Through the Lender’s Lens: Inside DealMAX with Christine Nowaczyk and Jalal Taby
In the fifth 2026 Inside DealMAX podcast, U.S. Bank SVP Christine Nowaczyk and Comerica SVP Jalal Taby discuss the lending outlook and why they attend the ACG conference. They highlight private credit’s shift from niche to core M&A financing and anticipate a surge in new‑money loan volume as rate cuts take effect. Both stress DealMAX’s role as a marketplace for deal flow, partner networking, and technology‑driven meeting scheduling. Their insights also include practical conference hacks for maximizing connections.
Why Middle-Market Deals Fail After the Term Sheet
Middle‑market M&A deals often unravel after the term sheet when due diligence uncovers gaps in EBITDA assumptions, contract assignability, and operational compliance. The article outlines five recurring post‑LOI breakdowns, including fragile financing and seller unpreparedness, that can derail transactions despite...
PE Weekly: Dealmakers Target the Enterprise—And the Workforce
This week’s middle‑market private‑equity roundup highlighted a wave of strategic acquisitions and a massive fundraising win. New State Capital Partners bought Vast Coworking, expanding its footprint in flexible office space, while Gryphon Investors took a majority stake in HRSoft, a...
What Your Brand Signals to Buyers Before You Ever Speak
Middle‑market companies often overlook how their brand story shapes early buyer perception. A clear, coherent market narrative—supported by logical brand architecture—helps investors, partners, and customers quickly grasp the business’s value and growth potential. When the story aligns with evidence, it...
Behind the Curtain: Inside DealMAX with Kate Weaver
Kate Weaver, ACG’s vice president of events, detailed the strategic upgrades for DealMAX 2024, the flagship middle‑market M&A conference in Las Vegas. She highlighted data‑driven planning that begins before the current event ends, and how attendee feedback reshapes logistics, from...
PE Weekly: Consumers Come Back Into Focus for Dealmakers
Private equity activity this week highlighted a renewed focus on consumer‑oriented businesses, with multiple platform investments ranging from women’s footwear to home‑health and fitness equipment. Notable deals include Gordon Brothers’ purchase of Chinese Laundry, Kinderhook’s $1.1 billion take‑private of Enhabit, and...
Flipping the Script: Inside DealMAX with GF Data’s Ruben Burke and Ryan McCann
GF Data’s senior leaders Ruben Burke and Ryan McCann joined the Inside DealMAX podcast to discuss how the Las Vegas conference is reshaping engagement between data providers and middle‑market dealmakers. They previewed GF Data’s Q4 2025 findings, highlighting a 30%...
PE Weekly: Fundraising for Follow-On Investments
The latest Middle Market Growth roundup highlights a wave of fundraising activity aimed at follow‑on and continuation investments. JLL Partners closed its ninth fund with $1.4 billion, while HarbourVest launched a $1.1 billion Private Equity Continuation Solutions fund. Union Capital secured $450 million...
Midmarket Dealmakers’ Confidence Remains Steady: ACG Survey
The Association for Corporate Growth’s Q1 2026 Market Pulse Survey shows middle‑market dealmakers remain cautiously optimistic, with 64% anticipating a slight increase in M&A activity over the next six months—mirroring the prior quarter and up from 54% earlier in the...
Expect the Unexpected: A 2026 Lending Outlook with WhiteHorse Capital
WhiteHorse Capital’s Pankak Gupta and Stuart Aronson forecast a cautious‑optimistic 2026 for middle‑market lending, citing modest Federal Reserve rate cuts and lingering inflation. They expect a rebound in M&A activity with narrowing valuation gaps, while new capital inflows are driving...
PE Weekly: Business Services Retains Its M&A Strength
Business services private equity firms continued a busy week of M&A, completing multiple platform acquisitions—including Kingswood Capital’s purchase of Safran Passenger Innovations (renamed RAVE Aerospace), H.I.G. Capital’s buy of CargoTuff, Trinity Hunt Partners’ launch of Allvia, KPS Capital’s pending acquisition...
