Last August, President Trump issued an executive order for the Department of Labor and Securities and Exchange Commission to lay a framework allowing private equity investments within 401(k)s. The initiative would unlock a new, potentially massive source of capital. But democratizing private equity for retail investors would have many implications for firms, says Jim Walker, partner and global head of wealth at Adams Street Partners. He joins the podcast to discuss how this initiative might play out, how the PE community can prepare, and what firms can learn from existing funds developed for high net worth individuals.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Michael Feuz, economist with ITR Economics, is back to share what middle-market business leaders and dealmakers can expect in the year ahead. From interest rates and inflation to deal flow and AI, Feuz discusses the biggest trends that will shape the economy in the U.S. and globally in 2026.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The shape that M&A takes in the first quarter of 2026 will color the mood at DealMAX and what dealmakers are looking to accomplish as they hit the deal floor in April. Doug Brookman, managing director at Mesirow Investment Banking and this year’s DealMAX chair, and Mike Alberts, principal and head of business development at Cohere Capital and vice president of ACG Boston, join the podcast for the second episode of the 2026 Inside DealMAX series to share how they expect deal flow to shape up in the early months of the year, their tips as DealMAX veterans, underrated DealMAX offerings, and more.

Register today at dealmax.org to take advantage of the early registration rate, available until January 14.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Roughly 16 weeks out from DealMAX 2026, we’re kicking off this year’s Inside DealMAX series, taking you behind the scenes of ACG’s flagship conference for the middle market, taking place April 27th through 29th at the ARIA in Las Vegas. Brent Baxter, CEO of ACG Global, and Suzie Doran, partner at SingerLewak and the incoming ACG chair, sit down with the podcast to discuss what they expect from the M&A market between now and late April, their most effective DealMAX hacks, and what to expect from this year’s conference.

Register today at dealmax.org to take advantage of the early registration rate, available until January 14.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Forvis Mazars recently held a set of exclusive events for high-level dealmakers, in partnership with ACG and GF Data, to dissect the latest data on deal activity and to take a look into what 2026 might hold for PE-backed midmarket M&A. Scott Linch of Forvis Mazars and Bob Dunn of GF Data join the podcast to share what they discovered about fundraising, exits, the performance of specific sectors, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by Forvis Mazars, a leading global professional services network.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A recent survey of manufacturing executives conducted by Forvis Mazars found strong optimism for future growth, despite supplier price hikes, tariff shock waves, and other pressures. Bryan Wright, national manufacturing sector leader at Forvis Mazars, sits down with the podcast to share what’s driving this positive sentiment, how AI and automation are shaping the sector, and how he sees manufacturing M&A playing out in the year ahead.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Past cycles have proven the beauty sector is resilient to downturns, but how will beauty M&A make out in the coming year? Fromm Beauty's Marty Okner and DC Advisory's Luc-Henry Rousselle join the podcast to discuss the most promising sectors, the challenges and opportunities in celebrity beauty brands, and what they expect for deals in 2026.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Youth sports is estimated to be a $40 billion dollar industry, and one that private equity has been eyeing with interest. Christopher Russo, CEO and founder of Fifth Generation Sports, joins the podcast to discuss the risks and opportunities in the youth sports sector, as well as other sports niches that could be home runs for investors.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A special report from the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) disproves some myths about private equity’s impact on middle-market businesses and offers some hard data on how PE-backed companies perform compared to their counterparts. NCMM’s Executive Director Doug Farren joins the podcast for a deep dive into the research’s findings and what it means for both middle-market companies and the PE firms that hope to invest in them. To read the full report, visit middlemarketcenter.org.

The Middle Market Growth Conversations podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

youthesports_final by Middle Market Growth Magazine