Branching Out: TreeFork Strategies
Host Elizabeth Shea sits down with seasoned founders and CEOs who have successfully sold their companies through a strategic or financial transaction. They discuss the thinking and planning that went into their decision to sell, what worked well, what they would do differently, and the valuable lessons they would pass along to founders with a sale on the horizon. This is a podcast for business owners looking for a playbook to use in order to approach their own sale with confidence and clarity.
Branching Out: TreeFork Strategies
Stress Test the Deal: Interview with John Burns
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Elizabeth Shea sits down with John Burns, founder and managing director at Clare Advisors, a boutique M&A advisory firm specializing in marketing and advertising services agencies. John explains the advisor’s role throughout a sell-side process and shares how the marketing services landscape is evolving as AI capabilities are incorporated into the landscape and the buyer pool is becoming more diverse. He continually emphasizes that culture alignment can be the most valuable driver of true enterprise value that affects whether sellers can maximize their earn outs and retain their teams post-close. John also offers concrete ways to assess buyer fit, such as requesting references from CEOs of previously acquired companies, and reminds founders of the importance of selling when it feels “right” from a personal, financial, and operational perspective instead of jumping the gun as soon as a buyer reaches out.