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PODCAST

ETA Insider Podcast

Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

A podcast series featuring all things related to search funds and entrepreneurship through acquisition. Hosted by Brian O"Connor, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago"s Booth School of Business and Managing Partner of NextGen Growth Partners.

business

All Episodes

00:40:05

Exploring the Future of ETA

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2024/03/04

This month’s episode features a discussion with AJ Wasserstein, Professor, Yale School of Management, on the rapidly changing world of search funds. They explore the normalization of search funds, demographic trends, and the evolution of search fund models. Delving into the investor landscape, they discuss the shift from individual to institutional investors and its impact on entrepreneur-investor relationships. Despite the influx of capital driving market growth, concerns about declining quality

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00:32:26

From Wall Street to Main Street: A Journey in...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2024/01/31

This month’s episode features Peter Jackson, the owner and CEO of Miller Industrial, as he shares his remarkable journey from the world of Wall Street to becoming a key player in Main Street entrepreneurship. The discussion delves into Peter’s diverse career experiences, from corporate finance to his pivotal role at Groupon, leading up to the acquisition of Miller Industrial in 2018. Explore the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned as Peter navigated the complexities of self-funding, searching

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00:44:46

From Finance to Innovation: A CEO's Journey

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2024/01/03

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Marc Shiffman, MBA ’94, Former President & CEO of SMS Assist. In this episode, we explore the dynamic career journey of a finance professional who transitioned into the realm of innovation and leadership. Beginning in New York with McAndrews & Forbes owned and operated businesses, Marc played pivotal roles in iconic companies like Revlon, Coleman, and Sunbeam. The narrative takes a turn with a move to Chicago and a decade plus-long stint at

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00:37:57

Decision Making Moments in ETA

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/11/30

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Manvendra Saxena, Founder and Chairman at Mars Energy Group. Manny discusses navigating the challenges of moving acrosscontinents to his experiences in corporate America and the startup world. Through this discussion, you learn the pivotal decision-making moments that led him to embrace ETA and why the sponsored model became a risk-mitigated path for his ambitions. Manny discusses the importance of confidence, emotional intelligence, and

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00:28:59

Navigating ETA & SBA

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/10/31

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Lisa Forrest, Director of Live Oak Bank. At the time of the taping last March, the LMM SBA market was in the throws of adjusting to the interest rate shocks. Deal flow at that time was in a state of disarray as buyers, sellers, and lenders were all trying to figure out acquisition structures in this rate environment. Almost 7 months later, the market is starting to adjust and many lenders like Live Oak Bank will end up with solid 2023

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00:32:17

Navigating Personal and Financial Risk in...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/09/29

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Tim Lahey, CEO of r:Home, a technology concierge company, who shares his journey into entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) from a finance career. He stresses the significance of personal risk assessment in ETA and discusses his acquisition process, including location and size criteria. Tim highlights the challenges of scaling a service-oriented business and the importance of company culture. He advocates for patience in business growth

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00:32:07

Diverse Perspectives in ETA: Building Resumes and...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/08/31

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Clement Lucas, Principal of Relay Investment, a diverse firm based out of Boston that focuses on ETA investments. Clement’s unique perspective as a former operator is a value add to his team and the searchers Relay works with. Clement shares with Brian how diversity is beneficial within your resume in addition to the team you build. He also shares advice and mistakes that both searchers and operators can make and insights into the future of

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00:41:31

Risk in ETA from an Investor’s Point of View

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/07/31

This month’s episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Jan Simon, the Managing Partner of Vonzeo Capital, a Professor of the Practice of Management in Entrepreneurship at IESE, and the Academic Director of its International Search Fund Center. Jan’s expertise and research focuses on investment strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and entrepreneurial acquisitions. Prior to working in the investment world, Jan spent four years in the Special Forces. In his conversation with Brian, Jan discusses how

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00:29:38

From Sponsored Searcher to Operator: Creating Your...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/06/30

In this episode of the ETA Insider Podcast, Brian interviews Nick Oberhouse, MBA ‘20, CEO of DAWGS (Door and Window Guard Systems, Inc.). After graduating from Chicago Booth, Nick partnered with NextGen Growth Partners (NGP) to acquire a business, eventually acquiring DAWGS in October 2021. DAWGS serves municipal and commercial property owners by securing their buildings with DAWGS' patented steel security system. Nick discusses how he transitioned from a background in consulting to a career in ETA,

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00:40:15

Live from the Harper Center: Next Steps in the ETA...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/06/09

