Acquisition Pipeline in Affinity
How to run an acquisition pipeline in Affinity CRM: relationship intelligence, prospect-to-LOI workflow, vs Salesforce, HubSpot, Folio, Pipedrive.
Rollover Equity (Buyer’s View)
Rollover equity from buyer’s perspective: when to require, 10-30% economics, drag-along/tag-along, Section 354/1042 tax deferral, exit mechanics.
Unitranche Acquisition Financing
Unitranche debt for LMM acquisitions in 2026: senior+sub combined, 4-6x EBITDA leverage, 9-11% blended rate. Top lenders Ares, Blue Owl, Antares, Apollo.
Mezzanine Debt for Acquisitions
Mezzanine debt for acquisitions: 2-3x EBITDA above senior bank, 12-15% interest + warrants, top providers (Ares, Blue Owl, Audax Mezz, Madison Capital, Twin Brook), when mezz wins, when it loses.
Self-Funded vs Traditional Search Fund
Self-funded search fund vs traditional search fund: capital structure, sweat equity, deal size, investor expectations, 2-year deadlines, and how operators choose between the two paths.
First-Time Acquirer Mistakes
First-time acquirer mistakes to avoid: overpaying for owner discretionary cash flow, ignoring customer concentration, weak LOI terms, novice M&A counsel, naive transition planning, and 6 more.
Cold Email Templates for Acquisitions
Cold email templates and mechanics for acquisition outreach: 1-3% reply rate baselines, sequence design (intro + follow-up + advisor referral), subject line testing, personalization, CRM hygiene.
Source Deals from Investment Bankers
How to source deals from lower middle-market investment bankers: top LMM iBank firms, broadcast list mechanics, banker-led process dynamics, Lehman fee scale, and how to make their buyer list.
Source Deals from Brokers
How to source deals from business brokers: top-50 broker outreach, IBBA directory, broker fee structures, deal speed advantages, buyer-broker dynamics.