Think investors who don't re-up for your next round are doing you a favor?

Not the case!

Most entrepreneurs see this as rejection. But here's what Sahil Patel discovered after 11 years building and selling ER Express: Sometimes the BEST thing that can happen is getting misaligned investors out of your cap table.

His family office investors knew service businesses. But SaaS? Different game entirely.

"The way you look at a SaaS business, you really have to look at unit economics. If you just look at the whole cost, it looks terrible."

The result? A year of treading water while growth stalled.

But here's where it gets interesting: Those same investors offered him a management buyout with seller financing. NON-RECOURSE.

Eight quarters of consecutive growth followed.

We'll dive deep into this (and so much more) in this episode of the DealQuest Podcast!

• How to identify when investor misalignment is killing your business
• Why timing is the entrepreneur's biggest enemy (not money)
• The crisis pivot that doubled his total addressable market
• Building performance-based business models that guarantee results
• And much more

Whether you're navigating complex investor relationships or building systems for sustainable growth, this conversation provides frameworks every business leader needs.
• • •

FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE:
https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/sahilpatel

• • •

FOR MORE ON SAHIL PATEL
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahilanamipatel/
https://www.spiralyze.com/

FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/
https://www.coreykupfer.com/

Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.

Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today!

JP Morgan's latest M&A report reveals something fascinating: despite ongoing uncertainty, global deal volumes hit $2.2 trillion (up 27% year-over-year).

Here's what caught my attention:
- Mega deals increased 57% because bigger players can thrive when smaller competitors freeze up.
- Cross-border activity actually grew 24% despite rising protectionism as companies use M&A to position around trade uncertainties rather than avoid them.
- And get this - AI infrastructure needs will drive $1 trillion in spending over the next 5 years, with data center capacity needing to increase 100-fold.

Technology M&A surged 42%, financial services up 56%, and even media jumped 51% as consolidation becomes a survival strategy.

The bottom line? Uncertainty isn't going away, but markets remain remarkably resilient. Smart deal-makers are learning to operate effectively in permanently uncertain conditions rather than waiting for clarity that may never come.

Listen to my full breakdown on this solo DealQuest episode.

• • •
FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE:
https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/JPMorgan2025
• • •

FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/
http://coreykupfer.com/

Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.

Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today!

Ever wonder how great dealmakers got their start?

Some began with childhood lemonade stands. Others learned through necessity when family circumstances required quick business education. A few discovered their talents through door-to-door sales or car flipping as teenagers.
But here's what's fascinating: every successful dealmaker has an origin story that reveals the early development of skills that would later drive millions in transactions.

In this best of compilation from the DealQuest Podcast, you'll hear from over a dozen successful business leaders sharing their very first deals - from Thomas Samuelson negotiating his way out of Philadelphia to Sunny Vanderbeck subcontracting lawn care in elementary school.

What you'll discover:

• How childhood businesses teach fundamental negotiation principles
• Why early sales experiences translate directly to deal success
• The common patterns that predict future dealmaking ability
• How adversity often accelerates business skill development
• And much more

Whether you're developing your own deal skills or helping others recognize their potential, these stories provide insights into how business instincts develop and grow.

• • •
FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE:
https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/originstories
• • •

FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFER:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/
http://coreykupfer.com/

Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast.

Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today!