As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and this is definitely true when engaging with a potential buyer or investor. On today's episode, part of our series on getting your Middle Market business ready to go to market, Cheryl Ashenbrener, National Leader for Transaction Advisory Services at Sikich (and one of our most popular guests here on Right In the Middle Market), comes back on the podcast to talk about the accounting (and a few other) aspects of getting your business ready for a transaction.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com/podcast-episodes.

For more information on Cheryl Aschenbrener or Sikich Transaction Advisory Services, go to https://www.sikich.com/partner/cheryl-aschenbrener/.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

Selling your company is about telling the right story to the right buyer at the right time. So, whenever the time comes – what is the tale you want to be able to tell? What will you want to be able to say then about your company’s performance and accomplishments? On today’s episode, we begin a new series on what you can do now to prepare for a successful transaction, and at a desirable valuation? Whether your exit horizon is in a few months or still years away, whenever that time comes, you will wish you had started today.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com/podcast-episodes.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

Beyond the impact to physical and economic health, 2020 also took a shocking toll on mental health.  While the new year may bring a fresh bout of optimism, with the pandemic lingering on, I fear it is not long before four letter words once again take over our vocabulary. So let me beat the rush and offer a four letter word of my own – HOPE. Dr. Lisa Brown, a clinical health psychologist known by her clients for amazing outcomes and innovative approaches, joins us to talk about tactical ways to build hope, a key element of mental health and well-being. From understanding the psychological framework of hope to pragmatic tips for building your hope muscles, today’s episode is one you don’t want to miss.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com/podcast-episodes.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

Each year, the week of Thanksgiving brings a veritable flood of messages about gratitude. But for me, and maybe you, this year there is a level of authenticity to those sentiments that perhaps has been lost in recent years. On today’s episode, we talk about gratitude as a pragmatic tip for sustaining and growing your business even in tough times, and our own expression of thankfulness.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

In an increasingly global world, middle market businesses are engaged in cross border activity at ever earlier stages of growth. Whether that is part of operations, supply chain, talent sourcing, or global M&A, this necessitates navigating exchange of domestic and foreign currency – which can be challenging, or even risky, but also presents opportunity. On today’s episode, we are joined by Marc Chandler, Chief Market Strategist, and Chie Nicholson, Managing Director, of Bannockburn Global Forex to learn about the foreign exchange markets, and strategies for even small and middle market businesses to benefit their bottom line through effective foreign exchange management.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Marc Chandler is Managing Director and Chief Market Strategist at Bannockburn, has spent his career helping businesses and investors navigate the foreign change market. He is an internationally recognized writer and speaker, a frequent guest on business television, is quoted widely in the press, and writes the popular financial blog “Marc to Market” (www.marctomarket.com).   Contact Marc at marc.chandler@bbgfx.com or follow him on Twitter at @marcmakingsense.

Chie Nicholson is a Managing Director and responsible for client relationship management nationally at Bannockburn Global Forex.  She works closely with businesses to help manage their currency exposure.  To learn more about Bannockburn, contact Chie at Chie.Nicholson@bbgfx.com or go to https://www.bannockburnglobal.com/.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

When I say “networking”, whether you get a feeling of dread or excitement probably depends on whether it is something you like doing. How much we enjoy anything depends of course on our natural inclinations, but also on how confident we feel at that particular skill. Personally, I have always marveled at people for whom networking seems to come naturally. Kim Stapleton of the law firm Ice Miller is one of those people, and on today’s episode she breaks down her approach and best practices to make networking not only more effective – but more rewarding.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

To learn more about Ice Miller or Kim Stapleton, find Kim on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimstapletonbusdev/.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

EBITDA is a phrase you often hear when talking about size, profitability and valuation of a company - but it actually isn't a technical accounting term. On today's episode, we'll talk about what exactly EBITDA is, why it's used, the rationale and methodology for adjusted EBITDA and EBITDA multiples.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

For business owners who say that running their business has become less fun, Human Resources often tops the list of things they wish they didn’t have to deal with. So…what if you didn’t? On today’s episode we talk with Naydu Brandenburg and Erik Wayton of TriNet about the PEO model and how it can be the aspirin for your HR headaches.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

To learn more about TriNet, go to https://www.trinet.com/ or contact Naydu Brandenburg at Naydu.Brandenburg@trinet.com.

