The Deal Table

Dallas–Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing business regions in the U.S., driven by corporate relocations, financial services expansion, and major infrastructure investment.Ken Malcolmson, President Emeritus of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, explains what’s behind this growth and why companies continue moving to North Texas.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Why Dallas–Fort Worth is emerging as a leading U.S. business hub• The role of corporate relocations in driving regional growth• How DFW Airport and infrastructure investment support economic expansion• The “hard advantages” behind Dallas growth (taxes, location, talent pipeline, regulation)• The “soft advantages” that influence company decisions (culture, accessibility, collaboration)• Why major financial institutions continue expanding in North Texas• The impact of housing affordability on rapid metro growth• The push toward increased urban density in Dallas and surrounding cities• How downtown Dallas is evolving into a mixed-use business and residential center• The role of civic leadership, chambers of commerce, and universities in economic development• What Dallas growth signals about the future of major U.S. cities━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Buy Lane's book: The Optima AdvantageThe Blueprint for Selling Smart and Exiting Stronghttps://amzn.to/48nLElW━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#dallas #business #dfw #economicdevelopment #thedealtable

Thomas Gleason built a career in oil and gas before buying two historic cowboy boot companies—Olsen-Stelzer Boot Company (1900) and Dixon (1889).These brands have been worn by U.S. presidents, Hollywood legends, and country music icons.In this conversation, he breaks down how he acquired legacy businesses, why custom boots are hard to scale, and how retail became the key to growth.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Transitioning from oil & gas into legacy brand ownership• Buying and scaling 100+ year-old companies• Why custom craftsmanship is difficult to scale• Turning turnaround time into a competitive advantage• Building a retail strategy alongside a heritage brand• Lessons from oil & gas cycles and capital raising• How Boots for Warriors supports injured veterans through custom footwear━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Buy Lane's book: The Optima AdvantageThe Blueprint for Selling Smart and Exiting Stronghttps://amzn.to/48nLElW━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#entrepreneurship #businessstrategy #businessgrowth #oilandgas

Jay Young is a fourth-generation Texas oilman and the founder and CEO of King Operating Corporation, a privately held independent oil and gas operator based in Addison, Texas. Over nearly three decades, Jay has built King Operating into a platform that partners with more than 2,200 accredited investors to acquire, develop, and divest American energy projects across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.In this episode, Jay shares his journey from cold calling strangers at Dean Witter Reynolds in the 1980s World Trade Center to building an energy company that raises over $100 million a year. He talks about the ADD model (Acquire, Develop, Divest) he adapted from real estate investor David Moore and private equity legend Ken Hersh, why his first two funds failed from taking too much risk, the Nolan Ryan connection that led to a wildcat disaster, owning a piece of the Texas Rangers (and the million-dollar capital calls that came with it), how AI is transforming oil field data analysis, and why the smartest operators play singles and doubles instead of swinging for home runs.Jay is the Amazon #1 best-selling author of "The Upside of Oil and Gas Investing" (Forbes Books) and hosts The Jay Young Show. He has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, and SiriusXM.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Jay Young’s “singles and doubles” strategy for low-risk oil and gas investing• How AI is transforming energy data and drilling decisions• The rising demand for natural gas driven by AI data centers• Lessons from professional sports ownership on risk and capital management• Tips for building passive income through alternative energy assets━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Buy Lane's book: The Optima AdvantageThe Blueprint for Selling Smart and Exiting Stronghttps://amzn.to/48nLElWThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#oil #gas #business #businessgrowth #thedealtable

Advanced tech, billion-dollar programs, and autonomous drones — but does it make us safer? Preston Dunlap, Founder and Managing Partner of Arkenstone Capital & Arkenstone Ventures, explains the hidden challenges in modern warfare, revealing the risks behind high-tech defense strategies and why smart planning alone may not be enough to protect us.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Modern drone warfare and autonomous systems• Billion-dollar defense programs and budget strategy• Lessons from building the U.S. Space Force• The Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missile program• Challenges in balancing tech innovation with national security• Insights for investors, founders, and defense professionals━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#thedealtable #nationalsecurity #usmilitary #technology #MilitaryStrategy

Most people think DART is just about buses and trains. They’re wrong. It’s a $1.6 billion economic engine that determines how fast your Amazon packages arrive and how long you sit in Dallas traffic.Right now, DART is at a crossroads. With 13 member cities, shifting budgets, and a "Transit 2.0" vision, Chairman Randall Bryant is sitting at the most expensive deal table in North Texas. In this episode, he reveals the political maneuvering required to keep a regional giant from falling apart.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Randall Bryant’s rapid transition from political strategist to DART Board Chairman• The three pillars of DART reform: modernizing governance, funding structures, and service delivery• Negotiating a historic sales tax compromise to maintain the 13-city regional coalition• How public transit benefits non-riders through reduced congestion, air quality, and logistics efficiency• The 5-to-1 return on investment and economic drivers of regional transit systems• Shifting DART’s focus from infrastructure expansion to Transit-Oriented Development and operational sustainability• Exploring state-funded regional rail entities and alternative revenue sources like vehicle registration fees• The legal, federal, and environmental consequences of cities withdrawing from regional transit authorities• Preparing North Texas infrastructure and transit services for the upcoming FIFA World Cup• Applying the "planting trees for future shade" philosophy to long-term public policy━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#business #urbanplanning #infrastructure #texas #thedealtable

