What Two PE Exits Taught James About Winning as a CFO
The Raw Selection Private Equity podcast featured James Carver, a CFO who has navigated two private‑equity‑backed exits. He recounted his unconventional path—from trading desk analyst to investment banker, then to FP&A leader and finally chief financial officer—highlighting how each role prepared him for steering companies through liquidity events. Carver emphasized that a CFO’s first priority must be establishing solid finance operating procedures. Without a standardized SOP framework, finance teams drown in spreadsheet firefighting, undermining strategic initiatives. He advocated mapping the quote‑to‑cash workflow, aligning it with the customer experience to maximize lifetime value, and focusing on three‑to‑five high‑impact levers that drive ROI and ROE. Operational wins—such as reorganizing inventory by SKU and customer, instituting periodic van inventories, and hiring specialized sales talent—directly lifted exit multiples. Specific examples illustrated his points: at a medical‑equipment distributor, restructuring inventory and improving sales‑tech logistics contributed to a successful sale to a PE‑backed strategic buyer. Earlier, at an LED manufacturer, he professionalized the finance function and raised capital, setting the stage for a later exit. He also warned against hiring CFOs without a process foundation, noting that even $50 million firms can’t execute growth plans if finance is mired in ad‑hoc tasks. The takeaway for executives is clear: private‑equity value creation hinges on disciplined finance infrastructure and cross‑functional alignment. Companies that embed SOPs, synchronize finance with functional leaders, and target tangible operational improvements are better positioned to achieve premium exit valuations and smoother integrations.
Wall Street Has a Growing Appetite for Fast Food in Japan
Wall Street’s private‑equity and investment‑bank arms are pouring capital into Japan’s fast‑food market, betting that American‑style quick‑service concepts can capture a growing appetite for convenience. In 2024, Carl Capital paid roughly $847 million for KFC Japan, while Goldman Sachs’ merchant‑banking division acquired Burger...
5 Mistakes To Avoid While Selling Your Business Online | M&A Advice
Entrepreneurs often think business valuation is a simple formula, but the video explains that five advanced mistakes can erode millions before the deal closes. The presenter walks through each error, showing how sophisticated buyers exploit them to drive down price. First,...
UFA Completes $48.2 Million Acquisition of AgraCity Assets
UFA announced the completion of a $48.2 million acquisition of Agra City’s crop‑protection assets, receiving court approval on March 31 and officially taking control on April 1. The transaction adds a finished Bellplane fertilizer blending plant, a 20,000‑ton storage capacity, and Agra City’s...
Is the Panic in Private Markets a Contagion or a Kingmaker?
The video debates whether panic in private markets is a contagious phenomenon or a catalyst that elevates elite managers. It frames the discussion around retail investors’ tendency to sell at market lows and asks whether this behavior can ever be...
So You’ve Been Acquired: Surviving and Thriving During a Business Merger - New
The video addresses how rank‑and‑file employees should navigate the turbulence of a corporate merger, emphasizing that the immediate priority is to stick to existing responsibilities until new directives arrive. The speaker urges staff to execute their current “marching orders”—whether in...
EQT Capital Are Backing Fundamentals to Find Tomorrow's Real Winners
EQT Capital’s Bert Yansen explained the firm’s end‑to‑end private‑capital platform and its thematic focus on four long‑term sectors – healthcare, technology, services and industrial‑tech – as it seeks the next generation of market winners. The firm stresses that investment theses now...
Theravance's Strategic Review with Andy Summers $TBPH
Theravance Biopharma (TBPH) entered a strategic review after its sole pipeline candidate failed a pivotal Phase‑III trial, prompting a sharp stock drop from the low $20s to $13‑$14. The company, a single‑product pharma spun out a decade ago, relies on...
How Paramount Bested Netflix in the Warner Bros. Battle
The video dissects why Paramount Pictures ultimately won the contested acquisition of Warner Bros., while Netflix abruptly abandoned its competing bid. Analysts cite relentless regulatory scrutiny, a high‑profile lobbying campaign, and mounting shareholder pressure on Warner’s board as primary forces. Netflix’s...
Senator Adam Schiff Joins The Town to Discuss the Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
Senator Adam Schiff appeared on The Town to warn that the proposed Paramount‑Warner Bros. merger may have been fast‑tracked by the Trump administration, allegedly because of the networks’ coverage of CNN. He contrasted the deal with a stalled Netflix merger,...
