Mergers & Acquisitions

M&A Talk Podcast

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Home Podcast How High-Growth Private M&A Works From the Inside

How High-Growth Private M&A Works From the Inside

How High-Growth Private M&A Works From the Inside

Will Hawthorne

Venture Capital

How does high-growth private M&A work? What are some of the industries involved, and what is the process? Will Hawthorne, Founder of Avid Capital Advisors, an investment bank and General Partner at Sugar Capital, a venture capital firm, shares his experience in the high-growth private M&A market. He discusses the major differences in deal structure between private and public deals, recent changes in the market that impact how cash-rich companies grow, how valuation is handled in high-growth M&A, and the influence that trust and honesty can have on a deal.

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Guest Profile

Will Hawthorne is the Founder of Avid Capital Advisors, an investment bank and General Partner at Sugar Capital, a venture capital firm. Previously, he was a Partner at Code Advisors from 2011 to 2022, and Head of Internet and Digital Media M&A at JPMorgan from 2000 to 2011.

Topics Covered

  • What is high-growth private M&A? [1:02]
  • What are the major differences between traditional M&A companies and high-growth private M&A companies? [2:30]
  • How does the M&A process work differently for high-growth companies compared to everyone else in the industry? [4:30]
  • Who are the buyers involved with high-growth M&A? What are the transaction sizes? [6:00]
  • How is the compensation component structured in a high-growth M&A transaction? [8:19]
  • What value drivers do high-growth buyers look for? [11:07]
  • What do acquirers consider when they make the buy vs. build decision? [12:24]
  • What size team handles a big public M&A transaction? Who is involved? [21:22]
  • How is valuation handled in high-growth M&A? [23:32]
  • Why is honesty under-utilized in M&A? [30:00]
  • What role does trust play in M&A? [32:50]
  • Experiences and mistakes made in M&A [35:58]
  • What are the biggest mistakes sellers make before they go to market? [42:16]
  • What are earnouts? [51:06]

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Resources Mentioned

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