The Secrets to Sourcing Proprietary Deals in Private Equity with Ryan Gable
M&A Science
Managing Partner, Ryan discusses how his team uses a hybrid private equity model backed by Barry-Wehmiller to execute people-first, long-term acquisitions. With over 55 deals and zero exits, Forsyth has developed a sourcing and integration playbook that challenges traditional PE norms, focusing instead on trust, cultural alignment, and multi-decade value creation. Ryan breaks down how to build relationships that convert to proprietary deal flow, structure rollover equity with flexibility, and align seller incentives for lasting outcomes. Things you will learn: How to source proprietary...
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Why Pendo Buys Startups (And It’s Not for Revenue) with Todd Olson
M&A Science
, CEO and Co-founder, From buying startups to speed up roadmap execution to preserving founder autonomy post-close, Todd breaks down the real levers behind successful acquisitions. This episode dives into how Pendo thinks about M&A without a corporate development team, why it rarely buys for revenue, and how Todd’s team avoids common post-close integration mistakes by keeping culture, product, and people at the center. Things you will learn: Why speed and product alignment—not revenue—drive most of Pendo’s acquisitions The cost of delaying integration and how Todd...
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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A—and What They’re Testing Next (Part 2) with Harrison Thomas
M&A Science
, Chief Growth Officer at In Part 2 of our conversation, we go deep into how Beacon is operationalizing M&A. Harrison reveals how they reduced their request list by over 65%, why they require third parties to use their DealRoom, and how integration now begins before the deal is even signed. He also dives into the organization's AI roadmap, their internal CRM transformation, and the surprising challenges of acquiring non-profit organizations. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at building a scalable, tech-forward M&A machine in healthcare, don’t miss this episode. Things you will...
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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A with Harrison Thomas
M&A Science
, Chief Growth Officer at In Part 1 of our conversation with Harrison Thomas, Chief Growth Officer at Beacon Specialized Living Services, we dive into how one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services is rethinking M&A using AI. Harrison shares why Beacon created a dedicated AI committee focused on improving every stage of the deal lifecycle—from sourcing to integration—and what tools and pilots they’re exploring right now. If you want a first-hand look at how AI is already changing M&A in healthcare services, this episode is for you. Things you will...
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How to Break Into M&A: Lessons from Todd Manley Part 2
M&A Science
, VP of Corporate Development Integration at In Part 2 of our conversation with Todd Manley, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Intel, we unpack how professionals from diverse backgrounds can successfully break into M&A and what it takes to build and maintain high-performing deal teams. Todd shares tactical advice on networking, career transitions, team dynamics, and leadership traits he looks for when hiring M&A talent. Whether you’re early in your M&A career or looking to level up, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you navigate the world of...
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Build a Career in M&A: Lessons from Intel’s Todd Manley
M&A Science
, VP of Corporate Development Integration at In this episode, Todd Manley joins Kison Patel to share his non-traditional path into the world of M&A. Starting his career in IT and organizational behavior, Todd brings a unique lens to integration and leadership in corporate development. From his early consulting days to overseeing integrations at Cisco, Symantec, and now Intel, Todd has seen it all. He opens up about what it really takes to thrive in M&A—from career pivots and networking to managing divestitures and leading with empathy. This episode is packed with career insight,...
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Buyer-Led vs. Seller-Led M&A with Matthew Person
M&A Science
, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kison Patel interviews Mathew Person, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Quickbase. Mathew brings a unique blend of operator, banker, and corp dev experience, making him a strategic leader in buyer-led M&A. Together, they dive deep into how to proactively structure acquisitions, align internal stakeholders, avoid over-rationalization, and ensure integration success. Things You Will Learn: How to design and align around a box of preference (quant + qual criteria) ...
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From Loom to Trello: How Atlassian Scales Through Smart M&A with Sarah Hughes
M&A Science
, Head of Corporate Development and Product Partnerships, Uncover the inside workings of Atlassian’s M&A strategy—from how Sarah’s team sources deals and aligns with product to the importance of relationship-building and a structured, founder-first integration approach. With over seven years of experience leading corporate development at Atlassian, Sarah shares practical lessons on building strategic pipelines, cultivating founder trust, and operationalizing successful integrations across Atlassian's global portfolio Things you will learn: Building long-term relationships with...
