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PODCAST

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

business management

All Episodes

33:51

From Louisiana to Leading Global Capital Markets

The Deal Podcast ·

2026/01/19

In this episode, we sit down with Rip Reeves, CEO of Institutional Investor, to unpack the evolution of global investing, asset allocation, and the allocator–manager ecosystem. Rip shares his journey from a first-generation college student in South Louisiana to Wall Street, portfolio management, and ultimately leading one of the most influential platforms serving CIOs, asset managers, and allocators worldwide. This conversation covers: How a single college class changed Rip’s career trajector...

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39:11

How Banks Really Evaluate Middle Market Deals

The Deal Podcast ·

2026/01/16

In this episode, we sit down with Larry Attenhofer, a senior commercial banking leader at Hancock Whitney with nearly three decades of experience financing middle-market businesses. Larry walks through how banks actually underwrite deals, what separates strong borrowers from risky ones, and why relationships and communication matter just as much as financials. This conversation covers: How banks define the middle market and why it mattersWhat credit analysts and bankers look for in a “good” d...

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50:27

Why Deals Fail After the Numbers Look Perfect

The Deal Podcast ·

2026/01/14

In this episode, we sit down with Andre Broussard, a seasoned CPA operating at the intersection of private equity, venture capital, and middle-market deal execution. Andre shares how he functions as a “CFO by the hour” for founders, operators, and investment groups and why accounting today is far more about psychology, judgment, and trust than debits and credits. This conversation covers: How CPAs support PE and VC firms before, during, and after exitsWhy psychology and sociology matter more ...

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66:42

Courtroom or Boardroom? Why Transactional Lawyers...

The Deal Podcast ·

2026/01/12

In this episode host Josh Wilson sits down with CJ Miller, a transactional attorney who has built his career in the boardroom rather than the courtroom. CJ shares his journey from growing up in a small family business in South Louisiana to becoming a trusted advisor for banks, entrepreneurs, and middle-market companies. He explains what transactional law really looks like day to day and why helping people structure deals, manage risk, and plan for the future brings lasting fulfillment. This c...

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37:19

Relationship Banking, Deal Discipline, and Knowing...

The Deal Podcast ·

2026/01/05

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, we sit down with Edward Bienvenu, a commercial banker based in Lafayette, Louisiana, to unpack how relationship-driven banking actually works at the community level and why some of the best deals are the ones you never do. Edward shares his unconventional path into commercial banking, starting in biology before realizing finance offered the right balance of structure, people, and long-term impact. What began as an analyst role evolved into a career built o...

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64:22

What Happens When the Deal Is Done and Purpose Is...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/29

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, hosts Josh Wilson and Jude David sit down with Paul George, consultant, speaker, and host of The Paul George Show, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, faith, business, and life after the exit. Paul shares his personal mission framework, “Love God, serve others, and die with no regrets,” and explains how a lack of personal clarity often leads to broken businesses, burnout, and regret after successful exits. The discussion explores the contrast be...

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65:04

Love, Truth, and the Business of Building What Lasts

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/22

On the show, we sit down with Lance Strother a coach, entrepreneur, inventor, man of faith, and lifelong developer of people. Lance is the kind of dealmaker who doesn’t just chase outcomes. He builds lives, teams, and cultures that last. Born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, Lance shares how his journey through coaching, ministry, invention, and business shaped a philosophy that challenges how most leaders think about success. We explore why having “many irons in the fire” is not a flaw wh...

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36:34

What Makes a Great M&A Attorney?

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/15

What separates a good deal attorney from a great one? In this episode of The Deal Podcast, hosts Joshua Wilson and Scott discuss the legal side of mergers and acquisitions with veteran corporate attorney Frank Slavich, who brings over 25 years of experience in corporate law, M&A, lending, and commercial real estate. Frank unpacks the real role of an M&A attorney: not to kill deals, but to protect clients while keeping transactions moving. You’ll hear how he balances business logic wit...

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32:43

What Can Car Sales Teach You About Private Equity?

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/13

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, Dan Daly shares his remarkable journey from selling cars on the wholesale lot to overseeing ultra-luxury brands like Bugatti and Bentley, and now leading a $50M international private equity fund focused on boutique hospitality properties. Dan dives into: How competitive discipline (like training for an Ironman) shapes success in businessLessons from the car sales floor that translate directly to dealmaking and turnaroundsHis experience scaling automotive d...

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39:31

Behind the Scenes of Middle Market Deals: A...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/08

Inside a Real Deal Roundtable: Lessons from Thousands of M&A Transactions In this exclusive episode of The Deal Podcast, the FA Mergers team, Jude David, Scott Shea, Chase Kenner, and host Joshua Wilson, sit down for a raw, behind the scenes conversation about what really happens when a mid market business goes to market. Topics discussed: The biggest mistakes sellers make when approaching an exitWhy waiting until you’re “ready to retire” can cost you millionsWhat buyers are really lookin...