World record mountain endurance athlete Chris Fisher reveals how addiction, loss, and repeated reinvention built the mindset behind one of the most demanding feats in American climbing history.He lost close friends to overdose, had his senior football season stripped away, and found himself at the lowest point of his life before he ever set foot on a mountain. After years of addiction, a recovery built one hard decision at a time, and a Navy SEAL training experience that permanently rewired how he thinks about limits, Chris went on to complete all 58 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks in just 72 days — faster than anyone in history. That winter record is now permanently recognized in a mural at Denver's Carla Madison Recreation Center.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• The Winter 14ers World Record• From Addiction to Reinvention• Navy SEAL Training and the Mindset Shift• Risk Management at Extreme Altitude• The Real Cost of Elite Expedition Climbing• The Sherpa Economy and the Ethics of Everest• Building a Professional Career as a Mountain Athlete• The Netflix Everest Project• The Andes 6,000ers• Climbing Mountains as a Framework for Business and Life━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#TheDealTable #ChrisFisher #Colorado14ers #MountainAthlete #OvercomingAdversity #MindsetMatters #Everest #WorldRecord #Entrepreneurship #Mountaineering

Rogers Healy built a real estate empire by becoming a Texas household name, but his true breakthrough came when he learned how to hire himself out of his own job. Now, as the operator behind Morrison Seger Venture Capital, Rogers is deploying $2M to $10M checks into high-growth consumer brands using a strategy that prioritizes founder integrity over a polished pitch deck.In this episode of The Deal Table, Rogers pulls back the curtain on the "Schwarzenegger Strategy" for scaling CPG brands, the reality of managing a 150-deal portfolio, and why authenticity is the ultimate arbitrage in the modern market.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Rogers Healy's real estate background and business scaling experience• Transition from real estate to venture capital investing• First investment in Mizzen+Main via SMU mentorship• Embracing authenticity through mentorship and personal changes• Challenges scaling service-based real estate firms• Investing in consumer brands like Goat Fuel and Mosh bar• Deal vetting process and average check sizes• Providing investor updates to manage expectations• Balancing family priorities with professional pursuits• Pitching strategies for founders seeking investments━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwesthttps://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#thedealtable #venturecapital #texas #texasbusiness #entrepreneurship #founderadvice #realestatestrategy #businessgrowth #authenticleadership #realestate

George Killebrew, Vice President of the United Pickleball Association and former Chief Revenue Officer of the Dallas Mavericks, shares why in sports, it’s better to be hated or loved than ignored—and how that mindset shaped the Mavericks’ approach to building a winning franchise.This episode explores the principles behind creating a team that drives engagement, loyalty, and long-term value, from media rights as a primary revenue driver to embracing bold, polarizing strategies that capture attention and influence culture.Killebrew also reflects on defining moments in his career, including the Mavericks’ 2011 championship run, the challenges of early playoff games in unconventional venues, and the experiences that sparked his lifelong passion for sports management.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Integration of sports teams and business revenue strategies• Evolution from hobby ownership to full-time business focus• Media rights as primary driver of franchise valuations• Financial impact of consistent winning on revenues• History and potential separation of American Airlines Center• Careers in sports sales and revenue management• Dallas Mavericks' 2011 NBA championship journey• Transition to Major League Rugby commissioner role• Pickleball's rapid growth and professionalization• Community pride and economic benefits of sports━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#thedealtable #nba #sportsbusiness #pickleball #mavericks #sportsmanagement #markcuban #jerryjones #sportsmarketing #businessofsports

Solar activity is a measurable risk variable across satellites, aviation, precision agriculture, and energy markets. Katherine Monson, CEO and co-founder of Hale SWx, explains how a physics-based solar model improves forecast accuracy beyond legacy statistical methods and enables both short-range operational decisions and long-range capital planning.For spacecraft operators, forecasting informs launch timing, altitude strategy, radiation exposure, and asset life—directly impacting CAPEX efficiency and revenue duration. Airlines gain visibility into dynamic radiation loads affecting avionics and crew exposure. In energy and insurance markets, long-horizon solar inputs may influence LNG demand positioning and hurricane risk pricing.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• The sun as the primary energetic variable in Earth systems• Why legacy space weather forecasting fails beyond four days• Hale SWx’s physics-based model vs. statistical regression approaches• Satellite drag, radiation exposure, and launch timing economics• The SpaceX solar storm loss case and CAPEX implications• Precision GPS risk in agriculture, mining, and oil & gas• Aviation radiation exposure, avionics maintenance, and FAA integration• Long-range solar forecasting for hardware design and lifecycle planning• LNG futures, hurricane forecasting, and insurance pricing strategy• Negotiation philosophy from Getting to Yes applied to capital-intensive industries━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd

