On this episode of The M&A Mastermind Podcast, host Nick Olsen welcomes John Langston, Founder and CEO of Republic Capital Group, a boutique investment bank focused exclusively on the wealth and asset management industry. John’s firm was named Boutique Investment Banking Firm of the Year and M&A Deal of the Year by The M&A Advisor, and his new book, 24% More, unpacks the data behind why the right advisor can meaningfully increase what a business owner walks away with. John shares real deal stories, the biggest mistakes owners make with their financials, and why a positive attitude might be an advisor’s most underrated tool.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why Republic Capital Group bet everything on a single industry niche instead of building a generalist shop
- The research behind why the average investment banker increases a deal’s price by 25.3%
- A real negotiation story about prioritizing the right issues at the right time to protect a $116 million offer
- Why “imprinting” your financials before a buyer sees them can shape the entire negotiation
- The most common buyer types and missteps in wealth and asset management M&A
- Inside the firm’s most complex deal: structuring a 50-plus partner CPA firm transaction
- Why persistence — even after 80 passed-on buyers — can still lead to a great outcome
- What inspired John to write 24% More, and who the book is really for
About the Guest:
John Langston, CAIA, is the Founder and CEO of Republic Capital Group, a boutique investment bank serving the RIA, wealth management, and asset management industries. Since founding the firm in 2015, John has advised on billions of dollars in transactions, including the largest-ever acquisition of a CPA firm by a wealth management firm. Republic Capital Group was named Boutique Investment Banking Firm of the Year and won M&A Deal of the Year at The M&A Advisor’s 2023 awards. John is also the author of 24% More: The Advice & Advisor Every Company Owner Needs, and co-founded the Langston Wealth Management Center at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business. Learn more at republiccg.com or connect with John on LinkedIn.
About the Show:
The M&A Mastermind Podcast provides actionable insights and effective strategies tailored for dealmakers in the lower middle market. Hosted by Nick Olsen, the show features conversations with leading industry experts who share valuable knowledge on topics such as industry intelligence, deal management, collaborative successes, and specialized expertise. Listeners who support small to medium-sized business owners will find practical tactics and advice they can immediately apply to advance their mastery in mergers and acquisitions.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it helps more lower middle market dealmakers find the show.
Tune in Every Week:
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- Website: https://cornerstoneia.com/podcast/
Resources & Links:
- Republic Capital Group: https://republiccg.com
- 24% More by John Langston: https://www.john-langston.com/book/john-langston
- John Langston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-langston
- Nick Olsen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-olsen2328/
- Cornerstone International Alliance: https://cornerstoneia.com/
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