24 Sep Understanding EBITDA Multiple Arbitrage in IT Services M&A
EPISODE 231. The team demystifies EBITDA multiple arbitrage for IT services leaders! Talking what it is, why it works, and how to capture the upside without stepping on landmines....
Archive
17 Sep Advisor vs. Investment Bank: What Founders of IT Services Firms Need to Know
EPISODE 230. This Shoot the Moon episode defines the real-world differences between a boutique M&A advisor and a middle-market investment bank, specifically for IT services founders. The team explains where banks shine (IPOs, capital raises, complex financings) versus where operator-led advisors excel (industry specialization, targeted...
10 Sep Vertical Victory: Why M&A Winners Are Betting on Industry Focus
EPISODE 229. We’re diving into a topic we’ve preached for decades but is showing up big-time in recent calls: vertical market focus as a key value driver in M&A. It’s not just PE firms chasing verticalized platforms anymore — strategics are dialing in too. From...
03 Sep The AI Revolution: How it’s Changing the MSP Landscape Feat. Kevin Lancaster
Ryan, Matt and Mike from Revenue Rocket discussed with Kevin Lancaster, CEO of Kevin Lancaster the rapid advancements in AI technology and its significant impact on the managed service provider (MSP) industry. Kevin shared insights from his company's Channel Program platform, which provides MSPs with...
28 Aug When Sellers Get Cold Feet: Staying Confident Through M&A
This episode of Shoot the Moon explores the emotional and practical challenges sellers face during the M&A process. Matt Lockhart and Ryan Barnett discuss why sellers often experience “cold feet,” what triggers uncertainty, and how advisors can guide them through preparation, diligence, and negotiation. The...
22 Aug Is your Biggest Client your Hero or Biggest Risk
When one client makes (or breaks) your tech-services firm, is it a golden goose or a grenade? In this Shoot the Moon episode, Mike, Ryan, and Matt unpack the high-stakes world of customer-concentrated M&A: red-flag myths vs. revenue rocket fuel, how strategics turn “50% with...
06 Aug When (and Why) IT Services Firms Should Hire a Buy-Side M&A Advisor
Mike Harvath and Ryan Barnett unpack the strategic, financial, and operational reasons IT services firms, and their PE sponsors, turn to buy-side M&A advisors to accelerate growth. They outline the prerequisites for a successful acquisition program, the risks of going it alone, what a credible...
29 Jul You Sold Your Business… Now What? Thriving Post-Close in a Sell-In World
EPISODE 224. In this “selling-in” installment of Shoot the Moon, Mike Harvath, Matt Lockhart, and Ryan Barnett tackle the question every founder eventually faces: “You sold your business—now what?” They break down the two common exit paths—sell-in (recap with a minority roll-over) versus sell-out (full...
24 Jul Balancing Risk & Reward in IT-Services M&A
Mike Harvath, Matt Lockhart, and Ryan Barnett unpack how IT-services acquirers and sellers balance downside risk with upside reward. They argue that best-in-class firms stay acquisitive because acquisitions compound strategy, culture, and financial fit into “1 + 1 = 3-plus” value. That payoff, they say,...
14 Jul Navigating the Last 30 Days of an M&A Deal
EPISODE 222. In this episode of the Shoot the Moon Podcast, Mike Harvath and Ryan Barnett dive deep into the often chaotic and critical final 30 days leading up to an M&A transaction close. Dubbed "herding cats," this phase involves juggling legal, financial, advisory, and...