Wyatt Smith, founder of Upsmith and former Uber executive, outlines the strategic application of agentic AI within the U.S. skilled trades and home services sectors. Modern trade businesses face a 1.5 million-person labor shortage, a gap increasingly bridged by probabilistic AI agents designed to drive 50X increases in operational productivity. Automating administrative tasks at the application layer allows firms to expand top-line revenue and free cash flow without scaling indirect labor costs. These deal mechanics underpin current institutional demand and the historically high multiples paid by private equity for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical service businesses. This transition toward competency-based credentialing positions technology as a primary lever for U.S. labor productivity and economic competitiveness.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• The 50X Productivity Framework• U.S. Skilled Labor Shortage• Private Equity in Home Services• Deterministic vs. Probabilistic AI• Competency-Based Credentialing• The AI Application Layer• Uber Elevate and Joby Aviation• Tech Optimism vs. Creative Destruction• U.S. Economic Competitiveness• Leadership and the Dignity of Work━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#TheDealTable #Ai #artificialintellegence #PrivateEquity #HomeServices #SkilledTrades #FreeCashFlow #Productivity #EnterpriseValue #CapitalAllocation

Southern Methodist University isn’t trying to become Wall Street—and Dean Todd Milbourn is clear about that. What SMU Cox is doing is building a modern business school designed for a fast-shifting economy where talent, adaptability, and real-world engagement matter more than tradition alone.In this episode, Milbourn breaks down how SMU Cox is operating more like a holding company than a legacy institution, with professional schools serving as economic engines that fund long-term academic investment. He explains why the move to the ACC has been a major academic accelerant, how AI is reshaping both jobs and curriculum, and why entrepreneurial thinking—not just entrepreneurship—is becoming a core skill for every graduate.The conversation spans the business of higher education, the role of athletics in institutional momentum, and SMU Cox’s position as a talent pipeline for Dallas as finance, energy, and technology continue to converge. This is a candid look at how a business school competes, adapts, and grows in a world where standing still is not an option.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• The Institutional Risk of Higher Education• University as a Holding Company• Athletics as a Strategic Accelerant• AI Disruption and Talent Resiliency• The CEO-Partnership Model• Y'all Street and Global Capital Relocation• The Net IQ Importer• Scaling the Venture Ecosystem━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by:Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#thedealtable #highereducation #capitalstructure #corporategovernance #assetmanagement #venturecapital #economicgrowth

Texas is growing faster than almost anywhere in the U.S.—1,200 new residents every day, three new subdivisions on average, and booming demand for homes, offices, and data centers. Land strategy, phased development, and infrastructure planning drive long-term value, while energy supply and city regulations set critical limits.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• The Texas Triangle Economy: Why this region is the 5th strongest economy in the U.S. and why its "sticky" population ensures long-term growth.• The Entitlement Machine: A masterclass on how to navigate zoning, engineering, and city council politics to unlock land value.• AI & Data Center Infrastructure: The massive power demands of modern data centers and the $20M+ investment required for "powered sites."• The Case for Nuclear: Why current energy sources can't keep up with Texas’s 2030 population projections.• Solving Chronic Homelessness: An empathetic look at the legislative gaps in mental health stabilization and the reality of addiction on our streets.• The "Flight to Quality": How the office and retail markets are shifting toward high-end, experiential spaces.• Building Generational Wealth: How Scott’s team sources off-market deals to turn multi-generational family farms into multi-million dollar legacies.• Developing Resilience: Lessons from "Cold Call Cowboys" and why the younger generation needs to embrace the "muscle" of rejection.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by: Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#thedealtable #realestateinvesting #privateequity #texasrealestate #landdevelopment #housingmarket #datacenters #infrastructure #investmentstrategy #mergersandacquisitions

JJ Barto of Broadwing Capital explains how lower middle market private equity actually works—partnering with founder-owned businesses, navigating first-time institutional capital, and creating value through disciplined execution rather than financial engineering.A grounded look at how durable lower middle market businesses are built, transitioned, and scaled—without relying on leverage-driven shortcuts or headline risk.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• Defining the LMM: Broadwing Capital’s $5M–$50M EBITDA investment thesis.• The Founder Identity Crisis: Navigating the shift from sole owner to institutional partner.• The "Soft Elbows" Philosophy: Balancing high financial IQ with operator-level humility.• Deal Mechanics: Structuring equity rolls and the "second bite at the apple."• Due Diligence Stress Tests: Surviving the 90-day Quality of Earnings (QofE) process.• Value Creation Roadmaps: Aligning strategy and "exit states" before the deal closes.• PE vs. Family Offices: Comparing capital structures and investor time horizons.• The 70/30 Rubric: Why 30% industry nuance drives "rocket ship" growth.• Macro Risk & Tariffs: How economic uncertainty suppresses buyer and seller expectations.• The Human Capital Challenge: CEO cultivation and aligning Type A management teams.• The Liberal Arts Edge: Why critical thinking and history outperform technical finance degrees.• Platform vs. Add-on Strategy: When to pool regional firms into a "super-provider."• LMM Evolution: The transition from the "Wild West" to a sophisticated asset class.• Operational Discipline: Why consistent execution separates great investments from average ones.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by: Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#TheDealTable #privateequity #businessexitstrategy #valuecreation #capitalmarkets #mergersandacquisitions

