Summary
In this episode, host Christian Hassold chats with Ayelet Shipley, the head of corporate development and deal management for Speed M&A by Jones-Spross. Ayelet shares her unique journey from aspiring therapist to corporate development leader, emphasizing the importance of sales skills and psychological insights in the M&A process. The conversation delves into sourcing opportunities, qualifying conversations, and understanding client expectations, drawing the connections between the similarities of enterprise sales and M&A deal origination.
In this conversation, Ayelet and Christian delve into the intricacies of the acquisition process, focusing on understanding seller motivations, evaluating business fit, and navigating decision-making dynamics. They discuss the importance of asking specific and open-ended questions to understand the intent and motivations of potential sellers and how to identify points of alignment or misalignment. They also discuss the importance of rapport building and the sell-side bankers' valuable role in the process.
Takeaways
Ayelet transitioned from a potential career in therapy to corporate development after realizing her skills could be applied in business.
Understanding acquisition candidate pain points is crucial in the discovery process
The process of sourcing opportunities requires a strategic approach to identify potential targets. Understanding seller motivations is crucial for alignment.
Setting clear expectations about deal structures is important
Qualifying questions help determine if a deal is worth pursuing further
Ayelet emphasizes the importance of her background in psychology and sales as foundational for making her successful in this work.
Ayelet emphasizes the importance of psychological insights in sales conversations.
Transparency throughout the process fosters better outcomes.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:55 Ayelet's Background in Psychology and Sales
07:15 Goals of Call 1
11:26 Deciding to Advance Past Call One
13:54 Setting Valuation Expectations
15:30 Goals of Call 2
18:48 Matching Verbal Claims to Financials
21:55 Advancing Further and Disqualifiers
24:48 Scoring to Qualify Deals
25:05 Keeping Evaluation Criteria Simple
28:48 Identifying Decision-Makers
31:10 Distinguishing Uncommitted Sellers
33:36 Working with Sellside Bankers
39:33 Conclusion
Connect with Christian & In/organic Podcast
Christian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/
In/organic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inorganic-podcast
In/organic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InorganicPodcast/featured
Connect with E24 guest, Ayelet Shipley on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-shipley-b16330149/
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