A link to the white paper from the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (https://www.napeo.org/) that is discussed in the episode can be found on our website: https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com/podcast-episodes/ritmm-ep-26.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Erik Wayton is Managing Director at TriNet and responsible for the financial services practice servicing SMB firms typically in the PE and VC (including their portfolio companies), Investment and Consumer Lending space.  His Team provides detailed analysis and due diligence to align TriNet HR’s best practices and services for Clients' ability to improve growth, margin, transparency, and risk mitigation.  Erik has been with TNET for over 8 years and has spent 25+ years advising companies on process and technology improvements.    You can reach Erik at Erik.Wayton@trinet.com. 

Naydu Brandenburg is a Strategic Trusted Adviser at TriNet who has successfully partnered with SMBs for over 14 years. She is highly skilled in competency-based strategic HR solutions tailored by Industry. Her passion is to help SMBs build sustainable business practices which have given her the unique ability to view and solve business problems from both a strategic and tactical level. Her dedication to SMBs has helped clients achieve a competitive advantage through their people. She is a 401(k) Retirement Enthusiast. You can reach Naydu at Naydu.Brandenburg@trinet.com.

On this 25th episode of Right In the Middle Market, we find silver linings in the state of the Middle Market and share what is coming in the next 25 episodes. Be sure to listen to the end for a special engaged listener bonus!

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website of SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

What kind of buyer would be best for your company? And how should different potential buyer types impact your exit strategy? On this episode of Right in the Middle Market we talk about strategic buyers, financial buyers, and a few in between – as well as 5 key questions you need to answer for an effective exit strategy.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com.

For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://www.slscapitaladvisors.com.

Finding funding sources to help your potential clients is a fabulous - if unexpected path - to business growth. Amanda Wood of Becker is far more than a typical lobbyist – and trust me, even (maybe especially) if your company isn’t B2G, you are going to want to hear what she has to say about government funding as a potential revenue source for growing your business.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

To learn more about Amanda Wood and Becker, go to https://beckerlawyers.com/professionals/amanda-l-wood/. 

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

When you talk about investment banks, many people think of large firms driving IPOs. But how do middle market companies use investment banks to support their growth and exit plans? On this episode we go “behind the pinstripes” to talk about types of investment banks, the role they play in the middle market, and how their role is different than business brokers and consultants.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

You brought in an advisor to help run your business or grow your company – but what role should they play? Is a facilitator different than a consultant? Or a coach different than a facilitator? Does it matter? On this episode we talk about how to define an advisor's role in the organization for the best outcome.   

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Any article on the essential characteristics of successful entrepreneurs will list attributes such as creative, passionate, resilient, optimistic, adventurous, decisive, and resourceful. Middle market business owners are known for their ability to get things done and figure stuff out, which is exactly what allows them to build what they do. But what about when they shouldn’t do it alone? How do you know when it is better to ask for help? On today’s episode we will talk about how to get the most out of working with your advisors – when and why to use an advisor, what to look for, and how to find the right advisors for your business.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Pablo Picasso said, “Action is the foundational key to all success.” Over the last several episodes we have focused on bigger picture topics of strategy and selling your business. Today we take a pragmatic view on five things every middle market business owner should be reviewing – and potentially acting on now.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Strategy is one of the most mis-used words in business today. There are people who love talking about the excitement of where the company is going, while others hate what can feel like an onerous and bureaucratic process. But chances are if you listen to either type you’ll hear about mission and vision, and tactics – but will you really hear about strategy? On today’s episode we talk about what strategy actually is in a context and a framework that will help you think pragmatically and productively about your own company’s strategy. 