Dan Hunt outlines the business logic behind FC Dallas, continuous stadium reinvestment, and North Texas’ World Cup 2026 strategy. He explains how capital allocation, infrastructure upgrades, and market integrity translate into durable economic impact.WHAT WE COVERThe Hunt family’s long-term investment thesis in American soccerDan Hunt’s role running the business side of FC Dallas vs. on-field decision-makingHow MLS nearly collapsed in 2001—and the ownership intervention that saved the leagueStadium reinvestment as a value-creation strategy and economic engineCapital planning behind Toyota Stadium’s $200M redevelopment and new Mansfield stadiumWorld Cup 2026 strategy and why North Texas expects the largest economic impactHow global sporting events function as long-term commercials for citiesThe role of legacy ownership and family governance in professional sportsRisks to sports integrity from gambling and the impact on fandomYouth development systems and why North Texas produces sustained soccer talentDiversification across sports, real estate, and operating businessesBalancing entrepreneurship, professional management teams, and family culture━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by: Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd

Navigating a founder-led exit is more than just a transaction—it’s a pivotal moment for a business and its owners. John Willding breaks down how private equity and strategic buyers differ, why early planning and quality-of-earnings analysis matter, and how thoughtful deal structuring drives long-term value.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• How founder-operators should approach life-altering M&A transactions• Differences between private equity and strategic buyers and implications for deal structure• Planning for M&A well in advance, including quality-of-earnings analysis and due diligence• Asset vs. equity sales, tax considerations, and partnership agreements• Structuring deals to retain employees and maximize transaction value• Navigating regulatory frameworks, including securities and fund formation rules• The role of specialized legal expertise in unlocking complex transactions• Long-term relationship-building and strategic positioning to create value in the mid-market━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaSponsored by: Capital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#TheDealTable #PrivateEquity #MiddleMarketMergers #FundFormation #CorporateLaw #MergersAndAcquisitions #DealStructuring #FounderCompanies #BusinessTransactions #InvestmentLaw

Buddy Ozanne, founder of Property Advisors Inc., discusses the evolution of wealth management and the critical components of long-term estate preservation. The conversation covers his transition from a transactional insurance model in the 1970s to becoming a pioneer in the fee-only RIA space.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Key Takeaways━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━-The transition from transactional sales to fee-based fiduciary advice.-How to transfer "Intellectual Capital" to heirs who haven't met you yet.-The "Moneyball" approach to investing: Why you don't need home runs to win.-The origin story of the SMU "Boulevard".━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📱 CONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media & proudly sponsored by:Vela Wood | https://velawood.comCapital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter:https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd#TheDealTable #WealthManagement #EstatePlanning #FeeOnlyAdvisor #CapitalPreservation #LongTermInvesting #PortfolioStrategy #GenerationalWealth

Tailwater Capital’s Jason Downie and Edward Herring examine today’s U.S. energy crunch driven by AI demand, population growth, and infrastructure constraints. They discuss nuclear’s comeback and how disciplined investors are positioning for long-term value in a market defined by reliability and capital scarcity.WHAT WE COVER━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━• U.S. energy shortfall and the need for reliable baseload power• The role of nuclear energy in meeting future energy demand• AI-driven energy demand and infrastructure implications• Impact of the shale revolution on U.S. oil and gas production• Tailwater Capital’s investment strategy across midstream, upstream, and royalties• Private capital solving energy infrastructure bottlenecks• Differences between renewable energy and reliable conventional energy• Evolution and growth of Tailwater Capital since 2013• Culture, decision-making, and partnership dynamics at Tailwater• Target returns, risk discipline, and avoiding hyper-leverage• Decline of institutional energy investment and rise of family office capital• Competition and consolidation in energy-focused private equity• Government policy, ESG considerations, and global energy perspectivesCONNECT WITH US━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media & proudly sponsored by:Vela Wood | https://velawood.comCapital Southwest | https://capitalsouthwest.comFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd

Tracy “DOC” Curry transformed a career setback into a platform for measurable impact. Through DOC CARES, the Dreams Experience Academy, and global minority ownership ventures, he links music, AI, and mentorship to educational outcomes and sustainable social growth.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN• Lessons from 40+ years of personal and professional growth• Faith, perseverance, and using life’s challenges to reinvent yourself• Hip hop roots: artistry, protest, and cultural impact• Mentorship and supporting young artists in South Dallas• Preserving musical legacy through AI and innovation• Community building: music infrastructure, education, and commerce• Reflections on working with iconic artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg• Navigating the evolving music, film, and streaming industries• Sports ownership and cultural exchange: Dallas Cowboys and Manchester football• Life philosophy: family, wealth, happiness, and purpose-driven successGuest: Tracy 'The D.O.C.' CurryAmerican Rapper and SongwriterFOLLOW THE DEAL TABLEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/HOSTSRyan Harper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/Lane Carrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdSponsored by Vela Wood & Capital Southwest

