Thought Leadership

The thought leadership section contains content pieces written by Ryan Goral and the G-Spire Group team.

Navigating Valuations: The Pivotal Influence of Interest Rates

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This article delves into the intricate relationship between interest rates and M&A valuations, exploring the profound implications of fluctuating interest rates on the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions. As M&A professionals navigate the complex landscape of deal-making, understanding how interest rates influence valuation metrics becomes paramount. This article aims to provide insights into the multifaceted … Read more

Navigating M&A Success in 2024: Unveiling Our Proven Approach to M&A Growth

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Embark on a journey of Navigating M&A Success in 2024 with G-Spire Group, a dynamic professional services firm committed to catalyzing growth through strategic mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships. In this comprehensive overview, discover our unique approach as fractional executives, going beyond conventional advisory roles to actively execute vital components for M&A-driven growth. With a successful … Read more

Problem Solving Framework for M&A Leaders

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There’s a quote I love from the great Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” It resonates with me because I know first-hand that even your best-laid plan will get punched—or even knocked out cold—as you execute it. For many merger and acquisition (M&A) leaders, the challenge (and the … Read more

Are You Making Deals or Making Plans? 5 Barriers to M&A Action & How To Solve Them

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perpetual motion pendulum

One of the first things business owners learn about me is that I love strategy. I even put it in my core value proposition: helping companies grow through strategic mergers and acquisitions. I’ve written and spoken extensively about how an effective strategy can be a game-changer no matter where you are in your mergers and … Read more

M&A Strategy – Are You Playing Checkers or Chess?

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Are you playing checkers or chess with your M&A strategy?

Last month, I discussed why sustainable, growth-focused companies should take a programmatic approach to M&A and offered five steps to help you build one. This month, I want to slow down on one critical cornerstone of your programmatic approach – the strategic growth plan. Why start with strategy? Think of two age-old games: chess and … Read more

The Case for a Programmatic Approach to M&A

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Two hands joining puzzle pieces together.

Introduction  In the world of mergers & acquisitions (M&A), there’s been a lot of recent attention on what’s called taking a “programmatic approach” to pursuing M&A opportunities. And with good reason: companies who intentionally build high-performing M&A programs consistently outperform their peers across multiple measures. McKinsey has written extensively on this topic and has produced some … Read more

The Fractional Executive

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executive reading newspaper

The fractional executive business model has rapidly developed over the years with the increasing popularity of firms offering fractional C-Suite Executives mostly focused on serving companies in the lower middle market segment (revenues of $5 – $75 million).  The development of this business model demonstrates the unique needs companies in the lower middle market have … Read more

Creating a Valuation Framework – Part 1

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As a fractional corporate development executive, one of our responsibilities is to offer our advice on the valuation of the operating companies our clients are looking to acquire.  One of the things I am most frequently telling clients is some version of ‘value is based on the future free cash flow of the operating business … Read more

What is Corporate Development and why does it matter to privately held companies in the lower-middle market?

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What is Corporate Development? Corporate development is the business function of growing companies through strategic mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and alliances. This function also is responsible for supporting the divesting of certain assets or divisions of an organization. Big publicly traded companies have whole departments whose main function is to support the organization’s strategic plan by … Read more