Here are 3 M&A tips for creator dealmaking👇🏼
(1) Use reciprocity when negotiating
(2) Find cash value outside purchase price
(3) Buyer diligence costs could kill deal
More info in my video below.
Drop a comment if there are any other dealmaking topics you want me to cover👇🏼
—
I’m the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.
All right. Here are three M&A tips for creator deal making and these are based on active m&a negotiations that I'm involved in right now. So one is reciprocity. So if the buyer proposes you a deal structure, say like an upfront payment plus an earnout, then think about in your account or using the same deal structure, but just for finding the deal points to make sense for you. That can really accelerate negotiations versus proposing something radically different, which is likely going to stall things and time kills deals. #2 find other cash value outside the purchase price. So think of you're going to end up working for the buyer after the deal can negotiate base bonus, pre-approved T&E eligibility for a bonus pool based on net revenue targets and much more. You can also get creative in the deal structure to actually minimize your tax obligations. So perhaps getting a lower purchase price, you actually have more net take home. So it just means like get creative in your deal making other ways to get cash. And then third, now that the longer a deal goes on, the buyers spending a lot of time and money doing diligence, hiring accounting firms and law firms. And so if the negotiations are dragging and you're not using reciprocity and getting creative, they might end up just walking away from the deal because it's too expensive for them to negotiate and keep going. So, alright, I'm Chris. I'm the founder of Rockwater. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media agencies and creator economy. I dropped my MA Insights in a newsletter. You can go sign up, but wearerockwater.com and I post a bunch on LinkedIn, so if you want me to write about anything else, just drop a comment down below. Otherwise, onward. Catch you all.
M&A and strategy advisory for creator economy | 3x founder and digital leader | Savannah real estate investor
3 things I’m unlearning in M&A advisory…
🚫 Never let the client (seller) meet buyers without the banker present
🚫 Never give valuation guidance. Let the auction process inform price
🚫 Run a premium, white-glove M&A auction process, every time
Instead of the above, see video below for 3 ways to do M&A advisory better…
I learned these tactics via nearly 20 years of capital markets experience; as an operator, advisor, and investor.
Comment below with any questions, and if you agree / disagree 👇🏼
—-
I’m the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.
#media#agency#creatoreconomy
VC Investor | Actionable insights on startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship
The One Minute Pitch
Often, it is important to focus on the main things
Crafting the perfect one-minute pitch is crucial for capturing attention
It should succinctly convey your idea, its value, and why it matters
Keep it clear, compelling, and concise
What's your one minute pitch? Feel free to share it in a comment, some investors from my audience will read it :)
Credit: Marcus Köhnlein
Interested in startups and venture capital? Check my free newsletter for more insights: https://lnkd.in/dGwXY5BS
What’s the difference between a press release and a pitch? Press releases are longer packing in all the details, while pitches keep it concise, usually around 4 sentences. It’s about delivering the facts vs. getting straight to the point to get a press opportunity. If you want to get press and don’t know where to start, I’ll personally teach you how:
bit.ly/consistentpress
3 things to know about Long Haul Management Inc’s sale to Wasserman…
🤝 I first met the founder and owner of Long Haul, Dan Levitt, back in 2012 when were both working at an early YouTube MCN. We’ve stayed close ever since, and I knew his biz very well way before he decided to sell!
🧑💻 Our Long Haul and RockWater teams started prepping for the sale back in 2023. Sometimes M&A goes quick, sometimes it takes a while. In this case, the extra effort and timeline paid off — it was a great deal for both buyer and seller
🙅🏼♂️ I won’t do my typical deal and valuation breakdown in my Friday newsletter. Our team advised on the deal and I’m under NDA. Instead, I’ll give some macro market context on digital agency x talent rep M&A, and a glimpse into my early friendship with Dan
To get my newsletter, see signup link in comments below 👇🏼. Every Friday I do an M&A deal breakdown and/or write about capital market trends.
—
I’m the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.
Hey fund managers!
Don't build your skyscraper over a sinkhole...
Brand and messaging are the foundations of how you are perceived by investors, potential hires and other stakeholders.
It underpins your website, your events strategy, your pitch deck - in fact every single way you interact with the world.
invest in it and everything else becomes easier.
More on this throughout the week...
p.s Anything you want me to cover? Drop it in the comments.
Moti Elkaim, founder of Atlantic Brands, introduces a new approach to investor pitching with "The Pitch Cycle". In a market where investments are no longer abundant, traditional pitch deck templates no longer suffice. Learn how to craft a compelling narrative, capture attention, and build stronger connections with investors by following this four-part pitch cycle.
Check out the insights in our cards 👇
So often we complicate the delivery of our pitch and or stories. These three things will help you deliver better and more engaging stories and pitches.
Effective communication can make or break a deal. Master the skills needed to communicate clearly and tailor your approach to your audience at our upcoming sales webinar on 8/27!
Register here:
#EffectiveCommunication#SalesSkills#Webinar#Communication
Helping Businesses Get Their Legal House In Order | Founder of The Law Spot
3moGreat negotiation tips!