Smart Business Dealmakers: The Middle-Market M&A Podcast

Smart Business Dealmakers takes a three-sided approach to middle-market M&A by interviewing the entrepreneurs doing deals, the PE and family office investors funding them, and the advisors making them happen. With 299 episodes and a 5.0 rating from 8 reviews, the show from Smart Business Network has built a comprehensive archive of middle-market transaction knowledge since 2020. Episodes run 25 to 45 minutes and cover everything from ESOP exits to competitive auction processes to the specific challenges of selling government contracting businesses. The show draws its strength from its network. Because Smart Business operates across multiple regional markets, the guest roster includes dealmakers from Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, and other cities where middle-market M&A activity is strong but rarely covered by national media. You hear from people running search funds out of their home offices alongside managing directors at regional PE firms, which gives you a realistic picture of how deals actually get done outside of New York and San Francisco. Recent episodes have tackled how tariffs and regulatory uncertainty affect deal timelines, why insurance due diligence trips up inexperienced buyers, and how public-to-private transactions are structured at the mid-market level. The production is clean and professional without being overproduced. If you operate in the middle market as a buyer, seller, or advisor, this podcast covers your world with genuine depth.