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41:54

What Happens When a Former Banker Turns Founder?

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/06

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, Phil Boggia joins Joshua Wilson for a compelling conversation on leaving the security of banking to build something new from scratch, Surcle, a venture-backed talent platform built for engineering and product teams. Phil shares the unique lens he brought into startup life after years in private banking and capital markets. He opens up about the transition from banker to builder, what early-stage risk really feels like, and how Surcle is reshaping how tech...

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48:08

What Does It Really Take to Lead a Publicly Traded Bank?

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/12/01

What happens when a CPA discovers his greatest strength isn’t crunching numbers? In this powerful interview, Catalyst Bank CEO Joe Zanco reveals how a mop, a moment of humility, and a mindset of ownership shaped his rise through the banking world to leading a NASDAQ-listed bank. Joe shares hard-earned lessons from 10+ M&A deals, the real reason banks sell, how employee ownership changes culture, and what most people get wrong about public company leadership. If you’re in dealmaking, banki...

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56:49

From Ambulances to Acquisitions: Blaise Zuschlag on...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/24

In this episode, Blaise Zuschlag, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer of Acadian Companies, shares how a family-run ambulance service grew into a 5,000+ employee enterprise without losing its heart. Blaise walks us through: His pivot from JPMorgan to joining the family businessThe early days of Acadian Ambulance and a pivotal buyout decisionHow they use M&A to grow into new regions while preserving cultureThe power of ESOPs and what it means when medics are also owners10 core “ZP” (Zus...

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44:58

From the Court to the Courtroom: Deal Clarity from a...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/20

In this episode, we sit down with William Kellner, a former college basketball coach turned commercial litigator and M&A deal attorney. Will brings a rare blend of courtroom experience, in-house legal strategy, and business-owner empathy. He shares the most overlooked threats in deal execution, what litigators know about deal structures gone wrong, and how his background in coaching shaped his approach to legal counsel. This episode is essential for dealmakers, business owners, and attorn...

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44:28

Can Infrastructure Be a Profit Center? How Ken...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/17

What if your infrastructure wasn’t just a cost center but a source of recurring revenue? In this episode of The Deal Podcast, energy developer and fourth-generation entrepreneur Ken Bernhard breaks down how his firm is flipping the script on mechanical systems, turning legacy utility plants into modern revenue engines. Ken shares: How his family legacy sparked a new model for financing and operating infrastructureWhy large institutions like hospitals and universities should outsource energy m...

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41:14

From Cold Calls to Closed Deals: How Beau Bourque...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/13

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, Beau Bourque, President of Beacon Realty, breaks down exactly how he built a real estate deal pipeline from scratch using a laptop, an Excel sheet, and relentless drive. Beau started his business by targeting mobile home parks, an overlooked, fragmented niche and used consistent outreach to create opportunity where others saw none. Now, he’s expanded into industrial real estate, knocking doors, logging CRM calls, and training for the Boston Marathon all at...

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58:46

From Courtside to C-Suite: Collis Temple III on...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/10

In this powerful episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson sits down with former LSU basketball star turned business leader Collis Temple III for a raw and inspiring conversation on navigating transitions, building legacy, and the mindset of championship leadership. Collis opens up about his family’s legacy at LSU, how his father shaped his discipline from childhood, and the heartbreaking moment when a career-ending injury forced him to pivot from a lifelong dream of the NBA, just six h...

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45:04

Building & Buying: How S1 Technology Scaled Fast with...

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/06

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Roth and Hunter Harrison, co-founders of S1 Technology, to explore their rapid journey from startup to a thriving MSP (Managed Service Provider) with 45+ employees, operations in 30+ states, and a spot on the Inc. 5000 list. From a lunch meeting that sparked their partnership to multiple acquisitions and a nationwide footprint, this conversation dives into how culture, recurring revenue, EOS, and a strong co-founder dynamic have fue...

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47:57

The Lawyer Who Sees the Whole Deal

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/11/03

In this episode, we sit down with Thomas Hooks, General Counsel, Chief of Staff at Stately, and City Councilman in Lafayette, Louisiana to explore how legal, strategy, and leadership intersect in M&A and beyond. Thomas isn’t your average in-house attorney. With a background that spans industrial services, local politics, and private equity dealmaking, he brings a systems-thinking lens to every deal, team, and tension point. He’s also a husband and father of six with a grounded identity ro...

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35:46

Poker, Psychology, and Preparing to Sell Your Business

The Deal Podcast ·

2025/10/27

In this episode, we sit down with Scott Shea, a sell-side advisor, former family business operator, and recovering professional poker player who brings a uniquely grounded perspective to helping owners navigate the sale of their company. From growing up in an oilfield services family business to sitting across from buyers in private equity, Scott shares how poker taught him more about deals than business school ever could. He breaks down how sellers sabotage their own exits by getting emotion...

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27 results

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