Mergers & Acquisitions with AJ Caro - The Entrepreneurland Podcast, Episode 4
Release Date: 01/25/2024
Pitchology
In this powerful talk, entrepreneur and impact leader Steve Distante visits inmates at the A.M. Stringfellow Unit to share a message of hope, purpose, and transformation. "From Lockup to Startup" dives into the heart of entrepreneurship—not just as a business venture, but as a mindset and a way of reclaiming one's story. Steve breaks down the core qualities of successful entrepreneurs, challenges common misconceptions, and emphasizes the power of vulnerability, vision, and authentic leadership. With compassion and clarity, he empowers these men to see their past not as a barrier, but...
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In an interview hosted by Kary Obrbrunner, author Steve Distante discusses the new book, "Once Upon A Time In Entrepreneurland" and how it is full with stories that have lessons that can help the experienced and budding entrepreneur.
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In this captivating podcast, Steve interviews Robbie Crabtree, a former trial lawyer who has transitioned into the world of entrepreneurship. Robbie candidly shares his motivations for becoming a trial lawyer, drawing inspiration from his childhood love of comic book heroes and the desire to fight for justice. The conversation takes a poignant turn as Robbie opens up about the emotional toll of handling cases involving child abuse, which eventually led him to reevaluate his career path. Robbie's insights into the challenges of embodying the emotions of his clients and the lingering impact of...
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In this insightful podcast, the host sits down with venture capital leader George Bandarian the General Partner at Untapped Ventures. Bandarian shares his journey from successful entrepreneur to venture investor, with a focus on artificial intelligence startups. He discusses the importance of identifying top-tier founders who don't necessarily need hands-on guidance and the strategy of being a "small follower" investor alongside leading VC firms. Bandarian provides valuable insights into the venture capital landscape, the dynamics of different funding rounds, and his mission to invest in AI...
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In this captivating podcast episode, join Steve Distante as he sits down with Alex LePage, founder of MillerHill IP, a prominent intellectual property consulting and valuation firm. Discover the fascinating world of IP and its role in company valuation, market protection, and raising capital. From patents and trademarks to intangible assets, explore how businesses can leverage their intellectual property for growth and success. Gain valuable insights into the strategic use of IP as collateral and its impact on investor confidence. Don't miss this engaging discussion that sheds light on the...
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In this episode, Steve sits down with filmmaker and Documentarian, Akira Chan and we dive into the fascinating world of filmmaking and entrepreneurship. Discover the power of creative storytelling, the impact of documentaries, and the connection between art and entrepreneurship. From igniting social change to highlighting inspiring stories, Akira shares his experiences and collaborations with entrepreneurs, artists, and change-makers. Get inspired and gain insights into the art of storytelling and its ability to create a ripple effect in the world. Connect: Steve Distante - Akira...
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Visit pitchology.ai for more content, information, and tips for becoming a successful entrepreneur. In this episode, Steve and writing coach, Leslie Hinson, discuss the excitement, frustration, happiness, and even sadness that comes with writing a book. Join us for an adventure into the heart of storytelling where creativity knows no bounds. Highlights from this episode: Dive into the mesmerizing journey of storytelling and book creation with Leslie Hinson, a master of weaving tales that captivate and educate. In this enlightening podcast, we unravel the art of fable...
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Steve sat down with friend Salim Ismail, the author of Exponential Organizations and its sequel, Exponential Organizations 2.0: The New Playbook for 10x Growth and Impact, to discuss the ins and outs of Entrepreneurial drive. Highlights from this Episode: Your Life’s Work may require money, but it’s never about money. It’s bigger than that. It’s usually visceral, or at your core of being, that is a challenge or opportunity to have a massive impact on both you (the entrepreneur) and many others. In most cases, it becomes your legacy because it’s so beneficial. For EIs, often the drive...
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Steve Distante sat down with friend and fellow wolf, AJ Caro, a lifelong serial entrepreneur who truly embodies the benefits of M&A. His strategic acquisitions of a home health aide business and an insurance company served as the inspiration for the Littlepigs story above. Highlights from this Episode: Diversification is important. Diversification across different industries should bring longer-term stability, as one economic event would not be destabilizing enough to tank any of your businesses. Diversification allows for a variety of activities. Entrepreneurs tend to get bored...
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Dean Jackson coined the phrase “Who, not how,” which you might recognize as the title of a well-known entrepreneurial book. Well, Dean’s friend and Strategic Coach founder, Dan Sullivan, resonated with the idea so hard that he and Dr. Benjamin Hardy wrote a book about it. (Who, Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy is dedicated to Dean.) For Dean, the idea is more of a concept by which to live his life. We discuss unique ability, abundance mentality, and the power of sticking with a community for the long run. He also breaks down the concept of a Who. The gist is this: we...
info_outlineSteve Distante sat down with friend and fellow wolf, AJ Caro, a lifelong serial entrepreneur who truly embodies the benefits of M&A. His strategic acquisitions of a home health aide business and an insurance company served as the inspiration for the Littlepigs story above.
Highlights from this Episode:
Diversification is important. Diversification across different industries should bring longer-term stability, as one economic event would not be destabilizing enough to tank any of your businesses. Diversification allows for a variety of activities. Entrepreneurs tend to get bored easily, so having a lot of different activities can offer longevity in more ways than just buffering for a market downturn.
Diversification has its cons too. Diversification can take your concentrated growth efforts into multiple industries—which does create multiple streams of income—but not one larger company, which will likely hold a higher value.
M&A can be a win-win. Looking for companies in their sunset stage can help ensure a win-win. One of the greatest benefits of acquiring a “sunsetting” business is to acquire and mentor the “A player” from the company to manage and ultimately grow that new venture with minimal participation.
Acquire strategically. The best time to acquire a disaster relief company is before a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake hits, not after. Acquiring a business like this for a reasonable price can pay off immensely in the event of a disaster, or whatever it takes to change the normal market. You can make headway in diversification through M&A, and then develop those businesses under stable circumstances.
Savings are the first expense. In the world of cycles, never gouge your business. Make saving your first expense. In a downturn market, that is the time to access your savings for an acquisition.
It is often advantageous to invest (or acquire) during a big market downturn or cataclysmic event. This is why saving for rainy days is always a good strategy whenever possible. Another strategy involves relationships. When you identify businesses that may be good M&A opportunities for you in a few years, keep an open line of communication with the current owners. If something happens and they decide to sell the business, they’ll come to you as a lifeline.
Connect with Steve and AJ:
Steve Distante - https://stevedistante.com
AJ Caro - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajcaro/