How2Exit: Buy, Don't Build - M&A of Small Businesses Podcast Por Ronald P. Skelton arte de portada

How2Exit: Buy, Don't Build - M&A of Small Businesses

How2Exit: Buy, Don't Build - M&A of Small Businesses

De: Ronald P. Skelton
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Welcome to How2Exit, the premier podcast for entrepreneurs, advisors, and everyone in between who wants to dive deep into the world of buying, growing, and selling small businesses valued below $20 million. Our mission is to equip you with the insights and strategies you need to succeed in the small business M&A space.

Join us as we talk to the best in the industry and explore the full process of buying, growing, and selling businesses. You'll gain invaluable knowledge from interviews with successful entrepreneurs who have navigated the M&A journey and experts who offer their wisdom on sourcing deals, building rapport, conducting due diligence, closing transactions, integrating acquisitions, and preparing for a successful exit. We cover it all, so you can make informed decisions and take calculated risks.

At How2Exit, we pride ourselves on providing an unmatched resource for those looking to thrive in the small business M&A world. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur, an aspiring business owner, or an advisor helping clients navigate the complex process, our podcast is your go-to source for the latest tips, trends, and real-world case studies.Tune in and discover the secrets to mastering small business M&A and achieving your goals in the world of entrepreneurship. Don't miss a single episode of How2Exit – subscribe now and unlock the full potential of your next business venture!

Keywords: small business, M&A, entrepreneurs, advisors, buying businesses, growing businesses, selling businesses, due diligence, sourcing deals, rapport building, closing transactions, integrating acquisitions, preparing to sell, interviews, experts, case studies, How2Exit.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/how2exit-buy-don-t-build-m-a-of-small-businesses--4859429/support.Copyright How2Exit Economía Finanzas Personales Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • E288: Les Csorba Reveals the Real Reason Most Leaders Don’t Last

    E288: Les Csorba Reveals the Real Reason Most Leaders Don’t Last
    Aug 1 2025
    About the Guest:
    Les Csorba is a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, specializing in CEO and board succession, primarily in the energy sector. With roots in the first Bush administration’s Presidential Personnel Office, Les has spent 30+ years advising leaders. His new book Aware: The Power of Seeing Yourself Clearly dives deep into the science and practice of self-awareness in leadership.

    Summary:
    On the How2Exit Podcast, Ron Skelton sits down with Les Csorba, a veteran executive coach, author, and partner at Heidrick & Struggles. With more than three decades in executive search and CEO coaching, Les shares a powerful perspective: leadership—not just capital, strategy, or technology—is the determining factor in building and sustaining successful businesses. His insights highlight why self-awareness, humility, and feedback cultures matter more than ever in today’s high-stakes M&A environment.

    The conversation digs into the nuances of finding the right CEO, avoiding the trap of “people pleasing,” and why so many deals fail due to culture, not spreadsheets. Les also teases his new book Aware: The Power of Seeing Yourself Clearly, where he unpacks why most leaders think they’re self-aware but aren’t—and what it takes to close that gap.

    The Key Takeaways:

    Leadership Greater than Capital or Strategy: While capital, strategy, and technology are vital, Les stresses that leadership is the real driver of long-term business success.

    The Self-Awareness Factor: The best leaders balance strong confidence with humility and candid self-reflection—an incredibly rare skill set.

    People Pleasing Is a Blind Spot: Over half of leaders identify as people pleasers, which often results in poor decisions like leaving the wrong people in key roles.

    Feedback Culture is Essential Great organizations don’t wait for annual reviews—they create ongoing, transparent feedback loops where leaders and teams hold each other accountable.

    Integration Is Where Deals Fail Many M&A transactions collapse not over numbers, but because two cultures can’t align. Leadership due diligence is as critical as financial diligence.

    Few CEOs Last Long-Term Most CEOs average 5–6 years in the role; exceptions like Jamie Dimon succeed by reinventing themselves and empowering strong lieutenants.

    Blind Spots Are Universal Every leader has blind spots. The real question is whether they have the courage to name and engage them.

