In Crisis? Outlast Competitors! (Matt Gilbert, CEO of GaP) - 16 min

Discover why Matt's company has been recognized as a "Top 20 Investment Bank" and as the "Most Trusted Lower Mid-Market M&A Advisor" in the USA, and how he develops high performance teams (16 minutes). CEO BLINDSPOTS PODCAST GUEST: Matt Gilbert. He is the co-CEO with Bret Pardue, and a Founding Partner of Gilbert & Pardue Business Advisors (GaP). With more than 31 years of experience as Partner/President/CEO/Shareholder of successful middle and lower middle market businesses, Matt has a wealth of experience in transactions where his ownership, livelihood, and personal funds were at stake. He brings GaP clients the perspective of having been “in their shoes” when evaluating the sale of a business as well as assessing acquisitions, taking on debt, restructuring personnel and processes, and other strategic business decisions. Just prior to GaP, Matt conducted a 15-month search to find an established company with much growth potential. By partnering with a private equity firm, he was able to purchase majority control of a decades-old glazing contractor. He served as CEO for the freshly-recapitalized venture, and the company experienced rapid growth through the execution of both facility expansion and product upgrades. Gaining local “Fast 100” acclaim and national “Industry Mover” recognition, the company’s sales doubled within 12 months and continued to climb. The founders were provided with an exit plan, and the private equity firm had a base organization from which to conduct targeted acquisitions and pursue regional growth. After the ownership transfer and culture pivot, the business was in good hands. The long-term shareholders then bought out Matt’s interest. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gilbert sold three companies in separate transactions. One of these was an environmental remediation and waste management company which Matt founded, led through rapid growth, and then merged with another start-up in the same space. Continued organic growth and strategic acquisitions made this company an attractive acquisition itself for an S&P 500 public company, and the business was sold in 2015. Another of Matt’s companies was sold to a private equity firm, and the third to a fortune 200 public company back in 1997. When not busy with GaP, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, along with serving in his church and on non-profit Boards. He has a deep passion for college football and looks forward to traveling with family and friends. You can reach Matt on his cell phone at 713-304-1970. For more information about Matt and GaP, visit gap-advisors.com. CEO BLINDSPOTS HOST: Birgit Kamps. She was speaking five languages by the age of 10, and lived in five countries with her Dutch parents prior to becoming an American citizen. Birgit’s professional experience includes starting and selling an “Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Company” and a “Best Company to Work for in Texas”, and serving as a Board Member with various companies. In addition, Birgit is the President of Hire Universe LLC, and the host of the CEO Blindspots Podcast which was recognized by Spotify for having the “biggest listener growth” in the USA (by 733%), and having listeners in 11 countries; https://ceoblindspots.com/