Second Bite Podcast

Jon Morris is the Chief Executive Officer of Ramsay Innovations, which provides world-class finance management for agencies. Previously, he was the Founder and CEO of Rise Interactive, a digital marketing agency. Jon sold Rise Interactive as one of the largest independent digital agencies in the world 16 years after starting it. He attributes his success to a financial infrastructure that provided insights for sound strategic planning. In this episode… Some founders sell their company only to find out later that they could have made a lot more money out of the transaction. How do you find somebody who will take care of your brainchild and give you a fair deal? CEO of Ramsay Innovations and former Founder and CEO of Rise Interactive, Jon Morris, shares how he found a great partner to sell his company to. With host Todd Taskey, Jon shares why he is completely happy with how the transaction turned out, how they structured the sale fairly, and why he decided to start Ramsay Innovations soon after his exit.

Ben Edson is the Founder and CEO of VariQ. VariQ is a premier provider of cybersecurity, software development, and cloud enablement services to over 20 federal, state, and local government departments and agencies. Ben earned a bachelor's degree in eBusiness from the University of Phoenix and an MBA/MSIS in Business and IT Security from John Hopkins University. In this episode… Is it possible to acquire a company and sell your business immediately afterward? How can you iron out all the financial details in time? Founder and CEO of VariQ, Ben Edson discusses his journey from buyer to seller. With host Todd Taskey, Ben shares how he built up VariQ, why he decided to sell the company, and how he made it a successful transaction.

Todd Taskey is an investment banker and M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, a company focused on helping businesses with company evolution, exit planning, and M&A investing. Before joining Potomac, Todd was the Principal (Certified Financial Planner) at Solutions Planning Group, Inc. Todd is an Angel Investor for many companies including Zoomph, StreetShares, and LiveSafe. In this episode… What details matter most to buyers and sellers? What makes two companies a good fit for each other? Investment banker and M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, Todd Taskey, discusses what you need to know for successful transactions from the last year of podcast guests. With Dr. Jeremy Weisz of Rise25, Todd discusses several transactions he helped coordinate, stories of incredible founders, and the nitty-gritty details that make a transaction profitable for both parties.

Wesley Mathews is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at High Level Marketing (HLM). Wesley helped scale HLM from an idea to a quickly growing company. At HLM, Wesley drives the business development strategy with strong leadership, deep care for his people, and a passion for helping small businesses grow. He also sits on the Board for EO Detroit. In this episode… How do you find the right person to continue growing your business after your exit? How do you handle the transition and, just as importantly, your employees' reactions? Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of High Level Marketing (HLM), Wesley Mathews, shares how he found the best possible opportunity for an exit. Wesley sits down with host, Todd Taskey, to discuss why he decided to sell HLM to Scott Bell, how it's benefited the business, and the financial details of the transaction.

Gregg Gallant is the CEO and President of Quantum Exploration, a privately-owned oil and gas exploration company. Previously, he was the President and CEO of Allegient IT Services, which was acquired by DMI in 2016. He has over 20 years of experience in operations, technology, and sales with quickly growing, mid-sized organizations. In this episode… Should you aim for shared equity or cash? Should you plan an earnout? What's the best way to structure the sale of your company? CEO and President of Quantum Exploration, Gregg Gallant, describes the process of selling the company and recently getting a second bite. With host Todd Taskey, Gregg explains the financial deals and structure of the first transaction, lessons he learned along the way, and his current business goals.

Tonio DeSorrento is the Co-founder and Former CEO of Vemo Education, a platform that offers sustainable financing for higher education. Tonio served in the United States Marine Corps for six years after earning a bachelor's degree from the United States Naval Academy. After his service, he earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Tonio later worked as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center and a Deputy General Counsel at SoFi, a financial services app. In this episode… Starting a new business isn't cheap — so how do you raise the money to get your dream off the ground? How can you ensure that employees can continue providing for their families during the company's early days? Former CEO and Co-founder of Vemo Education, Tonio DeSorrento, shares his story of raising capital for a new business. With host Todd Taskey, Tonio explains the process of finding investors, why a good lawyer is worth the price, and how he overcame multiple setbacks in the process of starting Vemo Education.

Hugh Campbell is the President of AC4S Technologies, a hybrid cloud solutions provider. He is also a Member of the Board of Trustees for the BayCare Health System and the Chairman of the Board for the CEO Council of Tampa Bay. Before starting AC4S Technologies, Hugh was the Vice President of Engineering for Accelacom Inc. and the Director of Engineering for Intermedia Communications. He spent 10 years on active duty as a Communications Officer in the US Army, culminating his service as the Chief of Plans for an elite communications unit at MacDill Air Force Base. In this episode… How can you ensure a smooth integration of two companies? What's the best way to find the right leadership and technology? President of AC4S Technologies, Hugh Campbell, shares the story of exiting AC4S and starting AC4S Technologies. With host Todd Taskey, Hugh explains the structural details of the transaction, the challenges of merging businesses, and the ideal circumstances for an exit.

Sean Belnick is a Co-founder of Acadia, an integrated digital marketing platform. He is also the Founder of SB Hillview Ventures and a Board Member of Belnick, Inc. Sean has over two decades of experience in e-commerce and digital marketing as a business operator. He founded his first company, BizChair, in 2001 at the age of 14. Sean grew the company into one of the largest furniture distributors for online retailers, servicing hundreds of thousands of customers nationwide before a successful exit in 2017. In this episode… How can you grow your unique ideas into a thriving business? And once it's built into a substantial company and you're ready to move on, how can you make sure it's left in good hands? Co-founder of Acadia, Sean Belnick, shares the story of his previous entrepreneurial success, BizChair. With host Todd Taskey, Sean explains the guiding principles that brought him success, how he managed a successful exit, and the future plans for his current company, Acadia.

Robert Wray is the Founder and Chief Product Officer at Whitebox, an e-commerce technology company. Robert helps clients sell products online by automating their e-commerce operations. Before Whitebox, Robert was the President and Co-founder of Mp3Car. He also served as the Community Actions Director for TED/TEDx Global Summit in 2012. In this episode… Are you feeling hopeless as you watch your business crumble around you? Is there any way to rebuild after what feels like a massive failure? Founder and Chief Product Officer at Whitebox, Robert Wray, talks about how the failure of one business led to the triumphant success of another. With host Todd Taskey, Robert discusses lessons he learned the hard way, why the team you surround yourself with is crucial, and how he's created an e-commerce empire with Whitebox.

Todd Taskey is an investment banker and M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, a company focused on helping businesses with company evolution, exit planning, and M&A investing. Before joining Potomac, Todd was the Principal (Certified Financial Planner) at Solutions Planning Group, Inc. Todd is an Angel Investor for many companies including Zoomph, StreetShares, and LiveSafe. In this episode… What are the advantages and disadvantages of setting up an earn-out for your business acquisition? How can you make sure you don't lose money in the process? Investment banker and M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, Todd Taskey, talks about how to avoid the common pitfalls that can happen when structuring an earn-out. With Dr. Jeremy Weisz of Rise25, Todd discusses the criteria for a successful earn-out, tips for negotiating with a private equity firm, and the Waterfall principle of acquisition.