Marc Bell, CEO of Marc Bell Capital, has a wealth of experience, having taken 17 companies public and revitalized struggling businesses. In this conversation, he shares valuable insights on navigating high-stakes M&A deals. Topics include the crucial due diligence process, the trade-offs between debt and equity, and how to select the right private equity partner. Marc emphasizes the importance of fostering a people-first company culture and imparts lessons learned from his own setbacks, proving that optimism and character truly shine in tough times.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Checklist for Smart Due Diligence
Use a detailed checklist for due diligence covering revenues, expenses, and operations.
Verify quality of earnings, cost efficiency, and look for immediate value-add opportunities post-acquisition.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prioritize Culture and People
Assess company culture deeply before buying; misaligned culture can derail deals.
Create a people-first environment respecting family needs, age, religion, and diversity for loyalty and retention.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Debt vs Equity Confidence
Choose debt over equity if confident in growth to retain full future upside.
Understand debt's risks and build strong creditor relationships to weather downturns.
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Marc Bell has taken 17 companies public, rebuilt distressed businesses, and invested across industries most wouldn’t dare touch. In this follow-up to Part 1, he’s back with sharp insights on what it really takes to run high-stakes deals—and survive them.
Marc and Kison cover everything from building a rock-solid diligence process to choosing between private equity and private credit. They get tactical about capital allocation strategy, reflect on the mistakes that shaped Marc’s approach today, and unpack how to lead during downturns—when optimism fades and character shows.
This episode is a masterclass in M&A realism. Whether you're planning your first minority recap or running a mature corp dev team, you'll walk away with fresh perspective—and a few war stories that’ll stick with you.
Things you will learn:
The tradeoffs between debt and equity—and when to choose either
Why the wrong private equity partner can cost more than capital
How to lead through setbacks and build people-first organizations
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Episode Chapters
03:00 – How to run smarter diligence
04:30 – Building the business case
06:30 – Avoiding deal surprises
07:00 – Culture as a value lever
09:30 – Capital allocation 101
11:30 – Vetting PE partners
15:30 – Why Marc avoids public markets
18:30 – Structuring around IRR and risk
20:30 – Real estate timing and opportunity
22:00 – Leading through failure
24:00 – Solving real problems with hospitality
25:30 – The cost of bad partners
Questions, comments, concerns?Follow Kison Patel for behind-the-scenes insights on modern M&A.
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