Welcome to The Close M&A Podcast with Caber Hill Advisors, where we bring you exclusive insights from M&A experts, business owners, and industry leaders navigating the complexities of buying and selling businesses. Hosted by Craig Castelli, this podcast demystifies the dealmaking process, shares success stories, and offers invaluable lessons for business owners and investors. M&A..
Craig Castelli, Founder & CEO of Caber Hill Advisors, is a trusted M&A expert with decades of experience advising business owners through successful transitions. Alongside a rotating roster of advisors, entrepreneurs, and investors, Craig brings engaging conversations that illuminate the world of middle-market M&A.
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Welcome to The Close M&A Podcast with Caber Hill Advisors, where we bring you exclusive insights from M&A experts, business owners, and industry leaders navigating the complexities of buying and selling businesses. Hosted by Craig Castelli, this podcast demystifies the dealmaking process, shares success stories, and offers invaluable lessons for business owners and investors. M&A..
- ABOUT THE HOST
-
Craig Castelli, Founder & CEO of Caber Hill Advisors, is a trusted M&A expert with decades of experience advising business owners through successful transitions. Alongside a rotating roster of advisors, entrepreneurs, and investors, Craig brings engaging conversations that illuminate the world of middle-market M&A.
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EPISODES
Ryan Evans: Where the Puck Is Going in Wealth Management
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Ryan Evans, Regional Director and Partner at Merit Financial Advisors, joins Craig Castelli to discuss building Blueprint from the ground up, scaling beyond the founders, and eventually partnering with Merit. Ryan shares lessons on hiring ahead of growth,…
Brian Colao: The New Rules for DSO Growth and Exit Planning
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close, Craig Castelli sits down with Brian Colao, member and director of Dykema’s Dental Service Organization Industry Group, to discuss the evolution of the DSO Conference, the current state of dental M&A, and…
Mike White: Why So Many Founders Still Undervalue Their Financials
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Mike White, partner at CLA, joins Craig Castelli to discuss his entrepreneurial path from building and selling his own CPA firm to advising business owners through M&A. They cover quality of earnings, why clean financials matter before a…
Craig Checks In: Midyear M&A Report: What We’re Seeing in 2026
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In a special episode, Craig Castelli checks in to share a midyear update on lower middle market M&A activity in 2026. He breaks down mixed market signals, private equity’s continued focus on add-on acquisitions, and the sectors seeing…
David C. Strosnider: Executive Compensation and Governance in M&A
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close, Craig Castelli speaks with David Strosnider, partner at McDonald Hopkins, about the “second deal” happening inside many M&A transactions: management team agreements. David explains what executives should understand about rollover equity, restrictive…
David Nissen: Selling Your Baby: The Reality of Letting Go in M&A
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close, Craig Castelli speaks with Dave Nissen, partner at Cherry Bekaert and former CEO of PKF Mueller. Dave shares how PFK Mueller grew from a small Elgin, Illinois accounting firm into a larger…
William J. Ching: Why the Best Deals Happen When Lawyers and Bankers Actually Talk
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Craig Castelli sits down with Billy Ching, chair of the private equity practice at Nelson Mullins, to break down what actually drives successful deals. They cover why communication between bankers and lawyers can make or break outcomes, how…
Michael J. Murray, CFA, CFP®, CAIA: Personalized Counsel for High-End Wealth Management
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Craig Castelli sits down with Michael Murray of Altair Advisors to break down how business owners should think about wealth, risk, and planning before a sale. They discuss why most entrepreneurs wait too long to prepare, how to…
Ericka L. Adler: Regulatory and Transactional Healthcare Law
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Ericka Adler, healthcare attorney at Roetzel & Andress, joins Craig Castelli to break down how private equity has reshaped healthcare M&A. They discuss the rise of PE buyers, what physicians often underestimate in the diligence process, and why…
Brendan Anderson: PE Dedicated to Scaling Small Businesses
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Brendan Anderson, founder of ScaleCo, joins Craig Castelli to break down what it really takes to turn small, founder-led businesses into scalable growth companies. They discuss why people, not strategy, drive success, how infrastructure and data unlock value,…
Scott Becker: From Deal Advisor to Principal
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode Craig is joined by Scott Becker, founder of Becker’s Healthcare, host of Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, author of The Entrepreneur’s Edge, and partner at McGuireWoods. Scott shares lessons from selling Becker’s Healthcare and…
Craig Checks In: Caber Hill Private Equity Survey Insights
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this solo episode of The Close, Craig Castelli breaks down Caber Hill’s latest survey of private equity partners, reflecting on the 2025 M&A market and the factors that slowed deal activity. He explores shifts in deal volume,…
Chris Winterhalter: Hotel Renovation and Real Estate Investing
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode, Craig sits down with Chris Winterhalter, founder of Hotel Rehabs, to unpack his journey from post-crash real estate hustling to building one of the most innovative turnkey hotel renovation companies in the industry. Chris shares…
Anthony Saber: Steady Growth Over a Long Period in Building Services
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST This episode of The Close features Anthony Saber, President of Saber Building Services, a Detroit-based company built from humble beginnings into a 450-person team. Anthony shares how lessons from his upbringing, early family responsibilities, and years of hands-on…
Mathew Pettit: Healthcare Services Investing
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Matt Pettit is the founder of Seven Hills Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm based in Nashville. Matt shares his journey from working in middle market PE to starting his own firm, discussing why he chose the entrepreneurial…
Lee Edwards: Growing The Greenery, Inc.
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST Lee Edwards, President and CEO of The Greenery, a thriving commercial landscaping company with branches across the Southeast, shares his journey from joining his parents’ business in his twenties to building a growth-focused organization that prioritizes employee development…
David Ogurek: M&A Due Diligence and Analysis
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close M&A Podcast, host Craig Castelli sits down with Dave Ogurek, Director at Caber Hill Advisors and the first full-time hire. Dave shares his journey from corporate finance roles at manufacturing and PepsiCo…
Dr. Pete Smidt: Driving Big Growth at Smalltown Dental
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close, Craig interviews Dr. Pete Smidt, founder of Smalltown Dental, about his rapid expansion during COVID-19 when he grew from two to eight practices in just one year. Pete shares the challenges of…
Josh Gammon: Litigation Funding & IP Advisory
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this episode of The Close, Craig and Josh Gammon discuss the growing litigation funding market and how Wealth Docket, a litigation funding company that Josh co-founded, focuses on complex commercial and patent litigation for individual claimants and…
Craig Checks In: Thoughts on FanMail Questions from Listeners
Listen Read Watch ABOUT THE EPISODE SUBSCRIBE ABOUT THE PODCAST ABOUT THE HOST BE OUR NEXT GUEST In this solo episode of The Close, Craig Castelli tackles listener questions covering timely M&A topics. He discusses how the government shutdown impacts SBA financing and government contractor deals, explains reverse due diligence strategies for sellers to properly…