The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is reshaping America’s capital markets. Nicole Chambers, Global Managing Director and former NASDAQ executive, explains why the U.S. has fallen from 9,000 to 4,400 public companies, how exchange regulation pushed issuers away, and why Texas is becoming a new financial power center.Nicole breaks down the decline of public listings, the shift of financial talent from New York to Texas, and how TXSE—backed by BlackRock, Citadel, and Charles Schwab—plans to launch in 2026 with a pro-issuer model built for modern companies.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN• Why U.S. public companies fell from 9,000 to 4,400 • How TXSE plans to challenge the NYSE and NASDAQ • Why Dallas is emerging as a global financial hub • Texas vs. Delaware corporate law advantages • Why major investors like Citadel, Schwab, and BlackRock back TXSE • TXSE’s launch timeline for 2026 • What “Wall Street to Y’all Street” really means Guest: Nicole ChambersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-chambers-55a86113/ TXSE: https://www.txse.com TXSE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/txse FOLLOW THE DEAL TABLE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/ HOSTS Ryan Harper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/ Lane Carrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/ Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd Topics: Finance, Capital Markets, Investing, Public Companies, Economic Policy, Texas Business, Stock Exchanges, Wall Street, NASDAQ, Market Regulation.

Energy investing, private equity strategy, and the career mindset behind “The Fastest Tortoise.” Ken Hersh breaks down risk, resilience, decision-making, and the leadership principles that shaped modern energy finance. He explains operators vs. assets, probabilistic thinking, market cycles, and why “yellow lights don’t turn green.”Ken served as President & CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center from 2016–2025, overseeing the Bush Library, Museum, and Institute. Before that, he co-founded NGP Energy Capital Management in 1988 and built it into one of the nation’s leading natural resources private equity firms—investing over $12B and generating a 27-year, 30% annualized return.A longtime philanthropist and board leader, Ken shares why meaningful progress comes from embracing discomfort, betting on yourself, and staying focused through cycles rather than chasing perfect conditions or quick wins.Get his book - The Fastest Tortoise: Winning in Industries I Knew Nothing About: https://amzn.to/4i9ZU5HSeason 2 of The Deal Table is brought to you by our partners, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vela Wood⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Capital Southwest⁠⁠⁠⁠- supporting the conversations that move deals forward.Follow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsd

Michael Sarner joined Capital Southwest in 2015 and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer, bringing over 30 years of experience in finance, treasury, and BDC’s. Leveraging his extensive background in financial services, Sarner has built best-in-class teams and innovative solutions to support the company's growth. Under his leadership, his team has raised over $2 billion in debt and equity financing and secured Investment Company Ratings from Moody’s Investor Services and Fitch Ratings. As CEO, Sarner is responsible for the firm’s strategic direction. He serves as Chair of the Investment Committee and is a member of the CSWC Board of Directors. Before joining Capital Southwest, he spent 15 years at American Capital, Ltd., holding various financial leadership roles, including Senior Vice President of Treasury.Season 2 of The Deal Table is brought to you by our partners, ⁠⁠⁠Vela Wood⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Capital Southwest⁠⁠⁠- supporting the conversations that move deals forward.

Lane Kasselman is the President and Chief Business Officer at Blockchain.com, where he has transformed the startup unicorn into a fast-growing multinational business. Kasselman has spent over two decades consulting on business strategy, public policy, crisis management and communications, running communications and public affairs for Uber, AT&T, The Messina Group and his own firm, Greenbrier. He began his career in politics, working for two California Governors, and later in communications for then-Senator Hillary Clinton’s Exploratory Committee for President. An avid startup advisor and investor, Kasselman holds degrees from California State University, Sacramento and Golden Gate University School of Law. Season 2 of The Deal Table is brought to you by our partners, ⁠⁠Vela Wood⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Capital Southwest⁠⁠- supporting the conversations that move deals forward.

Troy W. Eckerd, Chairman of Eckerd Enterprises, shares his journey from humble beginnings to building over $1 billion in energy assets.With decades of experience in finance, oil & gas, and private capital, Troy explains how he navigates an industry riddled with obstacles, misrepresentation, and high failure rates to deliver real returns for investors.Season 2 of The Deal Table is brought to you by our partners, ⁠Vela Wood⁠ and ⁠Capital Southwest⁠- supporting the conversations that move deals forward.

Brint shares how his firm produces more adjudicated data than anyone else and is changing the tax landscape forever.From leveraging AI and ChatGPT to optimize taxes in real-time, to navigating the ever-changing gray areas of the tax code, Brint dives into how innovation, leadership, and technology intersect in the world of business taxes. We also get a glimpse into Ryan’s unique work culture, remote-first strategy since 2008, and global expansion plans.Tune in to learn how the government can’t slow you down when you harness data, AI, and expertise the right way.Season 2 of The Deal Table is brought to you by our partners, Vela Wood and Capital Southwest- supporting the conversations that move deals forward.

