How The Best Off-Market Deals Get Done | Himanshu Singh

What if the best deal for your business is the one the wider market never sees?In this episode of Executive Connect, Melissa Aarskaug sits down with Himanshu Singh, founder and managing director of HSA Advisory and the creator of CorpFinHub, to talk about how off-market M&A really works in the UK mid-market. Himanshu explains why many strong deals never reach crowded auction processes, where transactions usually break down, and why preparation often matters more than founder optimism. He also shares how valuation gaps get bridged, what buyers look for, why founders should start planning their exit at least 12 months early, and how AI is speeding up investment banking workflows. If you are building toward an exit, raising capital, or trying to understand how the best deals actually get done, this episode gives you a practical view from inside the process.What You Will Learn Why off-market deals can create better outcomes What usually causes deals to fall apart How founders should prepare 12 months before an exit Why valuation expectations often miss the market How buyer alignment shapes a better transaction What CorpFinHub is changing in UK mid-market M&A How AI is speeding up investment banking workChapters (0:01) Why off-market deals matter (1:44) What defines an off-market deal (4:43) The real access problem in M&A (6:04) Why valuation gaps kill deals (8:32) Building a boutique for the mid-market (11:10) How to find the right buyer (14:07) Founder mistakes before an exit (19:10) How CorpFinHub changes deal flow (23:55) Negotiation mistakes founders make (27:32) The future of mid-market M&A (31:14) The first move founders should makeGuest Bio Himanshu Singh is the founder and managing director of HSA Advisory, an independent investment banking boutique focused on UK and European mid-market transactions. He has more than 15 years of experience in investment banking and corporate finance, including work at global firms such as Nomura. He is also the founder of CorpFinHub, a digital marketplace designed to connect buyers and sellers and improve access to off-market deals in the UK mid-market.Connect with Himanshu Singh Website: https://hsa-advisory.co.uk CorpFinHub: https://corpfinhub.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshuathsaConnect with Executive ConnectWebsite: https://www.executiveconnectexperience.comLinkedIn: Melissa AarskaugYouTube: Executive ConnectInstagram: @executiveconnectpodcastTikTok: @executiveconnectpodcastFacebook: Executive Connect