Sage Partner - Justin Smith on the economic signs of a good M&A environment

Justin Smith is the Chief Financial Officer of LeaseQuery. Justin provides leadership and oversight for capital allocation, financial management, operational efficiency and investor relations. He brings nearly 20 years of experience and came to LeaseQuery in 2023 from Goldman Sachs, where he was a senior member of their technology investment banking team. At Goldman, Justin advised CEOs, CFOs and boards on transactions including IPOs, M&A;, and capital raises. Additionally, Justin served on the investment selection committee of Engage Ventures, a leading VC fund based in Atlanta. Justin holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. Summary Financial leadership and capital allocation with Justin Smith. Justin Smith provides leadership and oversight for capital allocation and financial management at Elise Curry. The evolution of the CFO role. CFO evolved from cash manager to strategic partner, matching resources with investment opportunities. Signs of a ripe M&A; environment. Speaker 2 highlights the importance of market dynamics and capital availability for M&A; deals to occur. Sellers are starting to show willingness to come to market, but capital availability remains a challenge. Valuation of software and consulting companies. Speaker 2: Subscription model companies have longer term visibility, premium in market. Subscription-based business models and their benefits. Subscription-based businesses provide high degree of visibility into future revenue. Justin Smith, CFO of Lease Query, highlights his mother as a hero for her positivity and optimism, and Rich Roll, a podcast personality, as someone he looks up to for his career pivot and personal development insights.