In this episode of The Deal Table, we sat down with Dr. Alex Farahmand.Dr. Alex Farahmand MD, is the co-founder and president of Tidal Medical Technologies, a pioneering medical device company transforming respiratory care through smart technology. Tidal Medicals flagship innovation is InSee which is a connected, user-friendly incentive spirometer designed to boost patient compliance and improve outcomes in hospitals and at home. With a background in emergency medicine and a passion for healthcare innovation, Dr. Farahmand leads InSee’s mission to modernize pulmonary recovery tools. Under his leadership, the company has completed clinical trials and submitted for FDA clearance, paving the way for a new standard in respiratory monitoring and patient engagement.

In our latest episode of The Deal Table, we had the honor of hosting Tom Leppert- former Mayor of Dallas, CEO of Turner Construction, White House Fellow, and an all-around leadership powerhouse.What stood out most wasn’t just his impressive resume, it was how he got there.

Chris Gannett believes that business is the leverage point for global change- and he’s got the track record to back it up.He has raised millions in funding, contributed to over $500 million in M&A value, and invested in over 50 startups. As a CMO and GM with Sony, "American Idol," Elvis Presley Enterprises, TheBlaze and MediaMath, Chris' work helped achieve multiple Grammy and Emmy Awards, three Guinness Records, three turnarounds, three exits, and two Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader Awards.As the founder of Gannett.Partners, Chris combines coaching science, capital, and company-building expertise to help leaders deliver sustainable progress and superior returns. Since launching the firm in 2022, he’s worked with founders, CEOs, investors, and public figures across 10 countries, impacting startups, Fortune 500s, nonprofits, and family offices alike.

Today’s guest, Jimmy Tran, blends business acumen with deep personal perspective. As the former VP of Corporate Strategy and M&A at CBRE, Jimmy led over $2 billion in acquisitions and played a key role in tripling earnings in just 8 years. He also spent time as a management consultant with Bain & Company, working in Dallas, Hong Kong, and Singapore, helping global leaders make smarter, faster decisions.But Jimmy’s outlook is shaped by more than just boardrooms and spreadsheets. His parents came to the U.S. as refugees from Vietnam- a legacy that continues to inform his approach to leadership and opportunity.

Today on The Deal Table, we're joined by Scott Harper- Dallas-based entrepreneur and co- founder of Dialexa, the digital product engineering firm he launched in 2010 with just "$50, a domain name, and big dreams".Under his leadership, Dialexa grew into a powerhouse consultancy serving clients like Uber, Amazon, and Toyota before being acquired by IBM in 2022.Scott helped define "digital product engineering" as its own category, incubated ventures like Vinli and Robin Autopilot, and earned recognition as EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

This week on The Deal Table, we sit down with John Donovan, former CEO of AT&T Communications and current investor in some of the most disruptive technologies reshaping the world as we know it.In one of our most thought-provoking conversations yet, John pulls back the curtain on the frontier of innovation- from quantum computing and synthetic biology to AI, space tech, and hypersonics.

Today on The Deal Table, we’re joined by Leib Bolel, founder of Lioncrest Ventures, a firm focused on flexible, multi-product financing solutions for early growth-stage tech companies. He also serves as a Partner at Grayhawk Capital, where he’s spent nearly seven years investing in and supporting B2B software companies.Before that, Leib was the CEO and founder of the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance, where he built bridges between the U.S. and Israel through M&A, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships. He’s been named to the National List of Influential Young Executives and honored in the Phoenix Business Journal’s “40 Under 40.”

On this episode of The Deal Table, we sat down with Eric Bennett to talk about the next frontier in biotech: brain health.Eric launched Brain Capital Partners and the Brain Superfund in 2025 to invest in brain science venture and growth capital. The Fund focuses on mental health, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, brain injuries, wellness, and longevity. It targets companies offering therapeutics, neuro tech, diagnostics, digital health, and clinical access. The goal: accelerate breakthrough treatments, improve lives, and deliver strong returns.In 2013, Eric became founding Executive Director of the Brain Performance Institute at UT Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth, scaling cognitive neuroscience programs. Under his leadership, BPI raised $105M+, built a new facility, and served 50,000+ people.Reach out to Eric: [email protected]://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-w-bennett-54456336/Follow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media#Biotech #BrainHealth #VentureCapital #MentalHealth #Neuroscience #AI #HealthcareInnovation #StartupInvesting #TheDealTable

In this episode of The Deal Table, we sit down with Mara McNeill, a powerhouse in the world of finance, banking, and public service. From scaling Toyota Financial Savings Bank from $1B to $6B in just four years, to navigating complex regulatory waters during the 2008 financial crisis at the U.S. Treasury, Mara brings unmatched experience in strategic leadership, community banking, and transformative dealmaking.Tune in for a rich conversation on how bold decisions and disciplined execution can shape the future of finance.

