The Deal Podcast
Welcome to a podcast that goes beyond the headlines to reveal the human and financial side of building enterprise value. Hosted by M&A advisor and executive producer Joshua Wilson, this is The Deal Podcast, brought to you by FA Mergers. We're your front-row seat to the strategies shaping today's lower- and middle-market, from the family-run business to the multi-million-dollar portfolio. Too often, the world of mergers and acquisitions is seen as a complex, numbers-driven game. We believe it's about the people behind the deals—the bold entrepreneurs, the savvy investors, and the dedicated teams who make it all possible. Each episode, we sit down with the real players in the M&A space: from private equity sponsors and family offices to strategic buyers, serial entrepreneurs, and commercial bankers. We’ll also hear from the crucial professional teams on the front lines, including CPAs, tax and corporate attorneys, and wealth advisors, to uncover the blueprints of success. Our conversations will delve into every facet of the deal lifecycle. We'll explore the art of acquisitions, the science of scaling through bolt-ons, the complexities of divestitures, and the long-term thinking required for portfolio optimization. This podcast is more than a stage for thought leaders; it's a collaborative hub for anyone looking to build, scale, or prepare for their next chapter. Whether you’re a business owner seeking a successful exit, an investor looking to grow your portfolio, or a professional advisor supporting clients on this journey, our content is designed to be both educational and actionable. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and statements expressed by the guest are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Deal Podcast, its hosts, or affiliated organizations. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice.
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Recent Episodes
Oct. 5, 2026
From Exit to Endowment: Building a Legacy That Outlives You — Monica Zuschlag & Margaret Trahan
What happens to everything you've built after you sell? Two Catholic foundation leaders explain how owners turn a lifetime of work into a legacy that lasts.
Sept. 28, 2026
Relationships Are the Product: How an Engineering Firm Wins Work — Aaron Travasos
An engineer who left a steady paycheck mid-pandemic explains why the real product of an engineering firm is trust, and why every big win starts a countdown.
Sept. 21, 2026
Building Toward an Acquisition From Day One with Kelly Hebert
A bootstrapped founder who planned her exit before writing a line of code explains how customer discovery, discipline on features, and three rebuilds kept an acquisition in view.
Sept. 14, 2026
What Every Founder Gets Wrong About Building With AI with Justin Obney
Obney AI CEO Justin Obney cuts through the hype: AI is systems that execute your intent, and founders win by picking one tool and operationalizing it, not by endless tinkering.
Sept. 7, 2026
The Deal Behind Sports Betting, NIL, Revenue Sharing, and the Portal with Charles Hanagriff
A 33-year Baton Rouge broadcaster explains how sports betting, NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal turned college athletics into a deal-making business that private equity now wants in on.
Aug. 31, 2026
Where Allocators and Dealmakers Actually Meet with Rip Reeves
Institutional Investor CEO Rip Reeves explains how global capital really moves, why insurers, endowments, and family offices invest so differently, and whose door GPs should knock on.
Aug. 24, 2026
From Folding Towels for Nick Saban to Owning a Bank with Scott Gaudin
Currency Bank CEO Scott Gaudin left a secure job mid-pandemic, raised $30M from 143 shareholders to buy a bank charter, and quadrupled it in five years. Here's the math behind it.
Aug. 17, 2026
Playing Offense or Defense With Your Company's Value with Ben Vance
Should you grow your business or protect it? The answer depends on one number — and most owners don't know theirs. In this episode, Joshua Wilson and co-hosts Scott Shea (FA Mergers) and Jeremy Beyt (CEO, ThreeSixtyEight) sit down with Ben Vance, CPA, Director at Faulk & Winkler, who brings nearly 20 years in business valuation, transaction advisory, and family office work. Ben unpacks the difference between "playing offense" and "playing defense" with enterprise value, why the legacy bil...
Aug. 10, 2026
We're Not a Construction Company, We're a People Company — Lenny Lemoine
LEMOINE founder Lenny Lemoine on growing a small-town family lumberyard into a 1,500-person firm, partnering with Bernhard Capital, and selling without selling out.
Aug. 3, 2026
The Hidden Asset Smart PE Firms Protect at All Costs with Jeffrey Koonce
Bernhard Capital partner Jeffrey Koonce on what private equity values beyond EBITDA, why the highest offer rarely wins, and why founders who roll equity tend to come out ahead.
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