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Most business owners have encountered that point in growth of realizing that they need a better tool to manage their company – often called an enterprise resource planning, or ERP, system. They go through a tedious selection process and buy a new system, only to be sorely disappointed with the results, and then are left wondering – did they pick the wrong software? Or just not using it correctly? On today’s episode, we are joined by Joel Schneider, Founder and President of Liberty Technology Advisors to talk about how to use your ERP – or any other – software solution to drive decisions, not just gather more data.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

You can learn more about Joel Schneider and Liberty Technology Advisors at https://ltadvisors.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Few key elements of long-term value creation in middle market firms - actually, in firms of any size - cause more consternation than strategy. And yet the long-term success of companies is predicated on both strategy development AND strategy execution. In today’s episode, we focus on one of the fundamentals of strategy development and a primary source of confusion in the process: defining Goals, Objectives, Strategy and Tactics; how do they fit together, and what is their place in strategy development.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Legal due diligence can sound scary to anyone selling their business – and quite frankly, the reality can be daunting. On today’s episode, we are joined by Mike Mercurio of Offit Kurman to talk about how he helps sellers navigate this critical part of any transaction, ways to most effectively leverage the attorney on your deal team, and what you should do now if you are thinking about selling your business in the next few years.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

You can learn more about Mike Mercurio and Offit Kurman at https://www.offitkurman.com/attorney/michael-mercurio.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

It may be years since you have been in school, but the end of summer still brings the sense of the change of seasons. Join co-hosts Stephanie and Mark to reflect on the summer of 2020, why we started the podcast, and how business owners can focus to make the most of the balance of the year.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

In the second of this two part episode with Chris Helmrath, Founder and Managing Director of SC&H Capital, we focus on pragmatic tips for business owners considering an exit or a capital raise, in a conversation that will inspire anyone looking for creative business solutions in the current environment.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

You can learn more about Chris Helmrath and SC&H Capital at https://www.schgroup.com/services/investment-banking-advisory/.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." This quote from William Arthur Ward captures the spirit of our conversation with Chris Helmrath, Founder and Managing Director of SC&H Capital. On the first of this two part episode, we talk with Chris about the importance of having a clear strategy for any M&A transaction and finding opportunity in any environment, bringing his infectious optimism and encouragement to middle market business leaders charting their path forward.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

You can learn more about Chris Helmrath and SC&H Capital at https://www.schgroup.com/services/investment-banking-advisory/.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Mission and Vision statements are mocked as much as anything in the business world - arguably because they are often not done well and are completely disconnected from reality. In this episode that kicks off our series on business strategy, we start at the beginning with mission and vision - how the two are different, why they are matter, and what they have to do with authenticity.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Business strategy, done well, is challenging even in the best of times. The uncertainty of 2020 brings a whole new level of difficulty when everything has changed - or has it? In today's episode, co-hosts Mark and Stephanie discuss pragmatic tips for retooling your company's strategy in the current environment.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.

Businesses are defined by the cumulative impact of their decisions - and making good decisions relies on cognitive bandwidth. In this episode, Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes, CoFounder and President of Black Mountain International, brings the CEO perspective as we explore the impact of the COVID environment on business decision making - and why so many of us are so tired! Join us to find out what pennies, playgrounds, Taylor Swift, and Pitbull have to do with business decision making during a pandemic.

We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at podcast@gaffingroup.com.

To learn more about Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes and Black Mountain, go to https://www.blackmountainmetals.com/team/ashley-zumwalt/.

Looking for more episodes or playlists? Find them on our Right In the Middle Market website, https://www.rightinthemiddlemarket.com. For more information about us, or to inquire whether we could help you and your business, go to the website SLS Capital Advisors and The Gaffin Group, https://slscapitaladvisors.com.