Episodes
EP: 25 | The Hidden Insurance Costs of M&A with Richard Hearden | Merger She Wrote
In this episode of Merger She Wrote, host Paloma Goggins sits down with risk management consultant Richard Hearden from Freestone Insurance Group to uncover the frequently overlooked insurance requirements that can complicate...
How to Sell Your Business: What Really Happens After the Letter of Intent (LOI)
Thinking about selling your business—but unsure what actually happens after the Letter of Intent (LOI)? In this episode of Merger She Wrote ®, host Paloma Goggins, founder of Nocturnal Legal, walks you through the entire sell-side M&A process from a seller’s perspective. This episode is especially valuable for first-time business sellers who want to avoid costly mistakes and unexpected delays. Selling a business isn’t just about agreeing on a price. From negotiating the LOI to surviv…
EP 23 | M&A Communication Strategy: How Honest Conversation Improves Deal Success
Why deals collapse isn’t a spreadsheet problem, it’s a people problem. This episode shows how a seller’s legacy goals and a buyer’s optimization plans create a hidden expectation gap that quietly destroys value. The fix isn’t faster paperwork but with clearer conversations. You’ll learn how to use a change roadmap during diligence, why earnouts force real cooperation, and what no data room ever reveals, like culture carriers and customer rituals. Hear the cautionary story of a seller w...
EP 22 | From Launch to Exit: How Planning Ahead Protects Your Business
How to build a niche staffing business, scale smart, and sell for millions. Diane Prince joins Paloma Goggins to share how she turned a side-room startup into a $28M exit. From choosing a defensible niche in title insurance to hiring aligned A-players and building scalable systems, she breaks down the moves that made her business irresistible to buyers. Diane also shares the messy realities: failed ventures, non-competes, lifestyle creep, and the myths of passive income and perfection. Learn…
EP 21 | Lessons from a Writer on Building and Exiting a Successful Community
How to build a sellable online business with community growth, membership retention, and solid KPIs. Carol Tice joins Paloma Goggins to share how a $25/month writing community became a business buyers wanted—even during the first COVID winter. She breaks down the steps that made it exit-ready: clean numbers, focused offerings, documented SOPs, and systems that didn’t rely on her daily. From managing churn and LTV to handling due diligence and avoiding fake buyers, Carol reveals the practical…
EP 20 | What Does Horsemanship Teach About Risk in Business Acquisitions?
How to buy a business smarter using M&A due diligence, negotiation strategy, and real-world deal discipline. Chesney Reeves of Nocturnal Legal joins Paloma Goggins to connect horse trading lessons to buying companies. From ve...
EP 19 | What’s the Key to Scaling and Exiting a Business Successfully?
How to build a business that attracts investors, scales, and exits successfully. Scott Schwab , entrepreneur and author, joins Paloma Goggins to share his journey from creating a business plan course to accrediting a new scho...
EP 18 | Smart Scaling Techniques for Growth and Exit Preparation
Deals make headlines, but operations drive real results. Olenka Cullinan, COO and operator, joins Paloma Goggins to show how founders move from constant firefighting to running a company that thrives without them. From reclaiming your calendar with “CEO time architecture” to building SOPs that anyone can use, Olenka shares practical strategies to scale efficiently, reduce burnout, and prepare for a high-value exit. Learn how to delegate effectively, hire the right players, optimize client po…
EP 17 | 5 Leadership Lessons from a Secret Service Career for Successful Business Transitions
Deals move fast but the smartest leaders prepare long before the signatures. Christina Beloud, a 25-year Secret Service veteran turned private security consultant, joins Paloma Goggins to share how readiness, communication, and boundaries keep business transitions calm under pressure. From motorcades to M&A, her rulebook stays the same: prevention beats reaction, and clarity beats speed. Christina breaks down how to build “ops plans” for your company, set healthy boundaries that earn…
EP 16 | The Role of IP Due Diligence in Successful Business Acquisitions
Deals fall apart quietly when intellectual property isn’t what it seems. IP attorney and professor Michelle Gross joins Paloma Goggins to unpack how patent validity and ownership can make or break a deal. From missing assignm...
EP 15: De-Risking Business Sales: The Critical Role of Escrow in Every Transaction
Most deals don’t fail from one big mistake; they unravel through tiny cracks in trust and timing. Monica May-Dunn, CEO of Arizona Escrow and Financial Corporation , joins Paloma Goggins to reveal what really happens between L...
EP 14 | Buying a CPA Firm: Strategies for Accountants Who Want to Own
Buying a business isn’t passive income, it’s hard work, tough calls, and smart planning. Jessica Golden, managing partner of Kramer & Golden Public Accounting Group, shares how she bought an accounting firm while living 2,500...
