Why do some businesses grow revenue every year but never grow in value? Host Nick Olsen talks with Claire Mula, founder of Made for Scale and a certified Scaling Up coach, about the difference between scaling to grow and scaling to exit. Claire sold her own tech company for an eight-figure outcome in seven years. She covers how founders can build transferable value, reduce key-person risk, and use 1% improvements to drive big gains in profit and cash flow.

Key Topics:

• The difference between scaling to grow and scaling to exit

• How to build transferable value in a business

• Key financial indicators for exit readiness

• The importance of leadership and culture in scaling

• Using the Scaling Up framework: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash

• Strategies to improve cash flow and profitability

• Reducing founder reliance and key-person risk

• The role of leadership team development in exit planning

About the Show: The M&A Mastermind Podcast provides actionable insights and effective strategies tailored for dealmakers in the lower middle market. Hosted by Nick Olsen, the show features conversations with leading industry experts who share valuable knowledge on topics such as industry intelligence, deal management, collaborative successes, and specialized expertise. Listeners who support small to medium-sized business owners will find practical tactics and advice they can immediately apply to advance their mastery in mergers and acquisitions.

Subscribe and never miss an episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Resources: Made for Scale | Find a Scaling Up Coach | Cornerstone International Alliance

Keywords: business scaling, exit strategy, transferable value, scaling up, business valuation, leadership, cash flow, growth, entrepreneurship, key person risk, exit readiness, power of one

Host Nick Olsen talks with Danny McKeon, founder and CEO of PrivSource, a vetted deal network and AI-powered buyer discovery platform for lower middle market M&A. Danny explains how he went from tech to private equity and family offices, and why he and two high school golf buddies bootstrapped PrivSource. He also covers where AI helps advisors build better buyer lists faster, and where it still needs a human to check the work.

Key Topics:

• From tech to finance to founding PrivSource

• Manual deal sourcing challenges in private equity

• Using AI for deal and buyer discovery

• Trust and partnership among startup co-founders

• Bootstrapping vs. VC funding

• Checking AI output for outdated or incorrect data

• Why PrivSource focused on the lower middle market

• Practical advice for M&A advisors using AI tools

About the Show: The M&A Mastermind Podcast provides actionable insights and effective strategies tailored for dealmakers in the lower middle market. Hosted by Nick Olsen, the show features conversations with leading industry experts who share valuable knowledge on topics such as industry intelligence, deal management, collaborative successes, and specialized expertise. Listeners who support small to medium-sized business owners will find practical tactics and advice they can immediately apply to advance their mastery in mergers and acquisitions.

Subscribe and never miss an episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Resources: PrivSource | Danny McKeon on LinkedIn | Cornerstone International Alliance

Keywords: deal sourcing, AI in M&A, private equity, lower middle market, deal network, buyer list, PrivSource, entrepreneurship, bootstrapped, private deals, AI buyer list, sell-side advisor, buyer discovery

Real estate is often the most overlooked piece of a business sale, and one of the most common reasons deals fall apart at the closing table. Host Nick Olsen talks with Jason Bush, founder of Commercial Real Estate Strategic Advisory and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, about how to analyze leased and owned real estate early. They cover spotting risky lease terms before they surface in due diligence and using real estate to increase total enterprise value instead of letting it become a blind spot.

Key Topics:

• The importance of real estate in business valuation

• How to analyze real estate during M&A

• Common pitfalls in lease review and management

• Strategies for aligning real estate with business goals

• Proactive risk management in real estate transactions

• The impact of lease terms on deal success

• How to handle owned vs. leased real estate in a sale

• Opportunities for lease renegotiation before a sale

About the Show: The M&A Mastermind Podcast provides actionable insights and effective strategies tailored for dealmakers in the lower middle market. Hosted by Nick Olsen, the show features conversations with leading industry experts who share valuable knowledge on topics such as industry intelligence, deal management, collaborative successes, and specialized expertise. Listeners who support small to medium-sized business owners will find practical tactics and advice they can immediately apply to advance their mastery in mergers and acquisitions.

Subscribe and never miss an episode: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Resources: Jason Bush on LinkedInlinkedin | Cornerstone International Alliance

Keywords: real estate, exit planning, M&A, business valuation, lease review, deal risk, real estate analysis, private equity, transaction strategy, commercial real estate, triple net lease, lease assignment, enterprise value