This week on The Deal Table, we sat down with Victor Vescovo, a true modern-day explorer, decorated U.S. Navy Commander, deep-sea adventurer, Everest summiter, Blue Origin astronaut, and seasoned venture capitalist.From the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest, from space travel to investing in cutting-edge tech and de-extinction, Victor shares the mindset, discipline, and calculated risk-taking that drive both exploration and investment success.

On this episode of The Deal Table, we sit down with Suresh Narayanan, an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and visionary leader with deep roots in aviation. From aerospace engineering and military jet modifications at AQRD to driving innovation as COO of JSX, Suresh has been at the forefront of change in the industry.Now, as the founder of Jets MRO, he’s shaping the future of aviation with a people-first approach—revolutionizing how the industry operates and treats its workforce.Connect with Suresh: [email protected] | 214.305.9247https://www.instagram.com/jetsmrohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/jetsmro/Follow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont MediaGuest Bio:Meet Suresh Narayanan, an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and visionary leader with deep roots in aviation. With a passion for aviation and an unyielding commitment to people first, Suresh continues to raise the bar in how the industry treats its people.He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. A pilot himself, Suresh’s interest in aviation began at a young age in the repair station his parents opened after his father completed his career as a Concorde mechanic. Before incorporating Jets MRO, he worked alongside his brother Raj at Aerospace Quality Research & Development (AQRD), contributing significantly to the growth and success of the aerospace engineering, repair station, and military jet modification firm.Suresh brings invaluable experience as the former COO of JSX and boasts expertise in aviation mergers and acquisitions, steering ventures towards success. He is a proud member of the YPO-North Texas chapter and serves as a dedicated Board Member at the Frontiers of Flight Museum.

Douglas Smith, former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and current Head of Global Affairs at Orchard Global, dives into the deep intersections of public policy, national security, innovation, and business. From stories behind the launch of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry to cybersecurity risks in private equity and the role of government in advancing green tech, Smith underscores the necessity of collaboration across sectors. He reflects on the fading art of civil discourse, the dangers of institutional knowledge loss, and the enduring value of relationships over transactions in leadership, governance, and capital markets.Reach out to Douglas: [email protected] Douglas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-a-smith-5b82792/Learn more about Orchard Global: https://www.orchardglobal.comFollow The Deal Table: https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media**********************************************************************Guest Bio:The Honorable Douglas Smith has spent the last 30 years serving at the highest levels of government in national security and the private sector, and is a serial entrepreneur. Douglas currently leads Global Affairs for Orchard Global, where he leads the firm’s engagements with national security work, private equity, and international governments. Douglas is a recognized global expert in national security and its impact on business, and role in preventing and managing crises, frequently invited to speak in international conferences and regularly appearing in global media. Before joining Orchard, Douglas was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this role, Douglasadvised the Secretary on the impact of the Department's policies, regulations, and processes globally on millions of private sector companies, universities, and not-for-profits institutions. Douglas was responsible for coordinating seamless private sector engagement across all 22 of DHS’s divisions including the Secret Service, Coast Guard, Customs and Boarder Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.He served as the Department's representative on the President's Travel and Tourism Advisory and Export Promotion Boards, the White House Business Council, the President’s Job Council, and the World Economic Forum Risk Officers Community. Under his leadership, the office dramatically expanded its global footprint. As a result, Douglas led delegations throughout the United States and to over 40 countries in support of strengthening the global supply chain and promoting the Department’s position of “global security equaling economic security”. Key to this work was his extensive engagement with the travel and tourism industry including the launch of Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and the APEC Business Travel Card. In the wake of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Douglas headed an interagency team coordinating emergency response and supporting international commerce to keep the global supply chain moving. Douglas currently serves on the boards of Aether Technologies, as Chairman; Social Mobile; Energetico; Senseta; The United States Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force; Overseas Security Advisory Council and of FidoTV Channel, a TV station 100% dedicated to dogs.

In this episode of The Deal Table, we sit down with General Jim Williams, a two-star Marine Corps General with 38 years of service. From surviving helicopter crashes to negotiating with warlords, General Williams shares incredible stories of leadership, discipline, and risk-taking.We explore the parallels between battlefield strategy and business success, diving into financial literacy, wealth-building, and the future of AI-driven industries. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or leader, this conversation is packed with insights on how to navigate uncertainty, build resilience, and make smarter financial decisions.Key Topics:- Leadership lessons from combat- Why financial literacy is crucial for success- The future of business, AI, and automated manufacturing- What it takes to build a lasting legacyFollow The Deal Table: https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media

Charlie Calise, a veteran marketing strategist and the Chairman Of Imaginuity, shares his insights into brand growth, competitive positioning, and the evolution of advertising in the digital age. With decades of experience working with major brands, he discusses what separates businesses that thrive from those that struggle, how to craft a compelling brand story, and the biggest mistakes companies make when scaling their marketing efforts.Key Topics Include: The shift from traditional to digital marketing and what it means for businessesStrategies for building a brand that stands out in a crowded marketCommon marketing pitfalls that cost companies millionsHow consumer psychology influences advertising effectivenessLessons from working with Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startupsBook Recommendations:📚 As a Man Thinketh: https://amzn.to/4i4Y1Gg📚 The Coddling of the American Mind: https://amzn.to/4hKgmsaFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media#MarketingStrategy #Branding #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MarketingTips #BrandBuilding #DigitalMarketing #BusinessSuccess #MarketingMistakes #CharlieCalise #BusinessPodcast #ScalingUp #Advertising #MarketingInsights

