The Deal Table

The Deal Table comes from Optima Mergers and Acquisitions, produced by Harper Belmont Media, and brings a practitioner-first approach to M&A conversations. With 35 episodes and a growing listener base, the show focuses on the practical realities of getting deals done in the lower-middle market. The podcast features conversations with business owners, M&A advisors, and transaction professionals who share their experiences navigating the complexities of buying and selling companies. What makes The Deal Table worth a listen is its focus on the human side of transactions alongside the financial mechanics. Guests talk openly about the negotiations that got tense, the due diligence surprises that nearly killed deals, and the relationship dynamics between buyers and sellers that textbooks never adequately cover. The episodes run at a conversational pace and cover topics including deal sourcing strategies, valuation disputes, post-closing adjustments, and the role of intermediaries in keeping transactions on track. The Optima team brings real transaction experience to the hosting duties, and that shows in the quality of questions they ask. They know which parts of a deal story are genuinely interesting and which are boilerplate, so the conversations stay focused on the details that matter. For anyone involved in lower-middle-market transactions, either as a principal or an advisor, The Deal Table offers a growing library of real-world deal insights from people who have been on both sides of the table.