Category: Uncategorized
Maximizing the Value of Your Business in the Lower Middle Market with Diane Thomas, President of Premier Sales (Ep. 25)

Maximizing the Value of Your Business in the Lower Middle Market with Diane Thomas, President of Premier Sales (Ep. 25)

By |

One of the key strategies to exit planning is selling a business. But how can business owners ensure they get the best return while their business has the best value?

In this episode, Mark Dorman is joined by Diane Thomas, President and designated broker at Premier Sales, Inc., in discussing the importance of strategic planning and value maximization for businesses. Diane shares success stories of businesses that significantly increased their profitability and were sold for millions of dollars.

Diane focuses on: 

  • How she entered the business brokerage arena
  • Why market dynamics are changing and their impact on exit planning
  • Success stories she witnessed of business owners maximizing their exit
  • How she analyzes the future potential of business consulting for potential clients
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

Connect with Diane Thomas:

About our Guest: 

As President of Premier Sales, Inc., a 30 year old business brokerage firm in Arizona, Diane Thomas manages business sales transactions and engagements with privately held companies with revenue from $2 to $40 million. The Premier Transactional Team achieves a 75% success ratio, which is well above the industry average of 30%.

Diane believes planning is essential to success. Together with her value creation affiliate companies, Legacy Advisors Arizona and Legacy C-Suite, a client centric approach is developed. This includes: Value Enhancement; Business Continuity & Succession Planning; and, Business Exit Strategies to achieve stakeholder objectives. By designing a strategy first, Diane and her team are aligned with clients on goals and priorities. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
How Rising Interest Rates Impact Business Valuations with Robert “Brant” Hammer, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University (Ep. 24)

How Rising Interest Rates Impact Business Valuations with Robert “Brant” Hammer, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University (Ep. 24)

By |

Preparing to exit your business starts with understanding where your business’s value currently sits and how that value will impact your exit. How could market shifts impact that valuation?

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Robert Brant Hammer, a finance professor at West Virginia University, on the current economic environment, focusing on interest rates, inflation, and growth. Brant explores how understanding what impacts business valuation relates to exit planning and what current business owners should review as the market shifts.

Brant discusses: 

  • What the current economic environment looks like from a number of perspectives
  • How rising interest rates impact business owners
  • The challenges of finding good deals in the current environment
  • Why business owners need to understand the impact of the market on their business valuation when preparing to exit
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Brant Hammer:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

Robert Hammer earned his undergraduate degree in finance at West Virginia University and his M.S. Finance degree at West Virginia University. Prior to joining WVU full time, he spent 8+ years in industry, primarily banking and consulting, while also working as an adjunct finance faculty member for WVU. His specialties and areas of interest include business valuation, corporate finance, banking and disruptive financial technology, credit risk management, portfolio management system design, and bitcoin. He is a member of The Risk Management Association.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
A Look Behind the Scenes at EPI with Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute (Ep. 23)

A Look Behind the Scenes at EPI with Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute (Ep. 23)

By |

When you want to exit your business, you want to know you’re doing it right. Learning from someone who not only exited their own business successfully but also developed a strategy easily replicated for other business owners is a great step to exiting successfully.

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Scott Snider, President of the Exit Planning Institute, on his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his first business shining shoes for his father as a child. They discuss the value acceleration methodology developed by his father and how it helps business owners successfully exit their companies. 

Scott discusses: 

  • How he started his entrepreneurial journey
  • What the Value Acceleration Methodology is
  • The benefit of exit planning institutes for business owners
  • How Covid changed their business method for the better
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

Connect with Scott Snider:

About our Guest: 

Scott Snider is the President of the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) and the Operating Partner of Snider Premier Growth, a small family investment company. Scott is a nationally recognized industry leader, growth specialist, and lifetime entrepreneur. He launched his first business at the age of 17. At 24, he sold to a strategic buyer (his first “exit”) and joined his fathers, Chris Snider, private exit planning and M&A firm Aspire Management. At the time, the firm was looking to dominate Northeast Ohio’s exit planning space.

