The Same Financials. Completely Different Conclusions.

Table of Contents

• Welcome to the M&A Mindset!

  • Interesting Infographic

  • M&A Topic Briefing

  • Articles of Interest

  • Educational Resources

  • Spreadsheet Tips & Tricks

  • Good Reads This Week

  • From The Benchmark Blog

  • Industry Associations

  • Friends of the M&A Mindset

  • Lighten Up!

  • M&A Merch

  • Rate This Week's Issue

INTERESTING INFOGRAPHIC

Each week, I feature a visually engaging infographic that distills a key M&A subject area into an easy-to-digest format. These quick reference guides aim to deliver clarity, insight, and practical understanding at a glance.

The Same Financials. Completely Different Conclusions.

M&A TOPIC BRIEFING

In this section, I provide a clear, concise overview of a specific topic, trend, or concept within the realm of M&A. The goal is to educate, inform, and spark discussions on relevant subjects, helping you deepen your knowledge and better navigate the complexities of M&A more confidently.

5 Things Every First-Time Seller Underestimates

What If You Didn't Have to Push Yourself Anymore?

Imagine waking up Monday being pulled out of bed — not needing to pushing yourself out of it.

That pull isn't motivation. It isn't willpower. It's what happens when Tony Robbins conditions a different identity into your nervous system.  An identity doesn't wait, doesn't hesitate, doesn't negotiate with itself.

That's what Unleash the Power Within does. It’s not inspiration. It’s Conditioning. The patterns that keep you hesitating, shrinking, and circling the same problems — Tony interrupts them at the root and installs new ones. You don't leave motivated. You leave re-wired differently.

4 days. Virtual. March 12–15. 5 million people across 195 countries have done this. It’s your time. 

Save $100 by getting a ticket before March 6th. After that the price goes up. But the real cost is another year pushing instead of being pulled.

Ready to Rewire? Register Now.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

• Want to Bet Better at M&A? Do More Deals - Over the past two decades companies have significantly improved M&A outcomes, with frequent acquirers earning substantially higher shareholder returns and developing repeatable processes, deeper diligence, and broader strategic deal capabilities that drive success.

• Global M&A Boom Continues to Roll in 2026: Thanks in Part to AI - AI-driven mega-deals and portfolio reshaping are driving activity, yet tighter capital and more selective corporate investment are beginning to constrain some dealmaking dynamics.

• PE is Fundamentally Changing: What Now? - The private equity model built on cheap debt and leverage is fading, forcing firms to shift toward genuine value creation through operational improvements and strategic business-building.

• Why The Biggest Opportunity for Young Entrepreneurs To Buy a Business is Here - With millions of Baby Boomer-owned businesses up for sale, acquiring an established, financially stable company offers younger entrepreneurs a lower-risk path into ownership and a way to build on proven operations instead of starting from scratch.

• Codie Sanchez: Millions of Small Businesses Will Soon Be for Sale. How Smart Entrepreneurs are Cashing In - A wave of Main Street business transitions is approaching as many small owners lack succession plans, creating acquisition opportunities for entrepreneurs to buy established businesses—skipping startup risk and stepping into revenue-producing operations.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

• Wall Street Oasis: Elite Modeling Course

• Coursera: Introduction to Finance & Accounting (Wharton - UPenn)

• Wall Street Prep: How To Build A 3-Statement Model

• Corporate Finance Institute: Introduction to Mergers & Acquisitions

• Data Camp: Financial Modeling in Excel

SPREADSHEET TIPS & TRICKS

Master Financial Modeling from Elite Practitioners

6 jam-packed courses with countless cases and 30+ exercises to help you learn financial modeling. Each course is designed to guide you step-by-step in your journey to develop elite modeling skills. Click Here!

GOOD READS THIS WEEK

FROM THE BENCHMARK BLOG

My firm, Benchmark International, a global, award-winning sell-side M&A company, has a ton of great resources that help anyone considering selling or buying a business get more educated on all aspects of the process. Below is just one helpful article. Check out Benchmark International for many more useful articles, news, and resources.

• Inheriting a Family Business: Should I Sell?

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

Trade Associations in the M&A Industry

• Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

• Alliance of Mergers & Acquisitions Advisors (AMAA)

• The M&A Advisor

FRIENDS OF THE M&A MINDSET

From time to time, we’ll highlight newsletters and podcasts we genuinely read, listen to, and respect across M&A, PE, and the broader deal ecosystem.
No paid placements. No mass promotions. Just thoughtful, high-quality content that complements the M&A Mindset.

Here’s a few newsletters that I’ve signed up for and found interesting. Thought you might enjoy checking them out.

Have something to suggest that we should know about? Reach out. 

LIGHTEN UP!

In the fast-paced world of M&A, we can sometimes take things (and ourselves) a bit too seriously, so it’s good to remember to enjoy a lighter moment now and then.

The Watches That Will Make or Break a Finance Bro in 2026

M&A MERCH

Here’s a find for us finance folks to grab some M&A-inspired swag. Stuff for those of us that speak fluent EBITDA. If you find others that have great deal-themed gear, send them this way so we can let everyone know. Enjoy!

• Merch & Acquisition Co. - Dress Like You Just Closed