    The Digital Age Hurts Self-Awareness Constant distractions from technology and social media erode the reflective space leaders need to truly know themselves.
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    Contact Les on
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    💰If you’d like additional ways to support this podcast, you can become a paid subscriber here: https://how2exit.substack.com/

    ►Visit Our Website: https://www.how2exit.com/

    📧For Business Inquiries: Me@4sale2sold.com

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    🎬SUGGESTED VIDEOS
    Don't forget to watch 📽 Our other videos. Please check them out :

    ▶️Previous Episode:

    ▶️E135: Sam Rosati On His Journey From Being A Lawyer To Becoming An Entrepreneur In The ETA Space - https://youtu.be/D2qJOidptRA

    ▶️E100: CEO Of Flippa Blake Hutchison Discusses Innovations In Buying And Selling Digital Assets - https://youtu.be/R1D5guQU9Z0

    #How2Exit # # 💖Thanks for watching! 💖

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/how2exit-buy-don-t-build-m-a-of-small-businesses--4859429/support.
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    53 m
  • E287: Building a Business Without Owning It | Strategic M&A, Turnaround Risks & Exit Planning

    E287: Building a Business Without Owning It | Strategic M&A, Turnaround Risks & Exit Planning
    Jul 25 2025
    Watch Here: https://youtu.be/n8w08TJMPdIAbout the Guest: Fadi Malouf is a strategic buyer, advisor, and capital partner focused on buying, growing, and exiting companies with scale potential. His career began in the fitness and wellness space before shifting into software, tech, and eventually structured M&A. Now the founder of FM Capital and FM Advisory, Fadi partners with operators and investors to fund deals, implement systems, and position companies for high-value exits. He is currently raising a $100M fund and works with over 60 independent advisors across his network.Summary:In this episode of the How to Exit Podcast, Ron sits down with Fadi Malouf, a seasoned M&A strategist and founder of FM Capital and FM Advisory. Fadi shares a refreshingly candid look into his evolution from personal trainer to software company exit, to advising and funding acquisition deals in the lower-middle market. The conversation covers not only how Fadi thinks about deal structure, ownership vs. control, and turnaround risk—but also how his personal values and lived experiences shape the way he buys and builds businesses.Listeners will find this episode especially compelling if they’re trying to bridge the gap between being an operator and becoming an investor. Fadi doesn’t hold back on his disdain for turnaround deals, his belief in control over ownership, and his obsession with systems, delegation, and operational execution. But what makes this interview resonate is the philosophical undercurrent: businesses are problems to be solved, but you better love solving them.Key Takeaways:Buy with an exit in mind – Fadi learned the hard way that starting a company without thinking about its eventual exit is a recipe for pain and lost value.Turnarounds are not for amateurs – He strongly advises new buyers to avoid turnaround deals unless they have the capital, team, and turnaround-specific experience.Control beats ownership – Fadi prioritizes control over equity, emphasizing results and alignment rather than maximizing ownership at the expense of execution.The real bottleneck is often the founder – Companies under $3M in revenue are frequently hampered by owners who haven’t fired themselves from key roles.Invest in systems and delegation early – Fadi emphasizes the importance of building a company that runs without you; hire people smarter than you and get out of the way.Culture kills or scales – If you buy a company with entrenched staff resistant to change, expect a battle. Culture change is slow and hard.Capital without credibility is a deal killer – Bringing money to the table means nothing if the operator can’t prove capability or relinquish control.Fall in love with the problem – You’ll face chaos, adversity, and setbacks. If you don’t love what you’re doing, it’ll break you.--------------------------------------------------Contact Fadi onLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fadimalouf/Website: https://fadimalouf.com/--------------------------------------------------💰If you’d like additional ways to support this podcast, you can become a paid subscriber here: https://how2exit.substack.com/►Visit Our Website: https://www.how2exit.com/📧For Business Inquiries: Me@4sale2sold.comDon't Forget to SUBSCRIBE to the How2Exit channel and press (🔔) to join the Notification Squad and stay updated with new uploads.✨👇🏻SUBSCRIBE HERE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ONnhwaKSTPFt2nOxKoXXQ?sub_confirmation=1𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬...?▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬👍 Like the video (it helps a ton!)💬 Comment below to share your opinion!🔗 Share the video with anyone you think might help :) ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬📱Stay Tuned On Our Social Media :» Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronskelton/» Twitter - https://twitter.com/ronaldskelton» Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/How2Exit» Newsletter - http://deeper.how2exit.com/🎬SUGGESTED VIDEOSDon't forget to watch 📽 Our other videos. Please check them out :▶️Previous Episode:▶️E135: Sam Rosati On His Journey From Being A Lawyer To Becoming An Entrepreneur In The ETA Space - https://youtu.be/D2qJOidptRA▶️E100: CEO Of Flippa Blake Hutchison Discusses Innovations In Buying And Selling Digital Assets - https://youtu.be/R1D5guQU9Z0#How2Exit # # 💖Thanks for watching! 💖Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/how2exit-buy-don-t-build-m-a-of-small-businesses--4859429/support.
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    1 h y 11 m
  • E286: Deals Don’t Fail on Paper—They Fail in People

