Listen to this Blog Post In its simplest form, a “roll-up” or consolidation thesis would see the acquisition of a single (often larger) “platform” company, to be followed by subsequent acquisitions of other (often smaller) “bolt-on” companies within the same industry. The industries in which this thesis is most prevalent tend to demonstrate the followingContinue reading “Why You May Want to Reconsider Your Industry Roll-up Strategy”
Author Archives: sdivitkos
45 (More) Things That I Think Are True
Listen to this Blog Post In a previous post (75 Things That I Think Are True), I compiled quotes from countless books, mentors, podcasts and blogs to present 75 ideas that I believed to be fundamentally true, spanning both business and personal considerations. Since publishing that post last year to an unexpectedly positive reception, IContinue reading “45 (More) Things That I Think Are True”
The Constellation Software Playbook for Acquiring and Growing Software Companies
My Guest Constellation Software is one of the world’s most admired, well-followed, and well-respected software acquirors. Since their founding in 1995, they have acquired over 500 individual software companies, and have grown to achieve $8.4B in revenue and a $77B market capitalization. They have achieved these staggering metrics through their exclusive focus on the lowerContinue reading “The Constellation Software Playbook for Acquiring and Growing Software Companies”
Evaluating Stock Options as Attraction, Retention, and Incentive Alignment Tools
Listen to this Blog Post In my second year as a CEO, it became clear to me that our business could benefit from formalizing and codifying our company’s core values. Though I was originally fearful that they might quickly devolve into tired, clichéd, and mostly hollow platitudes, I eventually came to appreciate that if theyContinue reading “Evaluating Stock Options as Attraction, Retention, and Incentive Alignment Tools”
Can Ambition and Inner Peace Coexist? With Rob Dube
My Guest In 1991, Rob co-founded imageOne, a managed print services business based in Oak Park, Michigan. Since then, imageOne has been recognized as a Top 25 Small Businesses in America on the list of Forbes Small Giants, an Inc. Magazine Best Places to Work, a National Best and Brightest Company to Work For, oneContinue reading “Can Ambition and Inner Peace Coexist? With Rob Dube”
Answers to Recurring FAQs from Current and Prospective Searchers
Listen to this Blog Post Over the course of many years speaking with current and prospective searchers on a near-daily basis, I’ve come to appreciate that many searchers understandably tend to have very similar questions and areas of uncertainty. Indeed, in most instances, I had these very same questions and areas of uncertainty myself priorContinue reading “Answers to Recurring FAQs from Current and Prospective Searchers”
Profit Before Anything Else: With Mike Michalowicz, Author of “Profit First”
My Guest Today I’m joined by entrepreneur, investor, and best-selling author, Mike Michalowicz. Mike is the author of nine books, most notably Profit First, which boasts ~8,700 ratings on Amazon.com with an average rating of 4.8 stars. The book outlines a deceptively simple yet highly effective system to help businesses hit their target profit numbersContinue reading “Profit Before Anything Else: With Mike Michalowicz, Author of “Profit First””
Royce Yudkoff & Rick Ruback: Educators, Mentors, and Leaders Within the SMB Community
My Guests Royce Yudkoff & Rick Ruback are both professors at the Harvard Business School, and co-teach two wildly popular courses called The Financial Management of Smaller Firms and Entrepreneurship through Acquisition, both of which focus on how to acquire, finance and operate your own smaller firm. In 2017 they also co-published the widely readContinue reading “Royce Yudkoff & Rick Ruback: Educators, Mentors, and Leaders Within the SMB Community”
Jeff Stevens & A.J. Wasserstein on The Future of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
My Guests A.J. Wasserstein is the Eugene F. Williams, Jr. Lecturer in the Practice of Management at the Yale School of Management. His research, writing, and teaching concentrates on search funds, entrepreneurship, programmatic acquisitions, and small businesses. In addition to his role as an educator, A.J. is also a private investor in lower middle-market businesses.Continue reading “Jeff Stevens & A.J. Wasserstein on The Future of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition”
Michael Girdley on The Rise of Holding Companies
My Guest Michael Girdley is an entrepreneur and investor who has spent the past 30 years building a personal holding company boasting over $100M in annual revenue, comprised of 12 businesses across software, technology, consumer retail, and education, among others. Outside of managing his holding company, Michael is deeply involved in the North American SMBContinue reading “Michael Girdley on The Rise of Holding Companies”