Most M&A deals do not fail at signing. 

Rachel Smith, Vice President of Nota Consulting, joins This Is M&A to break down the human side of post-merger integration and why culture is revenue.

Rachel has led integration efforts on multi-billion-dollar transactions, including execution on a $3.1B acquisition that delivered nearly $100M in cost savings. In this episode, she shares what actually drives post-close value creation and where leadership teams go wrong.

You’ll learn:

If you are a CEO, private equity leader, or corporate development executive navigating M&A integration, carve-outs, or enterprise transformation, this conversation is for you.

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#thisismandapodcast #mergersandacquisitions #postmergerintegration #carveout #privateequity #leadership #dealexecution

00:00 Intro

Every founder eventually faces it:

Matt Plooster, CEO & Co-Founder of Bridgepoint Investment Banking, joins This Is M&A to break down how founders should think about control, liquidity and timing.

With over $41B in completed transactions and experience at Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, Matt shares how to:

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Bridgepoint Investment Banking advises middle market companies on capital raising and M&A across healthcare, industrials, consumer, transportation, and technology sectors.

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#thisismapodcast #mna #founders #capitalraising #privateequity

Founder-owned exits are rarely clean breaks. In this episode, Nick Cipiti of CriticalPoint reveals the psychology behind partial exits and how buyers can structure deals where the founder wants to stay involved.

Nick is a Managing Director at CriticalPoint with over a decade of experience in middle-market M&A. He specializes in founder-led transactions, carve-outs, and private equity deals where structure and alignment matter as much as valuation.

With personal stories and tactical insight, Nick breaks down:

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Cross-border deals are tough and only a few teams get them right.

Feng Han has executed 100+ transactions in over 13 countries across healthcare, life sciences, and MedTech. In this episode, he reveals the red flags sellers miss, why strategic fit matters more than you think, and how international acquirers are behaving in 2026.

With decades of experience at Henry Schein, Fosun, and Pagoda Capital, Feng now leads Laurel Hollow Capital as Managing Partner.

Founders and dealmakers will walk away with practical tools for avoiding value erosion in international M&A.

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Selling your company is not as straightforward as it seems.

In this episode of This Is M&A, Hitesh Nathani, Managing Director at CriticalPoint, reveals the myths that quietly destroy value, and what every founder, operator, and acquirer needs to understand before and after the LOI.

With 19+ years of experience across valuation, private capital, and operating strategy, Hitesh exposes what really happens when private equity gets involved and why most companies fail to realize the value they expect. Founders, operators, and investors will walk away with a clearer view of what it takes to sell well, avoid post-close chaos, and command attention from serious buyers.

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Timestamps:

Can you scale from zero to $1.2B in under 2 years?

Alan Gessel is a serial founder, investor, and the current CEO of Graystone Corporate. His resume spans C-suite roles at global firms like Aramark and Sodexo, and his leadership has taken teams from five to 4,500 employees. With over 30 years across buy-side, sell-side, and capital raises, Alan blends operator instinct with strategic depth.

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Timestamps:

There is a seismic shift in M&A, and most founders are not ready for it. AI is not just transforming products, it is rewriting valuation models, exit timing and competitive strategy.

In this episode, Bob Cronin, Managing Director at Telegraph Hill Advisors, breaks down how AI is reshaping SaaS and software deals, why AI native companies are earning extreme multiples, and what CEOs need to do before the window closes.

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00:00  Intro

What makes a company attractive to buyers?

It is not revenue alone.

In this episode of This Is M&A, Jordi Pujol, CFA, Managing Director at Objective, Investment Banking & Valuation, explains the financial and operational fundamentals that influence valuation, deal interest, and buyer confidence.

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Taxes may not kill your deal outright, but they can quietly destroy its value. Christine “Chrissy” Green, Member and Tax Attorney at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, reveals how middle-market dealmakers can use tax strategy as a competitive edge.

Chrissy works across buy-side and sell-side M&A in the middle market. She covers federal, state and international tax. She also led firm efforts on the Corporate Transparency Act.

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If you wait for perfect timing, you will pay for it. In this market, time either adds zeros or kills deals.

Ben Boissevain is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ascento Capital Invest. A boutique investment bank laser-focused on tech M&A. He specializes in sell-side mandates for high-growth companies in the $20M to $220M range. Regular on Bloomberg TV and Fox Business News.

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