Mastering M&A: A Dive into the Buy Side with Michelle Kime
December 21, 2023
Welcome to a new episode of Finishing Touches. In this episode, Vincent Mastrovito welcomes M&A expert Michelle Kime as they delve into the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) world. Michelle, the owner of Cross Key Partners, brings over years of experience in corporate and PE M&A and has a unique background in supply chain management for aerospace and defense manufacturers. They discuss the differences between a buyer's rep and a seller's rep in the M&A process, the optimal timing for business owners to start looking for potential buyers, and key insights into transition planning. Michelle also touches on common challenges and pitfalls that business owners may face during M&A transactions, offering valuable advice to avoid these obstacles.
Key Points From This Episode:
[00:02:54] How Michelle discovered Irish dancing at 28, fell in love, and excelled
[00:04:10] The distinction between buy-side and sell-side representation in M&A
[00:07:52] The importance of early conversations with prospective buyers
[00:11:19] Challenges in M&A, including buyer retrading and communication strategies
[00:17:24] Reasons for discounts in M&A deals, including customer concentration and key person risk