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
Aug. 31, 2026
Where Allocators and Dealmakers Actually Meet with Rip Reeves
He got told no 2,000 times before Wall Street said yes. Rip Reeves cold-called his way off a borrowed New York City phone book — and four decades later runs the company whose magazine first taught him the business. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, recorded on the Baton Rouge Podcast Tour, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Rip Reeves, CEO of Institutional Investor and former CIO of AEGIS Insurance Services. Rip walks through how global capital actually moves — the all
Aug. 24, 2026
From Folding Towels for Nick Saban to Owning a Bank with Scott Gaudin
He cashed out everything during the pandemic — left a guaranteed paycheck to raise $30M and buy a bank that didn't exist yet. Five years later, it's quadrupled. In this episode, recorded live in Baton Rouge on our Louisiana Podcast Tour, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Scott Gaudin, President & CEO of Currency Bank. Scott traces his path from folding towels and parking cars under Nick Saban at LSU to acquiring a community bank charter and building it into a $260M concier
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
He built a national construction firm out of a town of fewer than 1,000 people — then sold it without feeling like he sold out. In this episode, Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Lenny Lemoine, founder of LEMOINE, the Louisiana services company he and his brother Tim grew from a family lumberyard into a 1,500-person leader in building, infrastructure, and disaster response. Lenny walks through decades of building enterprise value: the early hard-bid years, the choice to drop ha
Aug. 3, 2026
The Hidden Asset Smart PE Firms Protect at All Costs with Jeffrey Koonce
What separates the PE firms that build lasting companies from the ones that destroy them? Jeff Koonce says it comes down to one asset that never shows up cleanly on a balance sheet. Jeffrey Koonce is a Partner at Bernhard Capital Partners, a Baton Rouge-based services and infrastructure-focused private equity firm with more than $6 billion in AUM. A recovering CPA and former tax attorney at Phelps Dunbar, Jeff joined BCP as General Counsel and has been part of the firm's growth from its first
July 27, 2026
The Family Office Playbook for Lower Middle Market Acquisitions — Erik Billet
Erik Billet and Jude David built a family office that's done 12 acquisitions in five years — without outside investors, without a fund clock, and without ever planning to flip a single company. In this episode, Erik Billet, CFO of Kin Capital Partners and CEO of Stately Doors and Windows, joins Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA, Managing Partner at FA Mergers, to walk through how a two-man partnership grew into a multifamily office acquiring lower middle market businesses. E...
July 20, 2026
Stuck in the Founder Trap? How to Free Yourself From the Day to Day with Jeff Martin
What happens when a buyer looks at your business and says, "The owner is too involved — we can't pluck him out"? That's the moment your exit value collapses. And it's the moment Jeff Martin has spent a career helping founders avoid. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA and Managing Partner at FA Mergers, sit down with Jeff Martin — serial entrepreneur, four-time exiter, and founder of Company Growth Academy. Jeff shares hard-won lessons ...
July 13, 2026
From Ministry to Real Estate: Lessons From a Career Pivot with John Ray Perkins
He spent over two decades as a full-time Catholic minister. Then four kids, a tight bank account, and a global pandemic forced a pivot that would reshape everything. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA and Managing Partner at FA Mergers, sit down with John Ray Perkins, a top-producing Realtor with Keller Williams Realty of Acadiana in Lafayette, Louisiana. After 20+ years in youth and parish ministry at St. Peter's in Carencro and St. P
July 6, 2026
Scaling a Law Firm Without Losing the Mission with Blake David
What does it take to scale a plaintiff's law firm to 17 attorneys across three offices — without losing the mission, the culture, or your sanity? Blake David has done it, and he's still trying cases. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson sits down with Blake R. David, founding partner of Broussard, David & Moroux in Lafayette, Louisiana, alongside co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA, Managing Partner at FA Mergers — and Blake's younger brother. Blake is one of the most deco...
June 29, 2026
How Founders Use Community Foundations to Protect Their Legacy with Missy Andrade
What if the smartest move before your liquidity event isn't talking to your banker — it's talking to a community foundation? In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Missy Andrade, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA), to unpack one of the most overlooked tools in middle market dealmaking: the community foundation. Missy leads a 26-year-old organization stewarding more than $253 million in assets across roughly 1...
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