Scott Foster, Canadian Practice Leader of the Global Transaction Advisory Group at Alvarez & Marsal, joins Mario Nigro to discuss transaction diligence in the Canadian midmarket. A&M’s integrated Canadian diligence offering has grown in recent years to encompass financial, commercial, operations IT, and tax services. As Scott notes, the current economic climate is extending many diligence processes as clients try to get a more complete picture of the exposure of businesses to tariff and inflation-related pressures. He and Mario also discuss the potential impact of AI on diligence before concluding with a few thoughts about where midmarket M&A is headed. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this episode, we welcome Mike Alberts of Boston-based Cohere Capital. Cohere focuses on founder-owned businesses in the $2-15 million (U.S.) EBITDA range, primarily in the tech-enabled services, software and business services sectors. The firm’s preference is to partner with existing leadership. As Mike notes, he and Cohere have had many positive experiences in the Canadian deal space and regularly travel north in search of new opportunities. The rise of AI is also considered: Mike sees AI as augmenting businesses rather than replacing their core services and human capital. Looking ahead, Mike expects a rebound in deal flow as the market adjusts to ongoing economic uncertainty and finally deploys the “dry powder” that built up in H1 2025. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this podcast, Mario Nigro is joined by David To, President and CEO of AT Safety Training. Always an entrepreneur at heart, David followed up a career in the apparel sector by forming his own private investment firm, Lnkd Capital, with the express purpose of acquiring and operating a midmarket business. David shares his “search” story, beginning with an information-gathering phase that covered about 16-20 sectors, followed by an email campaign that eventually led – after some ups and downs – to the acquisition of AT Safety Training, a services business based in Edmonton. David’s transaction was a proprietary deal, the pros and cons of which are the focus of the conversation. In the end, his success depended heavily on relationship-building with the owners, who were heavily invested in the business as their legacy. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this podcast, Sandro Mina of Boston-based Relay Investments joins Mario Nigro to discuss search-fund trends. First exposed to search as a Stanford student in the early 1990s, Sandro co-founded Relay in 2013. In the past 12 years, Relay has backed over 250 search funds in the U.S., Canada and beyond. As Sandro notes, search has moved into the mainstream as the proven success of the model has attracted a broader range of investors. At the same time, innovations such as accelerators have developed and the line between search and PE has sometimes been blurred. Despite these changes, the basic formula for search success – energetic, motivated searchers, plus experienced investors and mentors – continues to apply. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Eric Silber of Riverdale Poultry joins Mario Nigro for this edition of the podcast. After leaving a career on Bay Street over a decade ago, Eric and business partner Prasanna Ranganathan decided to become independent sponsors by investing in Riverdale, a leading poultry transportation business in southern Ontario. While not initially planning a hands-on role for themselves, they soon began managing operations directly and eventually bought the company outright. In a wide-ranging discussion of the long learning curve that followed, Silber stresses the importance of adjusting to the cultural shift from finance to frontline operations. He also discusses his role as a business investor and what he looks for in entrepreneurs, including resourcefulness, financial sophistication and a willingness to venture outside major urban areas. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Stringent data protection laws and the sheer volume of digitized information in the possession of most businesses have increased cybersecurity’s importance in transactional due diligence. As Danielle Miller Olofsson explains in this episode, buyers are typically looking for a strong culture of cyber risk management in the form of privacy policies, incident response plans, and data retention schedules, among others. At the same time, cyber issues are becoming normalized and “de-dramatized”, with purchasers assessing the materiality of any cybersecurity weaknesses and dealing with cyber risk through price adjustments or indemnities. Cyber insurance is now well established and a must for most businesses. Trends in cyber risk management are also discussed, including a growing tendency to resist and even strike back against cyber-ransom demands. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this episode, Avneet Multani discusses Strive Equity Partners, a PE firm focused on investing as an independent sponsor in founder-owned industrial, healthcare and tech-enabled services businesses, typically in the $3-10m EBITDA range. Avneet founded Toronto-based Strive after working in the U.S. market and finding that lower midmarket deals were the best fit for his entrepreneurial work ethic. Seller rollovers, in which a retiring owner requires an experienced hands-on advisor to ensure smooth succession, are among the best opportunities for leveraging Strive’s skill set. As Avneet explains, the independent sponsor model is rapidly gaining acceptance in Canada and its flexibility should ensure its continued growth over the coming years. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
