking Summit, held on November 24–25 in New York City. This insightful conversation between Mitch Berlin, Vice Chair - EY Americas Strategy and Transactions, in conversation with Katie Johnson, Transaction Partner at EY, has been repurposed into a podcast episode. The insights shared in their discussion continue to resonate powerfully in 2025, offering timely and enduring guidance for forward-thinking professionals in M&A, restructuring, and corporate finance.In this episode, Katie Johnson sits down with Mitch Berlin to unpack the real story behind the 2025 M&A surge. From regulatory shifts and falling interest rates to PE dry powder and strategic divestitures, we dive deep into the forces reshaping the deal landscape.Get insider insights on:• Why CEOs and private equity firms are eyeing 2025 for bold moves• How regulatory trends may fast-track—or stall—big deals• What sectors (tech, life sciences, oil & gas, consumer) are heating up• The silent drivers behind strategic M&A and venture building• How geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping risk models• What smart companies are doing now to get aheadOne episode. Game-changing insights. Your 2025 strategy starts here.Attention M&A Professionals and Dealmakers! The M&A Advisor warmly invites you to join our industry experts and thought leaders at the 2025 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit on September 15 & 16 at the heart of vibrant New York, City. Hurry and register now! Click here:https://events.maadvisor.com/2025LeadershipInDealmakingSummitDo you want to know more about The M&A Advisor? Please visit us at https://maadvisor.comLove our podcasts? Subscribe to our M&A Advisor Podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.Finally, subscribe to our email newsletter by clicking the link- https://maadvisor.com/maalerts/subscribeTill next time, stay tuned and happy dealing!