With their passion for business strategy and serving owners and advisors alike, Scott and his father Chris purchased the Exit Planning Institute (EPI), introduced the Value Acceleration Methodology, wrote an award-winning book called Walking to Destiny, and effectively increased the business size by 10x. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
Turning a Business into a Sellable Asset with Scott Duke, Founder of OpnRoad (Ep. 22)

Turning a Business into a Sellable Asset with Scott Duke, Founder of OpnRoad (Ep. 22)

By |

When looking to exit a business, selling it can be a great option for some entrepreneurs. But how can you ensure your business is sellable? Is there an emotional aspect to selling your business?

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Scott Duke, founder of OpnRoad, on his experience in building many businesses and selling them, discussing the challenges he faced and the lessons he learned along the way.

Scott discusses: 

  • The process of building his property management company, Revelstoke, and the challenges he faced
  • Importance of implementing systems, processes, and open book management to drive value in a business
  • The emotional impact of selling a business 
  • Why businesses struggle to sell when they are dependent on the owner
  • The purpose of his company, OpnRoad, and how they service the lower middle market
  • How they valuate a business to determine whether it’s sellable and transferable
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

Connect with Scott Duke:

About our Guest: 

Scott Duke is the founder and lead advisor of OpnRoad. He has worked with hundreds of owners to  maximize the value of their businesses. Beyond leading the OpnRoad team, he serves as the Lead Advisor on their M&A transactions.

Scott is an active board member of the International Business Brokers Association® and regularly educates 250+ Realtors through the British Columbia Real Estate Association®. He also serves as the VP of Sales for Capitaliz – a fast-growing SaaS company servicing the global exit planning industry.

Some of Scott’s past experiences include:

  • Purchased and scaled Revelstoke Property Services 10x with Eve Duke, and sold to a private equity firm in 2018
  • Founded StokeFM radio station in 2011
  • Served on Revelstoke City Council for 4 years

Outside of work, Scott enjoys a good surf trip down south and fresh power days in the alpine in Revelstoke, BC.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
Exiting from a Professional Services Business with David Shealy, CPA, CGMA (Ep. 21)

Exiting from a Professional Services Business with David Shealy, CPA, CGMA (Ep. 21)

By |

When you think about exiting a business, you are planning for more than passing on a title and money. You need to consider the physical assets and your own personal goals as well.

In this episode, Mark Dorman is joined by David Shealy, managing principal of HW&Co., Mansfield OH, in discussing the challenges and importance of succession planning in the agribusiness industry, as well as the unique farming communities in small towns. They explore the importance of thinking like a buyer and finding the right fit when preparing for a business transition. 

David discusses: 

  • His journey through the business world before he started considering an exit strategy
  • Why he started his exit plan and with whom
  • How family businesses are the same and different from other companies, especially in the agricultural sector
  • The importance of considering a business sale from the buyer’s perspective
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

Connect with David Shealy:

About Our Guest: 

Dave Shealy is the managing principal of HW&Co.’s Mansfield office. His former firm, The Shealy Group, merged with HW&Co. in November 2021.

Throughout his career, Dave has evolved into a trusted consultant and advisor for his clients, integrating himself as a member of their teams to find solutions and help them reach their goals. He has had the opportunity to work with very successful entrepreneurs and their advisors, for which his focus has been on strategic planning, identifying and resolving operational inefficiencies, revenue cycle enhancement, and establishing a strong link between a company and its finances. His belief is that the better he knows and understands clients and their business, the better he can assist them with their needs.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
A Journey of Acquiring, Growing, and Exiting a Business with Craig Kohrs, Founding Partner of Velocity Capital Partners (Ep. 20)

A Journey of Acquiring, Growing, and Exiting a Business with Craig Kohrs, Founding Partner of Velocity Capital Partners (Ep. 20)

By |

Business owners are experts at running businesses. They aren’t experts at selling them and they most definitely aren’t experts at sourcing people who would want to buy the business.