    E286: Deals Don’t Fail on Paper—They Fail in People
    Jun 27 2025
    Watch Here: https://youtu.be/xEx9d94kzI0About the Guest:David Miller is a seasoned dealmaker with an unusually diverse portfolio. From growing a finance firm in the depths of the 2008 crisis to diving headfirst into cannabis cultivation, clean energy, and even competitive fashion, Miller blends strategy with heart. He’s a global speaker, EO member, MIT graduate, and firm believer that small business is powered by soul—not spreadsheets. His coaching practice is rooted in aligning people, strategy, and scalable systems to turn growth into exit velocity.Summary: David Miller’s journey isn’t your typical “finance guy turned entrepreneur” story—it’s a gritty, globe-spanning career that merges heart and horsepower. From buying his first company via seller financing to managing roll-ups in industries as varied as cannabis, clean energy, fashion, and finance, Miller shares hard-earned insights from the trenches. In this in-depth episode, Ron Skelton and David dig into what actually makes M&A work—hint: it’s not just spreadsheets and strategy. It’s trust. Culture. Emotional intelligence.This conversation serves as a blueprint for anyone serious about scaling through acquisition. Whether you're on your first deal or your fifteenth, Miller’s frameworks around emotional readiness, culture integration, and trust-building are worth replaying. Often.Key TakeawaysM&A Begins with Trust: Deals live and die on rapport—not just with the seller, but with the acquired team. Trust is the true currency in successful transactions.Seller-Financing Wins: Miller's first acquisition was a small, seller-financed deal—highlighting that not every transaction needs SBA debt or a PE fund.Don’t Skip Culture Fit: A players don’t stick around if you bulldoze culture. Integration takes time, patience, and listening.Vision Without Execution is Fantasy: Miller emphasizes method + magic = alchemy. Intuition and process must coexist.Diversification is Learnable: He’s run companies in industries as varied as cannabis, fintech, and fashion. Why? Because business fundamentals—people, process, and trust—are universal.Buyers Often Move Too Fast: Rushing in to change systems, fire people, or “fix” things too soon leads to resistance and turnover. Observe before acting.You Might Outgrow Your Business: Founders need to recognize when their business has surpassed their skillset—and decide whether to level up or step aside.Most M&A Fails Are People Failures: 70% of acquisitions fail, and it’s rarely because of numbers. It’s trust breakdowns, poor communication, and mismanaged change.--------------------------------------------------Contact David onLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-miller-business-coach/Website: davidmiller.buzz--------------------------------------------------💰If you’d like additional ways to support this podcast, you can become a paid subscriber here: https://how2exit.substack.com/►Visit Our Website: https://www.how2exit.com/📧For Business Inquiries: Me@4sale2sold.comDon't Forget to SUBSCRIBE to the How2Exit channel and press (🔔) to join the Notification Squad and stay updated with new uploads.✨👇🏻SUBSCRIBE HERE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ONnhwaKSTPFt2nOxKoXXQ?sub_confirmation=1𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬...?▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬👍 Like the video (it helps a ton!)💬 Comment below to share your opinion!🔗 Share the video with anyone you think might help :) ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬📱Stay Tuned On Our Social Media :» Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronskelton/» Twitter - https://twitter.com/ronaldskelton» Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/How2Exit» Newsletter - http://deeper.how2exit.com/🎬SUGGESTED VIDEOSDon't forget to watch 📽 Our other videos. Please check them out :▶️Previous Episode:▶️E135: Sam Rosati On His Journey From Being A Lawyer To Becoming An Entrepreneur In The ETA Space - https://youtu.be/D2qJOidptRA▶️E100: CEO Of Flippa Blake Hutchison Discusses Innovations In Buying And Selling Digital Assets - https://youtu.be/R1D5guQU9Z0#How2Exit # # 💖Thanks for watching! 💖Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/how2exit-buy-don-t-build-m-a-of-small-businesses--4859429/support.
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    59 m
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