Why Nothing Bundt Cakes Is Worth $2B
The podcast highlighted three major stories shaping the restaurant sector this week: Dutch Bros’ meteoric rise under new CEO Christine Veron, the landmark $2 billion acquisition of the franchise chain Nothing But Cakes by KKR, and Noodles & Company’s ongoing turnaround driven by...
How Top Private Equity Firms Scale European Software Companies
The video explains how leading private‑equity firms partner with European software companies to accelerate growth and create enterprise value. Their strategy begins with a continent‑wide search for best‑in‑class niche software businesses, followed by an initial listening session to understand the...
The Problem with Private Markets | Rational Reminder 402
The Rational Reminder episode 402 examines the growing problems in private‑market investing, focusing on private equity, credit and real‑estate funds as they become increasingly accessible to retail investors. The hosts argue that the industry’s long‑standing claim of lower volatility and higher...
Lions Bay Capital Targets 4.5m Ounces of Gold in SA
Lions Bay Capital announced a definitive offer to acquire the Vantage gold assets in South Africa, a portfolio that includes underground mines, processing facilities and an estimated 4.5 million ounces of gold. The transaction is being executed through a newly formed...
Ex-Goldman CEO Blankfein Warns of ‘Fire’ Risk in Private Markets
Former Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein warned that private‑market valuations face a growing “fire” risk, arguing the current stress is unresolved and could deteriorate further. He noted that the absence of a major crisis in recent years has allowed hidden balance‑sheet...
3 Risks to Watch With Zoomd, a Performance Ad-Tech Stock
Zoomd Technologies Limited (ZOMD) is a Toronto‑listed performance‑based ad‑tech firm that focuses on mobile user acquisition. With a market cap of roughly C$96 million and projected 2025 revenue of $47 million, the company positions itself as a demand‑side platform that only gets...
Execution-First Pricing: How Can PE-Backed Companies Drive Value Faster?
The discussion centers on Michael’s firm, which was founded to bridge the gap between polished strategy decks and real‑world execution for private‑equity‑backed companies. He argues that many PE portfolios suffer from weak pricing discipline, relying on ad‑hoc test‑and‑learn approaches that...
Metals One Funding for the Gold Acqusition
Metals One announced it has placed a deposit to satisfy the business rescue practitioner, signalling its financial capacity to pursue the proposed gold acquisition. The practitioner is expected to call a meeting within days, after which a detailed rescue plan will...
Scaling a Home Services Business
The interview with David, CEO of Vantage Services Group (ASG), outlines how he left a consulting career to acquire a small HVAC firm in Oregon in 2020 and set out to build a multi‑state home‑services platform. David highlights the $100 billion‑plus market...
Right to Win EP.5: Better Boards with Chris Hendriksen and Aaron Perrine - EP.280
The fifth episode of the "Right to Win" series brings together Chris Hendrickson of Pacific Lake and Aaron Perrine of Trilogy to dissect how emerging search‑fund companies can build stronger boards. They explore board formation, the norms that should...
How Private Equity Firms Can Generate More Deal Flow in Competitive Markets
The video discusses how private‑equity firms can boost deal flow in competitive or slow markets by leveraging sister‑fund structures and a long‑term partnership narrative. It argues that having multiple funds—one focused on debt, another on equity—creates flexibility to engage companies...
The Simple Equation Behind Blackstone's Bullish AI Thesis
James Marle of LiveWire Markets interviews Varal Patel, CEO of Blackstone’s private‑equity strategies fund, to unpack the firm’s bullish thesis on artificial intelligence and its broader investment outlook. Patel explains that deal activity has accelerated, rising roughly 36% year‑over‑year, as...
WAM’s Private Markets Strategy for Long-Term Growth and Dividends
The interview with Nick Kelly, portfolio manager of WHAM Alternative Assets, outlines the fund’s private‑markets strategy delivered through a listed investment company (LIC) on the ASX, aimed at delivering long‑term growth and franked dividends for retail investors. Kelly explains that the...
Kelly Partners (KPG): The Constellation Software of Accounting?
Kelly Partners Group (KPG) is positioning itself as the “Constellation Software of accounting,” a serial acquirer that buys small to midsize chartered accountant firms in Australia, the UK and the US. The video outlines how the company, founded by Brad...