EP 13 | From Zero Clients to 7 Figures: How to Build and Sell an Agency
From zero marketing experience to a successful agency exit in nine years, Kim Grennan tells the story. What started as a bold offer of free work turned into a thriving agency with perfect client retention and rapid growth. Ki...
EP 12 | How Effective Communication Shapes Great Leadership
Why do clear instructions still lead to team missteps? The issue isn’t what you say, it’s what they hear. In this episode, communication expert Jenn Kaye joins Paloma Goggins to break down why even strong leaders struggle to ...
EP 11 | Business Exit Strategy: What to Expect After the Sale
Why do so many business sales collapse at the last minute? It’s not the money, it’s the emotions. In this episode, “Seller Whisperer” Denise Logan, both a therapist and attorney, shares the hidden psychological traps that quietly kill deals. From fear-driven reactions like fight, flight, or freeze to the identity crisis that follows a sale, she reveals why selling a business is one of the most emotionally charged transitions an entrepreneur will ever face. Packed with powerful stories, pract…
EP 10 | Understanding the Real Risks of Private Equity Partnerships
Would you sell your family business if the money looked right, but something felt off? Amber Finley of Bug Off Pest Control shares what happened when a surprise buyout offer landed in her inbox. What started as a dream deal q...
EP 9 | The Ultimate Guide to Attracting Growth Capital for Small Business Owners
Want investors to notice your business? Learn what it really takes to attract strategic capital. Diti Sangoi, founder of DV8 Ventures, pulls back the curtain on what venture capital and private equity firms look for and why a million-dollar business isn’t enough without the right strategy. In this candid conversation with Paloma Goggins, Didi shares hard-earned insights on building investor trust, structuring smarter deals, and knowing when to fundraise (and when not to). You’ll hear why sto…
EP 8 | How Smart Business Owners Unlock the Hidden Key to a Successful Exit
Want top dollar when you sell? It all starts with your numbers. In this episode, financial systems expert Louise Hipperson reveals what buyers really look for when evaluating your business and why messy books can quietly kill your deal. She joins Paloma Goggins to break down the biggest financial missteps sellers make, from confusing cash vs. accrual accounting to ignoring add-backs and sloppy forecasting. You’ll learn how to clean up your books, present numbers buyers trust, and build the k…
EP 7 | Selling Soon? This Is the First Place Buyers Will Look
Protect your sale by uncovering legal landmines and HR risks before it’s too late! Thinking about selling your business? Don’t let hidden employment issues kill your deal. Employment law pro Sarah O’Keefe joins Paloma Goggins to reveal the silent deal-breakers—like misclassifying contractors, outdated offer letters, and family members on payroll with no paper trail. You’ll learn how simple fixes—like tightening up benefit programs, rethinking non-compete clauses, and using the right employme…
EP 6 | Are You Leaving Value on the Table?
Building a successful business worth selling requires strategy, resilience, and purpose. Tyler Copenhaver-Heath shares his extraordinary journey from a humble dirt lot with no electricity to founding a groundbreaking automoti...
EP 5 | The Business Arc: From Foundation to Final Deal
Steve Adams went from bagging groceries to building—and selling—two successful businesses. In this episode, he shares how a family emergency led him to take over a struggling maintenance company, and how government contracts ...
EP 4 | Scaling Up? Don’t Skip Cybersecurity!
Cybersecurity isn't just for big tech, it’s crucial for any business looking to grow or sell. In this episode, cybersecurity expert Paige Hanson, co-founder of SecureLabs, breaks down why strong security practices can make or break your company’s future. With 60% of small businesses never recovering from cyberattacks, this conversation is a must-listen. Paige shares how threats change as you scale and why buyers care about your security setup, especially in regulated industries like hea…
EP 3 | Death, Taxes, and Your Business: A Love Triangle
Every business owner eventually faces the pivotal question: What’s next? Whether you plan to sell, pass the company to family, or explore another path, the outcome depends on how and when you prepare. In this episode, wealth strategist Suzie Eyrich shares why the most successful transitions begin three to five years before an exit. This timeframe allows key strategies to take root, from tax-efficient planning to family succession structures that preserve both equity and harmony. We’ll explor…
EP 2 | More Than Paperwork: The Role of Relationship Banking in Acquisitions
Purchasing a business is exciting but often overwhelming, especially when it comes to financing. In this episode, Dan Foley from Evolve Bank pulls back the curtain on SBA lending, offering valuable insights into the process. ...