John Terry, co-founder of Churchill Terry and professor at SMU, shares deep insights into business growth, mergers and acquisitions, and financial strategy. With experience across entrepreneurship, corporate finance, and investment advisory, he discusses what separates entrepreneurs from business owners, the challenges of scaling a company, and how to maximize valuation before selling.Key topics include:The mindset shift from corporate executive to entrepreneurStrategies for increasing business valuation before an exitCommon mistakes business owners make when selling their companyHow venture capital and private equity investors evaluate businessesLessons from advising high-net-worth individuals and family officesBook Recommendations:Half Luck and Half Brains:https://amzn.to/3Eyi1T7The E-Myth: https://amzn.to/42Ora3RBuild a Business, Not a Job:https://amzn.to/4aSK5wBFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media

Jim Keyes: Author, Chairman, Philanthropist, Former CEO of 7-Eleven & Blockbuster Jim shares invaluable leadership lessons learned from running two Fortune 500 companies, diving into topics like navigating corporate change, overcoming adversity, and the power of education. Discover the real story behind Blockbuster’s battle with Netflix, the strategies that fueled 7-Eleven’s growth, and how embracing change can create limitless opportunities in business and life.Get the book, Education is Freedom: https://amzn.to/4hoKyZSContact Jim Keyes:[email protected]://www.jameswkeyes.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-keyes-a0947215/https://www.instagram.com/jkeyesauthor/Follow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Sign up for the Deal Table Newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdWork with Harper Belmont Media: https://share.hsforms.com/1Tfx_WobCTPuXWenG1-69EQoavsdThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media

Building a business isn’t just about having a great idea—it’s about execution, funding, and resilience. In this episode, Kevin Lavelle, founder of Mizzen+Main and Harbor, shares his raw, unfiltered journey of scaling a brand from the ground up, securing funding, and navigating the ever-changing venture capital landscape.Follow Kevin:https://www.instagram.com/kevinslavellehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinlavelle/https://x.com/kevinslavelleFollow Harbor:https://harbor.co/https://www.instagram.com/harborsleep/Follow Mizzen & Main:https://www.mizzenandmain.com/https://www.instagram.com/mizzenandmain/Follow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Work with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://www.theoptimateam.com/Work with Harper Belmont Media: https://harperbelmont.com/#bestbabymonitor #babymonitorThe Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media

Abe Minkara, a founding partner at Legacy Knight and former Managing Director at Mark Cuban Companies, dives deep into the world of venture capital, private equity, and high-net-worth investing. Abe shares his insights from evaluating Shark Tank deals, working with entrepreneurs, and navigating the complex landscape of wealth management for ultra-high-net-worth families.Key Highlights:-The truth about Shark Tank deals and what investors look for-Why some entrepreneurs walk away from Shark Tank investments-How private equity firms assess deals and create value-The difference between family offices and multifamily offices-What investors really look for in startup pitches-The impact of AI on investing and emerging trends-The evolving role of Bitcoin and digital assets in modern portfoliosBook Recommendations from Episode:📚 Think and Grow Rich: https://amzn.to/3WtMW9iFollow The Deal Table:https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Work with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://www.theoptimateam.com/Work with Harper Belmont Media: https://harperbelmont.com/The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media

Michael Levy, CEO of Crow Holdings, discusses his transition from a career in New York City with Morgan Stanley to leading the iconic Crow Holdings in Dallas, Texas. Michael shares invaluable lessons from navigating the 2008 financial crisis, his insights on leadership and culture, and how Old Parkland has become a hub for innovation, relationships, and intellectual growth.Key Highlights:- Lessons from the 2008 financial crisis- Transitioning from Wall Street to Dallas- The unique culture of Crow Holdings and Old Parkland- Diversifying into oil and gas and long-term business strategy- The importance of relationships in business versus transactional dynamicsBook Recommendations from Episode:📚The Prize by Daniel Yergin: https://amzn.to/4han0aG📚Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller: https://amzn.to/4hd8Oxo📚The Radical Leap by Steve Farber: https://amzn.to/4gKniFg📚The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey: https://amzn.to/3Whe4rP📚The Source by Dr. Tara Swart: https://amzn.to/3WdY4qyCrow Holdings: https://www.crowholdings.com/Follow The DealTable: https://www.instagram.com/thedealtablepodcast/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-deal-table/Follow Ryan Harper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryansharper/https://www.instagram.com/ryansharper/Follow Lane Carrick:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-lane-carrick-65a728/Work with Optima Mergers & Acquisitions: https://www.theoptimateam.com/Work with Harper Belmont Media: https://harperbelmont.com/The Deal Table is Produced by Harper Belmont Media