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Building Trust in Acquisitions with Dan Pollock
M&A Science
, Vice President of Corporate Development/M&A at Dan shares how he built SAM Companies’ M&A function from the ground up—executing over 30 deals and transforming M&A into a strategic growth engine. Backed by Peak Rock Capital, SAM Companies focuses on acquiring founder-led geospatial and infrastructure services businesses. Dan dives deep into how he balances disciplined diligence with relationship-first sourcing, how his team integrates small companies into a larger framework, and why culture and seller alignment matter as much as price. Whether you're building out corp dev...
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How Blackstone is Unlocking Lasting Value Across Private Equity with Viral Patel
M&A Science
l, CEO of Viral Patel unpacks how the firm is reshaping private equity for the next era. From launching new fund structures to leading thematic investments in sectors like electrification and AI infrastructure, Viral shares how Blackstone builds enduring value—and why alignment, data, and management fit are key to every deal. He also breaks down the cultural values that drive Blackstone’s success and why individual investors are the future of private capital. Things you will learn: How Blackstone’s investment philosophy is built on long-term secular trends What makes a management...
info_outlineSindre Talleraas Holen, Head of M&A at Visma
In Part 2 of this global M&A masterclass, Sindre Holen pulls back the curtain on Visma’s deal execution strategy, valuation methodology, and post-close philosophy. Visma has quietly become one of the most disciplined and prolific acquirers in Europe and LATAM. How? Through extreme clarity on what they buy, why they buy it, and how they operate post-close.
Sindre and Kison dig into the nuance of buying software companies in different geographies, how Visma thinks about valuation (hint: rule of 40—and sometimes 50—matters), and why the company chooses to “onboard” rather than “integrate.” This episode is a candid, behind-the-scenes look at how to structure deals, manage cultural differences, and stay true to a scalable M&A playbook.
Things you will learn:
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How Visma sets valuation ranges across different growth brackets and geographies
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Rule of 40 vs. Rule of 50 and how it impacts multiples
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Why Visma prefers local advisors over centralized consultants in new markets
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Inside Visma’s onboarding vs. integration philosophy
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Only two weeks left to register!
This half-day event brings together corporate development leaders and M&A experts to explore Buyer-Led M&A™, showing how you can take control of every stage of the deal.
Register Now: DealRoom.net/Summit
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If you’re bouncing between Excel trackers, email threads, shared drives, and separate VDR, you’re not alone-but you are wasting time. Join us for 20 minutes of practical ways to save hours, stay on track, and move deals forward faster.
Join us live and see the difference. Register Now
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Bookmarks
[00:00:00] – Recap and Starting Part 2: Risk Awareness in Global M&A
[00:01:30] – Analysis Paralysis: Knowing When to Say Yes or No
[00:04:30] – Visma’s Scalable Diligence Function & Internal Capabilities
[00:06:00] – Tapping Freelancers, Ex-Corp Dev Talent for First-Time Deals
[00:07:30] – The Strategic Spectrum: PE Mindset vs. Strategic Buyer
[00:09:00] – Visma’s “Onboarding,” Not “Integration” Philosophy
[00:11:00] – Building Long-Term Founder Relationships Post-Close
[00:13:00] – Standardization: Reporting, Tech, and Cybersecurity Rigor
[00:14:30] – The Rule of 40... or 50? And Why It Matters
[00:20:00] – Earnouts: Bridging Price Expectations Through Growth
[00:28:30] – Closing Over 90% of LOIs: Visma’s High Deal Certainty
[00:30:00] – What to Do Before Entering a New Geography
[00:33:30] – Leveraging Local Advisors, Bankers & Cultural Guides
[00:39:30] – Visma’s Expansion Into Latin America via Accidental Entry
[00:41:00] – Why LATAM is Surprisingly Ahead in SaaS & Regulation
[00:43:00] – The Role of Humility and Trust in Global Expansion
[00:46:30] – Trends in SaaS M&A: Consolidators, Rollups & Capital Influx
[00:49:00] – Craziest M&A Deal Toy: A Stuffed Eagle