In this episode, Mark Dorman interviews Craig Kohrs, one of the founding partners of Velocity Capital Partners. Craig shares his experience of selling his previous business, and how he and his business partner Ryan Mifsud are now involved in a mission-driven venture called “We are the Ripple”. He shares the importance of having a great team, trusting them to run the business, and giving them the tools to be successful. He also gives some advice for business owners who are looking to exit or grow their businesses.

Craig dives into: 

  • How he started his own family business
  • The story behind how his team acquired and built TMG Performance Products
  • How he ran his business before planning his exit
  • Why you should hire exit planning experts to help make your exit successful
  • The goal of “We are the Ripple” to provide funding and create clean water access for schools and communities in Africa
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Craig Kohrs:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

Craig is a Founding Partner of Velocity Capital Partners. In his most recent role as Co-President of The Mifsud Group, Craig was focused on the execution of its long-term growth plan through the identification of potential acquisitions, both as new businesses and add-on opportunities for our existing portfolio, as well as supporting the leadership of our current holdings to execute on their strategic plans. Craig was also Chief Executive Officer of TMG Performance Products, charged with the successful growth and daily operation of the business, leading his management team in the development and execution of the consumer and eCommerce business strategies, as well as identifying acquisitions of brands and product lines to support that growth strategy. Prior to his role with TMG Performance Products, Craig worked at The Mifsud Group as Vice President of Business Development, driving the acquisition of CORSA Performance, now TMG Performance Products. Before joining The Mifsud Group, Craig led the North American Cookware product line for Calphalon Cookware, a premium consumer brand, part of Newell Brands.

His professional memberships have included the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association; Housewares Association; Association for Corporate Growth and WIRE-Net (now Manufacturing Works). Craig is a graduate of The University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and he earned his Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater in 2004.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
Revolutionizing Financial Modeling for Business Owners with Edmond Walters, CEO of VillanovaTech & Founder of E-Money (Ep. 19)

Revolutionizing Financial Modeling for Business Owners with Edmond Walters, CEO of VillanovaTech & Founder of E-Money (Ep. 19)

By |

It can be nerve-racking to leave a company you built, sell it off and start something new, but the experiences you gained from past careers can help you along your entrepreneurial journey.

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Edmond Walters, Founder and CEO of VillanovaTech, LLC, about his journey as an entrepreneur. From building eMoney Advisors to the sale of that company and building another new venture, Edmond shares the different experiences he leveraged when starting a new business and the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur.

Edmond discusses: 

  • His transition from being a financial advisor to creating a web-based financial planning platform
  • His vision of a client-advisor relationship when it came to financial planning
  • How he used his financial advisor experience within the tech industry
  • The journey of starting eMoney Advisor and the value it provides to clients
  • The involvement of financial advisors in the product development process of e-money
  • His decision to exit eMoney Advisors, the reasons and the process behind it
  • The changing landscape of financial advising and the need for strong branding and modern tools
  • His upcoming trust tool to empower financial advisors to engage with entire families across generations and build trust
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Edmond Walters:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

Edmond Walters is the CEO and Founder of VillanovaTech, LLC (formerly Apprise, LLC), a next-generation financial planning experience for financial advisors to use alongside their clients. VillanovaTech’s software addresses estate planning, lifetime cash flow, and client retirement needs.

Edmond spent more than 17 years in the financial services industry advising high net worth clients throughout the United States. In 2000, Edmond founded eMoney Advisor and was Chief Executive Officer and President until 2016. Since then he has served on several private and public company boards.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
More Than Just A Carpenter – Building A Great Family Business with Nate Sublett, President/Owner of Benchmark Craftsmen, Inc. (Ep. 18)

More Than Just A Carpenter – Building A Great Family Business with Nate Sublett, President/Owner of Benchmark Craftsmen, Inc. (Ep. 18)

By |

Ever wonder how an entrepreneur can lead a company to growth, dodge the curveballs of a pandemic, and still find time to venture into boat manufacturing?