This special edition, live episode of the ETA Insider Podcast features Brian Vanderheyden, MBA ‘14, Founder and CEO of Glass Lake Holdings. When Brian joined the podcast in 2020, he was CEO of the Richmond Alarm Company, which he acquired in July 2017 out of his search fund. In this episode, recorded live at the Chicago Booth Harper Center in front of an audience of students and alumni, Brian discusses his recent exit, including the process of working with a bank and choosing between financial and

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00:30:32

Combining Passion with Expertise: Advice on Operating

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/04/28

This episode features Mia Jackson, CEO of Vital Care Industries, a medical surgical supplies manufacturer. With a background in operations, supply chain, and finance, Mia discusses how acquiring Vital Care Industries combined her expertise with her passion for healthcare. In this episode, Brian interviews Mia on her career in entrepreneurship through acquisition, her advice to future searchers on how to strategically prepare to operate during the search, and the importance of building networks

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00:35:40

Reflections on Serial Acquisitions and Long-Term Growth

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/03/31

Brian interviews Jason Pananos and Jay Davis, cofounders of the Nashton Company, on their careers in entrepreneurship through acquisition. Jason and Jay discuss how they developed a serial acquisition strategy, the benefits of long-term growth, and how their experience with ETA has informed how they think about investing today.

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00:37:35

Navigating the Partner Led Search

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/02/28

Addie Epstein and Ashley Quisol, principals and cofounders of Benton Place Partners, join Brian to discuss their journey into entrepreneurship through acquisition. Addie and Ashley share their search philosophy and highlight the importance of playing to your strengths, how to market yourself to business owners, and lessons learned from the ups and downs of searching.

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00:29:00

Examining ETA's Growth Potential in Frontier Markets

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2023/01/30

Santiago Perez Teuffer, Managing Partner at Cerralvo Capital - a search fund investment firm based in Mexico City - discusses his journey into the world of ETA as well as his current work at Cerralvo as the firm approaches its third fund. The conversation revolves around the compelling future of ETA in new frontier markets in Europe and Asia, and Santiago shares his insights on navigating these international opportunities for both entrepreneurs and investors - including the top countries for search

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00:32:50

Building Alpine Investors with Graham Weaver

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2022/08/01

Graham Weaver, founder and CEO of Alpine Investors, joins the podcast to tell the story of Alpine's evolution. Graham focuses on key times (the Great Recession) and people who made Alpine what it is today. The episode is full of hard earned wisdom from the importance of coaching to how to find incredible talent and is sure to leave the listener inspired.

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00:38:17

Perspectives on a Purposeful ETA Career

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2022/04/01

Industry veteran David Dodson joins Brian to talk about his successful and varied career in the Entrepreneurship through Acquisition community. From his time as an early student of Irv Grousbeck to his multiple successful searches, acquisitions to his more recent time as an investor David’s stories are full of earned wisdom and success. David also details the importance of mentorship and how he has taken lessons learned in ETA to his non profit work.

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00:29:59

Creating a Great Leadership Transition at TGI Direct

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2022/02/23

Monica Weaver, MBA '07 talks through her first two years of leadership at TGI Direct, a company that manages direct mail in highly regulated industries. Monica shares her search story from raising and then closing a traditional search fund after two years to keeping her pipeline active and eventually acquiring TGI Direct through a self funded search. Along the way she details her success in building a strong relationship with the seller both in the acquisition process and also the first year

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00:34:15

Self Funded Search From Multiple Angles

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2022/01/25

Robert Graham talks through his busy roles first as the CEO of Pilar Health Group, a company he acquired through a partnered self funded search in 2018, and also as a Partner at Search Investment Group where he advises self funded searchers on diligence, deal sources and raising capital. During the conversation Robert provides insider perspective on the home health space and Pilar's growth strategy built on building a great company culture and acquiring business units with complementary services. He

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00:38:53

Reflections on 30 Years of Successful Search...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2021/12/23

Andrew Cousin joins to talk about his career as an ETA entrepreneur. His story is full of rich anecdotes from acquiring and building onto a woodworking hardware company in the early 90s to exiting that business and leading one of the largest search acquisitions in history at Circle Graphics. Andrew brings great perspective on how to view manufacturing businesses versus service businesses and growing new product categories within mature businesses. HIs interview is full of gained wisdom and

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00:28:49

Working on the business versus in the business with...

ETA Insider Podcast ·

2021/10/14

Brian Kruse, MBA '18, joins the podcast to talk about his first year as the owner/operator of Legacy Roofing in Ohio. The two talk about how to identify a great industry and weigh the pros and cons of choosing the right size business to acquire. Kruse also concentrates on the importance of building a great team and identifying and prioritizing each persons' strengths.

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88 results

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