Second Bite Podcast

Ali Manouchehri is the Co-founder and Chairperson at Zoomph, which offers a one-stop platform for social media intelligence, measurement, and audience analytics to maximize brand revenue. Ali leads talented IT and business minds across the public and private sectors. He has been recognized as one of Inc. magazine’s “40 Under 40” and has conducted interviews with the Washington Business Journal, Washington Technology, and Forbes. In this episode… Are you looking to raise capital to fund a startup? Venture capital is effective when utilized as a series funding approach. The right planning and relationship can make this funding a strong foundation for a new company. How can you structure your finances and collaborate with investors to enhance profitability? Co-founder and Chairperson at Zoomph, Ali Manouchehri, discusses VC strategies for startups. With host Todd Taskey, Ali explains how to communicate value propositions to investors, how he structured his company’s option pool, and his series funding approach.

Kevin Biondi is the Managing Partner of Digital Marketing and Growth at Sproutward, a boutique marketing consultancy acquired by Power Digital. As an accomplished digital marketing and growth leader, he has over 15 years of experience in customer acquisition and retention in the online and mobile spaces. Kevin previously served as the Founder and Head of Digital Marketing and Growth at Clientside Interactive, where he advised startups and Fortune 10 companies. In this episode… When evaluating M&A transactions, strategic partnerships are important to consider for optimizing growth. However, these transactions require extensive due diligence and planning. What do strategic partnerships entail, and how can you streamline the process? Kevin Biondi, Sproutward’s Managing Partner of Digital Marketing and Growth, talks about his company’s acquisition with Power Digital. With host Todd Taskey, Kevin explains how he recovered from a failed transaction, how to integrate and adapt to company processes following an acquisition, and preparing for due diligence.

Kevin Lee is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Didit, a leading digital marketing and technology firm. Over the past five years, Didit has made 11 acquisitions to transform into a full-service marketing firm. They serve Fortune 500 as well as startup businesses, performing everything from strategy to execution. As a digital marketing pioneer, Kevin gives back to the industry regularly by writing books, attending over 500 speaking engagements, and publishing over 780 columns.   In this episode… Private equity is the standard method of executing M&A transactions. This approach often utilizes debt, however, which can hinder growth. How can you maximize business performance without employing private equity? Kevin Lee, Founder and Executive Chairman of Didit, discusses bootstrapping 11 acquisitions. With host Todd Taskey, Kevin explains his company’s due diligence for its first acquisition, the value of reframing transactions to mitigate risks, and how to identify and acquire CEOs to fuel growth.

Alex Rossman is the Founder and CEO of Rossman Media, an award-winning global creative and media agency focusing on social media. He founded Rossman with a mission to help consumer brands connect with their target audience on social media. Alex and his team have been named by Business Insider as the “Best New Social Media Agency” of 2020. Before founding Rossman Media, Alex spent time in sales and management for ADP and U.S. Bank where he developed his expertise. In this episode… Acqui-hiring is a viable acquisition method for startup agencies to enhance their value by obtaining industry-leading talent. So what should you know about these transactions, and how can you assess profitable opportunities? Founder and CEO of Rossman Media, Alex Rossman, shares his process for acqui-hiring. With host Todd Taskey, Alex talks about his decision to acquire an agency, how to conduct due diligence to identify prosperous deals, and how acquisitions boost company value. 

Matt Diteljan is a Board Member of NextGrad and the former Co-founder and CEO of Glacier, a higher-education advertising agency. As an innovator in the high school and youth media space, he has worked with student influencers and developed in-school ad placements and digital strategies. Matt has spoken at numerous conferences, including the American Marketing Association. In this episode… Are you considering selling your company? The acquisition process is lengthy and complex, often requiring experience that entrepreneurs don’t have yet. So what does this process involve, and how can you facilitate a successful transaction? Former Co-founder and CEO of Glacier, Matt Diteljan, talks about his journey selling his company. With host Todd Taskey, Matt explains why he sold Glacier, how he found clarity to make informed decisions, and the key factors influencing Glacier’s transaction.