In this episode, Mark Dorman interviews Nate Sublett, the innovative President and Owner of Benchmark Craftsmen, diving into the complexities of successful business transitions and creative reinvention. Drawing from Nate’s first-hand experiences, they explore the journey of business succession and creating a legacy for future generations.

Mark and Nate discuss:

  • The successful transition of ownership at Cyclonics from Nate’s father to Nate and his partner
  • The remarkable growth and sale of Cyclonics to a venture capital group and Nate’s subsequent founding of Benchmark Craftsmen 
  • The resilience and adaptability of Benchmark Craftsmen during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a successful pivot to virtual platforms for trade shows
  • The diversification of Benchmark Craftsmen into building boats in collaboration with Lyman Boats
  • Nate’s vision for Benchmark Craftsmen as a legacy business for his children
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Nate Sublett:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

Nate Sublett is the President and Owner of Benchmark Craftsmen. He is an accomplished entrepreneur with a remarkable knack for business transitions and reinventions. In 2002, Nate launched his own venture, Benchmark Craftsman. Starting with just four employees, the company rapidly grew to 65 by 2023. Beyond this, Nate led Benchmark to diversify into boat manufacturing, reviving the boat line of Lyman Boats and manufacturing high-end mahogany boats. His adaptability and resilience make Nate Sublett a standout figure in the world of entrepreneurship and business transitions.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
From Leading a Company to Mentoring Others with Brian Gale (Ep. 17)

From Leading a Company to Mentoring Others with Brian Gale (Ep. 17)

By |

Reading about exit planning can only take you so far. How has your business grown in the past few years? How will your exit impact future growth? What should you look for in an advisor?

Learning from someone who has experienced exit planning firsthand can grant new insight into opportunities in the future.

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Brian Gale, a business consultant and investor, on his experience as an entrepreneur and his transition out of the business. Brian provides insight into the exit planning process, from the transition to a new career to the business considerations owners should know.

Brian discusses: 

  • His journey as an entrepreneur, business owner, investor and consultant
  • Why consolidations have increased within the business world and how they impact business planning
  • His advice for business owners looking to exit their business on top
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Brian Gale:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

Brian Gale is a proven leader with an 18-year track record of building businesses, improving profitability, driving growth, and developing teams; 14 years as owner, CEO and Board Chair. Brian understands and uses the levers that impact business results – solid strategy, devoted people, positive culture, loyal customers, and financial stewardship. He has a record of success across the entire enterprise life cycle – visioning, early stage, capital raising, high growth, M&A, sustaining, revitalization, and turnaround. He is personable and trusted, respectful and respected; equally at ease with board members, shareholders, peers, colleagues, and associates. Brian has a strong background in finance and strategy, coupled with an ability to lead and deliver results, he ensures a similar approach and outcomes in the future.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS
What’s the Value of Your Business? with Michael Carter, Founder and CEO of BizEquity (Ep. 16)

What’s the Value of Your Business? with Michael Carter, Founder and CEO of BizEquity (Ep. 16)

By |

No matter how successful a business owner is, almost all stumble on the question of the value of their business. How do you determine that number? And how can you increase that number?

In this episode, Mark Dorman speaks with Michael Carter, CEO of BizEquity, on his experience and growth as an entrepreneur and business owner. Michael shares the lessons he has learned in building a financially successful business with growth opportunities for the future.

Michael discusses: 

  • His journey to becoming one of the top 100 financial technology leaders globally
  • How businesses can focus on creating value in the market as a business
  • The different types of evaluation strategies to determine a businesses value
  • His advice for budding entrepreneurs looking to create and grow their businesses 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Michael Carter:

Connect with Mark Dorman: 

About our Guest: 

After years working for legendary tech investor Pete Musser, Mike founded and is CEO of BizEquity. Mike has over 15 years in enterprise software and technology services and has founded three software companies. Mike was the CMO of a publicly traded billion-dollar Internet company and has been called one of the top 100 people globally in fintech.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS

Archives

Categories