Second Bite Podcast

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.

Norman Brauns is the CEO and Co-founder of PACIFIC, a global performance marketing agency that grows new customer acquisition for some of the world's largest brands. As an experienced professional in the marketing and advertising industry, he is skilled in digital and marketing strategy, SEO, and MARTECH. Before PACIFIC, Norman was the Director of SEO at Steak and the Director of SEO Strategies for SEO Inc. In this episode… In performance-based marketing, delivering value to your customers is paramount. So how can you create seamless digital experiences for your clients? Founder and CEO of PACIFIC, Norman Brauns, talks about generating revenue in performance marketing. With host Todd Taskey, he explains how digital experience platforms drive business revenue, PACIFIC's criteria for potential transactions, and the ideal metrics for calculating revenue-per-employee.

Glenn Oken is the Managing Director at Mangrove Equity Partners, a lower-middle market private equity fund. He specializes in originating deal opportunities and quantifying acquisition candidates. Before co-founding Mangrove, Glenn was a Tenured Partner at Florida Capital Partners (FCP). Between Mangrove and FCP, he has helped build two of the most experienced and successful private equity funds of their kind in the nation. In this episode… When evaluating a company for acquisition, what is the most essential criteria? How can you ensure a valuable transaction for all parties? Glenn Oken, Managing Partner at Mangrove Equity Partners, discusses creating and sustaining value through operational partnerships. With host Todd Taskey, Glenn shares how entrepreneurs can assess business inflection points to sustain value, the common risks in entrepreneurial businesses, and the fundamental qualities he looks for in his ideal partnerships.

Jerad Speigel is the Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer at Groundswell, an IT consultancy helping federal agencies solve their most complex challenges. In his role, he is responsible for evaluating marketing trends and identifying critical areas for investment. Before joining Groundswell, Jerad was the Founder and CEO of Phase One, which was purchased by Accenture in 2017. In this episode… Are you considering selling your business? What should you assess before making an offer, and how can you navigate the process? Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer Jerad Speigel talks about how to sell and exit a company. With host Todd Taskey, Jerad explains how to know when to sell a company, the importance of assisting with the integration process, and how to navigate a business transaction.

Moses Foster is the CEO and Founder of West Cary Group, a full-service advertising agency that focuses on performance-based marketing and communications. He also serves on the Executive Advisory Councils for the University of Richmond Robins School of Business, the Board of Trustees for HCA Chippenham/Johnston-Willis Hospitals, and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. Before founding West Cary Group, Moses was the Senior Director of Creative Development at Capital One. In this episode… Are you trying to take your business further and expand your reach? What strategies can you leverage to double your growth and provide genuine value to your customers? CEO and Founder of West Cary Group, Moses Foster, talks about his company's innovative path to success. With host Todd Taskey, he shares the importance of data in customer relationships, his biggest business challenges, and advice for achieving high-level growth.

Bill Dyer is the Managing Partner at Boathouse Capital, a debt and equity firm making minority and majority investments in middle market companies across the US. He is a private equity executive with over 25 years of experience, specializing in mezzanine debt and equity investments. Before Boathouse Capital, Bill was a Principal at American Capital and the Director of Business Development at MSDSonline. In this episode… Are you looking to acquire capital to fund your business? How can you determine which investment strategy is right for you? Managing Partner at Boathouse Capital, Bill Dyer, talks about various capital investment funds. With host Todd Taskey, Bill explains an SBIC (Small Business Investment Company) fund, the different types of private equity, and how businesses can utilize debt as an investment.

Brian Schmidt is a Vice President at Court Square Capital Partners, a middle market private equity fund. In his role, Brian is responsible for deal sourcing, growing existing investments, and overseeing the development and implementation of growth strategy. He serves as a board member for Power Digital, Connatix, and Health Union and is a Dynata board observer. In this episode… Are you considering acquiring an equity partnership? These negotiations are a great way to scale your business to the next level. So how do you structure these investment partnerships? Vice President of Court Square Capital Partners, Brian Schmidt, talks about the deal structures of an equity partnership. With host Todd Taskey, Brian shares his advice for choosing equity partnerships, the transaction criteria of these deals, and the importance of a private equity partner for business growth.

Barrett King is the Sales Manager at HubSpot, a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps agencies generate recurring revenue. He has a diverse range of business and technology experience with skills in a variety of disciplines, including sales, marketing, and team leadership. Throughout his career, Barrett has been trained in the Sandler Sales Methodology and spent time in both inbound and outbound sales organizations. In this episode… Are you trying to increase your revenue? How can you provide your customers with valuable services to build, grow, and scale your agency? Sales Manager at HubSpot, Barrett King, talks about generating recurring revenue and creating value in your agency. With host Todd Taskey, he shares the importance of agency and client relationships, his three keys to success, and how HubSpot helps agencies grow their revenue.

Peter J. Stavisky is CEO and Founder of Barrington Media Group, the leading performance-based radio media company in the United States. Peter is also the former President of Talk America, the single fastest-growing direct response marketing company ever formed, where he managed a staff of over 750 people and $100 million in annual revenues. In this episode… What is the best strategy for making an acquisition? How can you make the acquisition process easier?. Peter Stavisky, CEO and Founder of Barrington Media Group, talks about his company and the nature of performance-based media. With host Todd Taskey, Peter shares his strategies when making acquisitions, discusses how he has evolved along with his company, and reflects on the influences that have impacted his leadership.