Warner Bros. CEO Could Make $887 Million From Paramount Merger
Paramount Global announced a $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, creating one of the largest media consolidations in recent history. The deal places Warner’s top leadership, especially CEO David Zaslav, at the center of a financial spotlight as the merger...
How Private Equity Firms Can Drive Value Through SaaS Retention and Pricing
The video explains how private‑equity firms can unlock hidden value in SaaS businesses by tightening customer‑success metrics and pricing structures. It emphasizes that retention metrics such as gross and net revenue retention are critical levers for boosting exit multiples, and...
"Full Price" Offers That Are Actually Not Likely to Close (Broker Explains)
The video tackles a common misconception in business‑sale negotiations: a "full‑price" offer that is actually 100% seller‑financed. The broker explains that while the headline price may match the asking amount, the seller remains on the hook for monthly payments, effectively...
The Advantage of Scale with Robert F. Smith, Founder & CEO of Vista Equity Partners
Robert F. Smith, founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, explained how his firm has turned AI adoption into a scalable competitive advantage through what he calls an “agentic factory.” The conversation traced Vista’s AI journey from early data‑driven sports...
Nordstrom Co-CEO on Reinventing a 125-Year-Old Retail Giant #Nordstrom #shopping
Nordstrom’s co‑CEOs, Pete and Eric Nordstrom, outlined how the 125‑year‑old retailer is reinventing itself amid industry upheaval, emphasizing personal accountability and a renewed strategic focus. They argue the traditional department‑store formula must evolve, leveraging a symbiotic relationship between brick‑and‑mortar locations and...
What's Better: Greenfield or Brownfield Investments?
The video examines whether greenfield or brownfield investments are superior, emphasizing that the answer depends on risk appetite and desired returns. Greenfield projects involve building from scratch, exposing investors to construction delays, permit hurdles, and higher overall risk, but they also...
From Corporate to Owner of a $9.5M Trailer Dealership in 9 Months
The video chronicles how Shane Ersome transformed a post‑layoff crisis into ownership of North Texas Trailers, a full‑service work‑trailer dealership now valued at roughly $9.5 million after just nine months of ownership. Leveraging the “Buy Then Build” framework, he acquired...
The $32B Acquisition that One VC Is Calling the 'Deal of the Decade' | Equity Podcast
The Equity Podcast’s latest episode centers on Google’s monumental $32 billion acquisition, which Index Ventures partner Shardul Shaw hails as the "Deal of the Decade." The conversation pivots to broader industry trends, including a whistleblower’s claim that a former Doge employee...
Netflix to Pay as Much as $600 Million for Ben Affleck’s AI Firm
Netflix announced a deal to acquire InterPositive, the artificial‑intelligence moviemaking startup founded by Ben Affleck, for as much as $600 million. The purchase represents one of the streaming giant’s largest ever acquisitions and underscores its push into AI‑driven production. InterPositive specializes...
Private Equity Firms in Talks to Form Joint AI Venture Embedding Claude
Anthropic is reportedly in talks with major private equity firms, including Blackstone, to create a joint venture that would embed its Claude AI models across portfolio companies. The move could let PE owners centrally replace multiple software point solutions, cutting...
Navigating Private Equity Ownership in the CDMO Space
The Outsourced Pharma Live segment dissected how pharmaceutical companies can evaluate a CDMO’s financial resilience when owned by private‑equity firms. Panelists Jana Spes and Christine Sheaffer outlined precise questions to uncover sponsors’ reinvestment intentions and to confirm that leadership remains...
People-First M&A: The Framework Behind 93% Post-Merger Leadership Retention | M&A Science Ep 406
The episode spotlights Solless O'Brien’s people‑first M&A model, which has achieved a cumulative 93% leadership retention rate across 55 deals over 15 years. Host Kissan Patel and SVP Nathan Rust discuss how the firm treats acquisitions as partnerships rather than...
Ep. 119: Bob Brown, Motive Partners | Investing, Operating and Innovating Model
Bob Brown, founding partner of Motive Partners, outlines the firm’s IOI (Investing, Operating, Innovating) model on the Private Equity Value Creation podcast, positioning it as a new framework for value creation. The model combines classic PE capital allocation with a sizable...