Drew Bagot is the Founder and Managing Partner at Serata Capital Partners, a founder-friendly private equity firm that create partnerships that build lasting value for business owners and investors. As a private equity investor for over 15 years, he has founded and operated several entrepreneurial businesses. He also manages a private equity portfolio in Calidant Capital, where he is a founding partner.  Before Serata Capital Partners, Drew was an Associate Director at ORIX Corporation and a Senior Analyst at Pharos Capital Group.  In this episode… Private equity investments can maximize business value, but they require strategic partnerships to source and close a deal. Independent sponsors are invaluable partners for most private equity deals. So what are the benefits of these partners, and how can you best utilize them in your business? Founder and Managing Partner of Serata Capital Partners, Drew Bagot, talks about how his firm partners with independent sponsors. With host Todd Taskey, Drew explains the types of investors, carried interest in private equity, and how to position your business for acquisition.

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 also an Angel Investor for many companies, including Zoomph, StreetShares, and LiveSafe.  In this episode… Private equity transactions are a great way to grow a business. So what should you know about the different types of transactions, and how can you leverage them to maximize your company’s value? Investment Banker and M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, Todd Taskey, talks about his company’s notable private equity transactions. With Dr. Jeremy Weisz of Rise25, Todd shares his most popular podcast episodes, explains evolutionary sales, and discusses how transactions differ between private equity companies.

Matthew Murphy is the founder and CEO of Fusion92, delivering data-inspired, results-driven and right-priced marketing transformation solutions for enterprise and emerging brands. He has led the company through the development of 14 patents and five groundbreaking technologies, the acquisition of six companies, the launch of a premium Web3 studio and the onboarding of capital growth partners in 2021 to further help the business scale. Matthew serves as a trusted adviser and expert growth marketer for teams and brands across B2B and B2C engagements. In this episode… Are you looking for a way to expand your services and venture outside of your niche? Have you considered private equity partnerships? Founder and CEO of Fusion92, Matthew Murphy, talks about his acquisition journey to grow the firm’s team and services as a fully integrated marketing transformation partner. With host, Todd Taskey, Matthew explains marketing transformation, the value of serving on an M&A board, and how private equity helps businesses scale.

Michael Mothner is the Founder and CEO of Wpromote, one of the fastest-growing search engine marketing firms in the country. As a thought leader in the online community, he is a frequent contributor on subjects such as digital marketing and entrepreneurship. Mike has been a columnist for Inc. magazine and has been featured on MSNBC, Fox News, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other prominent publications. He was also named one of Inc.’s “30 Under 30 to Watch.” In this episode… What elements lead to a profitable acquisition? How can you structure your transactions to capitalize on their potential? Founder and CEO of Wpromote, Mike Mothner, continues to explain creative methods for structuring deals. With host Todd Taskey, he explains the difference between independent and partner transactions, his process for sourcing acquisitions with equity partners, and how to structure minority and private equity transactions.

Michael Mothner is the Founder and CEO of Wpromote, one of the fastest-growing search engine marketing firms in the country. As a thought leader in the online community, he is a frequent contributor on subjects such as digital marketing and entrepreneurship. Mike has been a columnist for Inc. magazine and has been featured on MSNBC, Fox News, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among other prominent publications. He was also named one of Inc.’s “30 Under 30 to Watch.” In this episode… Are you looking to achieve fast yet long-term growth? How can you maximize the value of every transaction?  Mike Mothner started his own digital marketing agency, Wpromote, over two decades ago in his college dorm room. He has since transformed it into a respected international company, all through strategic transactions and acquisitions. Now he explains exactly how he did it. Todd Taskey sits down with Mike Mothner, Founder and CEO of Wpromote, to discuss how to optimize transactions to grow your company. He shares Wpromote’s transactions and acquisition criteria, how he leveraged equity partners to complete profitable transactions, and the benefits of using debt to accelerate transaction returns.