River Ewing of Hadley Family Capital is Mario Nigro’s guest in this episode. Hadley has evolved from a manufacturing business into a diversified “family office” investor that focuses on supporting searchers in Canada and the United States. River highlights the unique advantages family offices bring to the search fund ecosystem, including flexibility and a deep understanding of small-enterprise entrepreneurship. Hadley is industry-agnostic, targeting traditional searches in the $1-5 million EBITDA range and favouring businesses with strong governance structures. Canada’s unique search fund ecosystem is expanding, particularly in the self-funded segment. Hadley sees vast opportunities in Canada and River anticipates continued growth of self-funded searchers, regardless of tariffs and other economic concerns. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
As tariff threats loomed in early 2025, export-dependent Canadian midmarket businesses worried about what would happen next. In this podcast, Mario Nigro speaks with Andrew Gowan of National Bank about what he’s seeing in midmarket M&A as the new reality sinks in. Many of his entrepreneurial clients – even those that rely on the export market – are working through the situation with the help of Andrew and his team, who remain focused on supporting the midmarket. Tighter due diligence and careful analyses of cross-border exposures are now standard, but lenders are still competing for good deals. Andrew notes that consolidation opportunities are particularly attractive in Canada’s vast lower midmarket. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this podcast, Karen Fisman of PwC joins Mario Nigro to discuss recent midmarket M&A trends – specifically the significant decline in deal flow caused by the trade wars. Karen explains that the deals that are proceeding tend to involve smaller, tariff-resistant services businesses selling to buyers that are highly familiar with the businesses’ market niches. Karen believes that we may start to see premium valuations for tariff-resistant businesses as PE firms compete for a reduced number of investment opportunities. While a market recovery is unlikely in the remainder of 2025, Karen remains optimistic about 2026, anticipating that stalled processes will resume as clarity improves and the need to deploy existing capital drives activity. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Professor Marc Busch of Georgetown University joins Mario Nigro for a discussion on the impact of tariffs on M&A. Professor Busch explains how current U.S. trade policy is affecting global commercial dynamics. While some moderation may be expected as “deals” are negotiated, sectoral tariffs may become a permanent fixture of U.S. trade policy. From a Canadian perspective, companies are adapting to U.S. tariffs by reshaping their supply chains and production strategies while hoping that a renegotiated CUSMA agreement will restore predictability to the marketplace. Professor Busch presents a range of scenarios regarding future trade agreements, suggesting that new trade barriers – particularly tariffs invoked on “national security” grounds – will continue to impact business planning for the foreseeable future. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Andrew Walton of Ironbridge Equity Partners joins Mario Nigro to discuss the current state of midmarket private equity and M&A in Canada. Ironbridge’s substantial portfolio includes industrial, manufacturing, and distribution businesses across most regions of Canada. Unsurprisingly, the discussion focuses on the ongoing impact of tariff-induced market uncertainty. Even transactions that are proceeding tend to move slowly, thanks in part to longer diligence processes and a go-slow attitude among many buyers. However, as Andrew notes, while tariffs cannot be avoided, some strategies that can partially mitigate their impact are already being deployed. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Representation and warranty insurance (“RWI”), a growing presence in Canadian M&A transactions, is the subject of Mario Nigro’s conversation with Rishi Dhir of Willis Towers Watson’s Transactional Insurance Solutions group. Rishi discusses the increased adoption of RWI in the Canadian midmarket, noting that it is now commonly used in transactions with enterprise values as low as $5 million. He explains that the premiums and deductibles for these policies have decreased, while also highlighting the broad coverage provided in deals of all sizes. Recent developments highlight RWI providers’ increased scrutiny of supply-chain flexibility and reliance on international customers in response to the tariff landscape. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Joining Mario Nigro for this episode is Wandrille Lefèvre of EC2, a Québec-based consulting firm that provides specialized M&A and corporate finance advice to midmarket companies. According to Wandrille, the Québec market, like other Canadian markets, is driven by factors like baby boomer retirements and a need for technology investment. The range of buyers in the province includes a similar mix of private equity and strategics as is found elsewhere. Even in the uncertain tariff environment, EC2 is seeing steady interest from potential sellers, with the caveat that those sellers are deliberating more about how to proceed, while buyers are looking more intently at the tariff exposure of potential acquisitions. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this podcast, David Ritchie shares the story of CFO Hive, which provides businesses with contract CFOs on a fractional, full-time, or project basis, leveraging a network of experienced CFOs to offer expertise that matches client needs. Contract CFOs can add value in four ways: (i) help growing companies professionalize their finance functions, (ii) stabilize distressed businesses, (iii) assist companies during transactions, such as IPOs and M&A, and (iv) address resource gaps. The discussion emphasizes the evolving role of CFOs, particularly in M&A, as drivers of growth, and the growing interest among mid-career and older CFOs in contract assignments. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Michael Wallace of TIMIA Capital joins Mario Nigro for an enlightening discussion of TIMIA's role as a lender to early-stage companies in the technology and software space. For many smaller businesses, firms like TIMIA are valuable sources of non-dilutive capital that can otherwise be difficult to find in the Canadian market. Michael and Mario discuss TIMIA's growth and prospects, with special attention to the things looked for when making lending decisions. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this episode, Mario Nigro welcomes Tom McCullough, Chairman and CEO of Northwood Family Office, which he co-founded in 2003. Tom discusses the evolution of family offices, emphasizing their vital role as “general contractors” providing integrated management of all aspects of clients’ financial affairs, including the important part they play in preparing next generation leaders. He also highlights the growing trend of family offices becoming direct, rather than passive, investors with substantial in-house expertise. The conversation provides valuable insight into the family office space and its future direction in Canada. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this episode, Mario Nigro interviews Curtis Colbary, President and CEO of Rebel Vac Systems. Curtis discusses his background in accounting and financial due diligence, and how it led him to the search fund space and eventually, through a tip from a friend, to Alberta-based Rebel Vac, a manufacturer of hydro excavation and industrial vacuum trucks. He describes the challenge of successful searching in a sector that was relatively new to the concept, as well as the ongoing value of his excellent rapport with the seller, who has become a key advisor as the business pursues its growth strategy. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
In this podcast, Lisa Hooey, CEO of Community Resources and Support Services (CRSS), shares her transition from a career in banking and operations to the very different world of search fund entrepreneurship. The desire to make a meaningful impact led Lisa to establish Freda Capital and eventually acquire CRSS, a company providing residential and support services for people with intellectual disabilities and complex needs. Lisa discusses her search process, which focused on human-centric businesses, and describes how she found CRSS and decided it was right for her. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket
Sid Nair, senior VP in EY Canada’s corporate finance group, joins Mario Nigro to explore the state of midmarket tech sector M&A in Canada. Sid has developed his EY team into one of the country’s leading advisors to founder-led tech businesses. He and Mario discuss how M&A in the tech space is rebounding from its post-pandemic lull, as buyers focus on quality assets with mission-critical software, significant intellectual property, and a history of customer retention. Sid notes that sellers in the tech space can be younger than in other areas, reflecting a culture of serial entrepreneurship. Thank you for tuning in to Views from the Market. 🔗 To stay connected and receive the latest updates, subscribe to our podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts 🔗 Follow Stikeman Elliott on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stikeman-elliott-llp 🔗 For more information and resources, visit: stikeman.com/viewsfromthemarket