LBO Valuation: The Power of Middle-School Math to Reverse a Model
The video walks viewers through converting a traditional LBO model into a flexible pricing tool by making the targeted IRR and exit year primary inputs. Instead of relying on Goal Seek, the instructor derives a simple algebraic expression that...
The Deal Structure That Let Me Control a $50M Company
Entrepreneur Nick Huber chose to forego a $3 million cash payout from a partial stake sale and instead engineered a deal that gave him control of a $50 million company. He combined seller financing, a promote‑based equity structure, and strategic timing to...
The Lessons From Formula 1 to 22 Acquisitions by a Private Equity Backed CTO
Peter Rossi, a former McLaren trackside IT leader turned CTO, discusses how Formula 1 principles shaped his oversight of 22 acquisitions in a private‑equity‑backed group. He warns against rigid M&A planning, emphasizing flexibility, speed, and a focus on core revenue streams....
How AI Is Solving the Talent Bottleneck in High-Touch Businesses
The video discusses how AI is addressing talent bottlenecks in high‑touch businesses, where personal interaction is core. Companies have opened centers in Lithuania, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, India, and the Philippines to source talent, yet hiring limits growth; AI allows them to...
Conventional Exit Strategies for Private Equity Investments
The video spotlights limited partners’ (LPs) insistence that private‑equity (PE) funds deliver capital back through conventional exits—sales to strategic or financial buyers or public‑market IPOs—rather than creative financial engineering. It frames this preference as the “number one way” LPs expect...
High Tech, High Touch: Tools and Tactics to Close More Deals
The IBBA Insights episode spotlights how business brokers can leverage technology to accelerate deal flow, featuring Trent Lee of First Choice Business Brokers. Lee, a serial entrepreneur and seven‑time IBBA top dealmaker, explains that the rapid evolution of digital tools...
Robots Pick Better Private Equity Funds? | Oliver Gottschalg
Oliver Gottschalg, a veteran private‑equity researcher, argues that machine‑learning algorithms now outperform traditional human allocators in selecting funds. Drawing on 25 years of empirical work, he explains how persistent manager‑skill signals can be quantified and assembled into a “DNA” profile...
Investment Banking Recruiting as a Rice Business Undergraduate | Felipe Mola Curi
The video features Felipe Mola Curi, a Rice Business undergraduate, explaining how the school’s club‑centric environment supports investment‑banking recruiting. He highlights the Rice Society’s nine‑week boot camp that teaches technical and behavioral skills, and pairs students with senior mentors and...
How Is Saudi Private Capital Adopting AI: Insights From Jada Fund of Funds Fund Manager Report
The Jada Fund of Funds released a report detailing how Saudi private capital is integrating artificial intelligence into its investment workflows. Backed by visionary leadership and a national AI strategy, the study surveyed over 45 general partners (GPs) and incorporated...
Ep. 117: Scott Neuberger, Karmel Capital | Data-Driven Secondaries in Software and AI
The episode features Scott Neuberger, managing partner of Karmel Capital, discussing the firm’s data‑driven approach to secondary market investing in later‑stage enterprise software and AI infrastructure. He explains how Karmel raises committed capital from institutions and family offices, then deploys...
Beyond the Numbers Operational Excellence Drives Deal Value
The episode centers on why operational excellence matters throughout the M&A lifecycle, especially for midsize manufacturing platforms. Host Roger Agenaldo interviews Henning Bronze and Gizai of Komoto Consulting, who argue that financial models alone miss critical plant‑level realities that can...
Lessons in Leadership, Ethics, and Legacy From the Thomas Farrell Memorial Awards Honorees
The episode of the M&A Advisor podcast spotlights the 2025 Thomas Farrell Memorial Award honorees, focusing on Jacob For, a dairy‑farm‑born investment banker turned co‑founder of Capstone Partners. Host Roger Agenaldo frames the conversation around leadership, ethics, and legacy, bringing...
Blue Owl's Liquidity Crisis (Private Credit Explained)
The podcast’s first episode dissects the recent Blue Owl liquidity squeeze, highlighting how a private‑credit manager was forced to suspend investor redemptions amid mounting cash‑flow stress. Private credit now commands roughly $3.5 trillion in assets, having doubled since 2018, after banks retreated...
