Brad Jacobs, Executive Chairman of XPO and a serial entrepreneur known for founding billion-dollar companies, shares his insights on navigating the M&A landscape, emphasizing emotional complexities and strong relationships. He discusses the importance of balancing audacity with discipline, particularly in startups. Jacobs reflects on a strategic buyback at XPO amidst market volatility, the power of thought experiments for personal growth, and the transformative role of effective communication in fostering successful workplace culture.

Brad Jacobs, career CEO and founder of Jacobs Private Equity, shares his master class on leadership and management. He discusses identifying opportunities, acquiring businesses, managing talent, and motivating team members. The importance of access to capital for business plans is highlighted, along with the value of delegation, open communication, and gaining input from frontline employees.

Few business leaders have more experience in M&A than Brad Jacobs. Over a four-decade-plus career, he created several billion-dollar corporations. The most recent three he built largely through acquisitions: United Rentals, an industrial equipment rental company; United Waste Systems, involved in garbage collection; and XPO, the logistics company he currently leads. At both United Rentals and United Waste, he executed more than 200 deals each. At XPO, he has created a digital-forward logistics leader in an industry that has tended to lag in technology adoption. Brad will soon transition from CEO to executive chairman of XPO. We thought it’d be a good time to ask him to share the lessons he has learned over the course of his extensive deal-making experience. Brad sat down with Andy West, a senior partner based in Boston who co-leads McKinsey’s M&A practice globally. Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr Contact Andy West: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-westSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Entrepreneur Brad Jacobs shares strategies for wealth creation, navigating IPO journeys, and insights from his book 'How to Make a Few Billion Dollars.' Discussions range from oil industry to waste management success, mergers, acquisitions, and leadership lessons. Importance of structure, discipline, and teamwork in music, business parallels, and lessons on patience and politeness in deal-making.

Brad Jacobs, Executive Chairman at XPO, Inc., discusses his departure from XPO, plans for future companies, and the success of splitting XPO into three businesses. He shares insights on achieving financial success, taking a company public, and the importance of mindset shifts. They also address the cyclical nature of the brokerage market and the significance of mid-level management and technology in the transportation industry.

In this engaging discussion, Brad Jacobs, CEO of XPO Logistics and an expert in building successful logistics companies, dives into the fluid demands of today's global consumer market. He emphasizes the critical need for agile supply chains and the role of technology in overcoming challenges. Jacobs shares insights on enhancing customer satisfaction, actively listening to clients for new opportunities, and the phenomenon of 'supply chain impatience'. He also discusses emerging trends in e-commerce logistics, particularly for SMBs seeking robust global solutions.

Seven-time entrepreneur Brad Jacobs discusses key takeaways from his book on business success, including industry consolidation, technology integration, hiring the right talent, and the importance of continuous improvement and communication in a successful organization.

Brad Jacobs, a CEO and serial deal maker, shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey with Andy Serwer, Editor-at-Large for Barron's. They discuss his new book, revealing unique M&A strategies that yield high returns for investors. Jacobs dives into the booming building products distribution sector, highlighting the opportunities presented by aging infrastructure. The conversation also explores essential traits for entrepreneurs, the significance of capital, and the positive outlook for America's future amidst political challenges.

Brad Jacobs, Executive Chairman at XPO, discusses his career and his new book. They talk about navigating global events and economic slowdown, value creation, revenue projections, morning rituals, meditation, therapy, and the importance of size and economies of scale in companies.

Brad Jacobs, Executive Chairman of XPO, Inc., discusses achieving financial success by setting smaller goals, the cyclical nature of the brokerage market, and the importance of marketing, sales, and acquisitions. He also emphasizes the role of mid-level management and people in the transportation and logistics business.