Inflation is hotter than ever, but when will it cool down? We are excited to welcome Simeon Wallis, Chief Investment Officer of Aprio’s Wealth Management, back to the podcast. John and Simeon discuss how we are wading through uncharted territory with levels of inflation we have not dealt with in 40 years, coming out of a pandemic that has heavily impacted global supply chains and a land war in Europe. Listen now as Simeon shares how inflation is impacting the economy and what we can expect to see during the upcoming months.

Selling a company can feel like magic. As a female CEO of a tech company, Robbie Hardy, Co-Founder of Our Poker Night, knew the chips were stacked against her. After more than 20 years climbing the corporate ladder, Robbie never lost her focus and has become an experienced and trusted entrepreneur and investor. Listen now as she shares the lessons she learned early in her entrepreneurial career and the importance of keeping a close eye on your company rather than the company acquiring you.

To get the right M&A deals done, it’s best to steer clear of growth for growth stake. Corey Kupfer, Principal of Kupfer & Associates, PLLC, Founder and CEO of DealQuest and member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, embodied the mind of an entrepreneur and learned accountability from a young age. From the moment he started his firm at the age of 30, Corey blended his entrepreneurial spirit with his law firm to help business leaders with deal-driven growth. Listen now as Corey shares how every good M&A deal that wishes to secure the right terms must focus on strategy.

If you take the time to understand how your economic engine is working, you can be profitable in almost any endeavor. Bill Dupee, Transaction Advisory Partner at Aprio, doesn’t want to see someone jump to do a deal just to do a deal or because an unsolicited one is being offered. Instead, he believes you must first define the strategic direction of your business and then determine how a potential transaction could fit into where your business is headed. Listen now as Bill shares what attracted him to the dynamic, fast-paced nature of the M&A world, the importance of gaining an informed view of your financial performance and how inflation is impacting M&A deals.

Many companies have considered selling their business but have no idea where to start. Jessica Fialkovich, the Founder and CEO of Exit Factor, and prominent member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, built one of the largest M&A business brokerage firms in the US. Listen now as she shares what drove her passion to help small businesses prepare to sell, the biggest lessons she learned from selling her first company and what’s going on in the M&A world.

This week we talk with Mark Jacobs, CEO of ScaleWerks, on the key characteristics for companies to achieve sustainable scale and growth—adopting automation to increase efficiencies, a strong online presence to connect with customers and concern for the wellbeing of your employees. Throughout his career, Mark’s passion for collaborating with people enthusiastic about change has guided him on his journey to teach companies the art of scaling. Listen now!

Mary Cantando, Founder and Trustee of xElle Ventures, joins us on the podcast as we bring our Women in Leadership series to a close. xElle Ventures is an early-stage angel investment fund dedicated to funding, mentoring and marketing women-owned businesses. In 2001, Mary took a leap to focus her time and energy on what brought her joy — supporting female entrepreneurs. Listen now as Mary shares her passion for empowering female leaders to create positive ripple effects that directly impact families and communities.

This week, we continue our Women in Leadership series with Susan Andersen, the Founder and Executive Director of ANSWER Scholarship, Inc. When Susan received a partial college scholarship at the age of 18, a seed was planted to somehow pay it forward, yet at the time she had no idea what it would look like. Since 2006, ANSWER has provided scholarships, mentorships and professional development to moms of school-age children throughout the Carolina region. Listen now to learn how Susan’s passion transformed into a non-profit that gives moms the financial stability to change the destiny of their children.