Martinka Consulting's Getting the Deal Done Podcast

Hosted by John & Jessica Martinka

Business CareersInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

212

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Informative insights and conversations with owners, CEOs, M&A dealmakers, and other professionals on lessons learned, tips, current business conditions, and more.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 202625 min

How Big Wins Come From Small Losses with Haren Bhakta

Learn how business owners can apply lessons from successful companies to improve their own businesses. Haren shares his experience acquiring a company in Las Vegas, highlighting issues with leadership and suggesting ways to increase business value by reducing bureaucracy and incentivizing employees. He initially found the publicly traded micro-cap company in 2016 when it was down 99% from its high, and after launching a proxy contest in 2019, he successfully joined the board in 2019. The company faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic when the entire show business shut down, leading to bankruptcy by 2022, which he and his team then purchased out of bankruptcy.He identified several operational issues, including lack of website presence, poor management structure, and inadequate incentives for staff. Haren worked directly in one of their retail locations to understand the business better and implemented changes including cutting the CEO's salary and rewarding frontline staff. The pany was successfully sold to a show producer in 2023 after Haren's revival efforts.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

June 11, 202639 min

Current Events with Nick Anderson of OneAccord

A little different this time. Nick and I discuss and have some pointed discussions on:Washington State Economic PoliciesBusiness Environment ChallengesEnterprise Value Creation in Light of the New Tax PoliciesWhat All this Means to local philanthropyBoeing's Impact as the GrowWill People Actually Leave to Avoid WA TaxesJohn MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

June 2, 202630 min

Founder Mistakes - Instagram versus Reality with Entrepreneur Josh Resnikoff

Sunstone Health operates as a voluntary employee benefit for self-funded employers, providing a white-glove service to help families with neurodivergent children or missing milestones navigate the healthcare system more efficiently, reducing the typical 7-year journey to 12 weeks.Josh discussed the importance of building a company centered around delivering something meaningful, rather than just seeking profit. He emphasizes the need to attract passionate people who are excited about the mission, sharing examples from his previous companies including one focused on reducing plastic waste. Josh explains that finding the right people often requires trial and error and being willing to let go of those who don't align with the company's goals.We discuss the importance of networking in building successful businesses, explaining how personal connections can significantly reduce the effort required to vet potential partners or employees. He emphasizes the common misconception among founders about the "Instagram versus reality" of entrepreneurship, noting that many aspiring entrepreneurs unrealistic expectations about quick success and large exits, when most successful entrepreneurs are typically in their 40s and have built on previous experiences. One important topic discussed was the challenges of delegating responsibilities to high-performing team members as a founder, emphasizing the importance of learning to share credit and allowing others to grow. He highlights the need for founders to develop resilience and grit, as well as the ability to find and empower talented individuals who can contribute to the company's success. He also stresses the importance of understanding what motivates different team members, whether through equity or other incentives, and adapting management strategies accordingly.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

May 26, 202631 min

Successful Business Transitions with Mark Coleman

Mark discusses his background in management consulting and publishing, which ed to the creation of Convergence Mitigation Management (CMM) in 2010-2012. He explains how CMM facilitates peer-to-peer engagement between public and private sector leaders to address challenging issues, including environmental liabilities and technology innovation. This conversation ends with John introducing a topic about the transition of business value from baby boomers to the next generation.Mark then discusses the ongoing generational shift in wealth and business ownership, noting that while the impact of the "silver tsunami" hasn't fully materialized yet due to postponed retirements and COVID-era challenges, a significant transition is expected over the next decade. He highlights challenges in succession planning for family-owned businesses, where younger generations often lack interest in continuing the family business. Mark identifies an opportunity for business owners to preserve their legacy by transitioning to new owners, particularly noting that acquiring small to medium-sized businesses remains one of the best pathways into the business sector.John and Mark discuss the increased interest in buying businesses, noting that while more potential buyers exist now than in the past, many never follow through with purchases. They highlight the importance for business owners to carefully select qualified buyers who possess the necessary financial resources, management skills, and alignment with the business's values and legacy. Mark shares a specific example of a manufacturing company that successfully balanced profitability with sustainability, only to face challenges during a business transition, underscoring the complexities involved in selling a legacy business.They finish by discussing the challenges in private equity transactions, particularly the difficulty of selling businesses that have been cut to the bone. They note that while private equity focuses on EBITDA and short-term profitability, this approach can create a bubble that eventually collapses. Mark emphasizes the importance of maintaining the innovative DNA of enterprises beyond just financial metrics. John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

May 18, 202630 min

Increase Your Company's Value by Stepping Back with Garren Hilow

This is one of my favorites because Garren talks common sense.Garren shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with a background in business and biotech sales before co-founding a company with a PhD partner. He describes growing the business from initial funding to eventually selling it for $190 million in 2021, after which he began coaching other entrepreneurs. He notes that many entrepreneurs make similar mistakes, particularly those who grew up with limited financial resources.Garren discusses his journey of transitioning from running the business himself to hiring a CEO, ultimately recruiting Tracy Mullen as COO and later CEO. He explains this decision significantly increased the business's value and attracted more customers and talent. He also shared his personal challenge of overcoming the ego associated with being a CEO, which led him to step down from the role while remaining involved in managing sales.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

May 11, 202629 min

Lessons From Living Abroad with David Schnurman

David Schnurman got the entrepreneurial bug at a young age and is now the owner of Lawline, which provides online legal continuing education with about 2,000 courses and 500 hours of new content annually.David shares lessons on:Overcoming the imposter syndromeLearning to say "yes"Taking 100% responsibilityTaking risks and making decisionsWrapping up, he talks about creating his company's culture that prioritizes core values, collaboration, and work-life balance.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

May 5, 202625 min

Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision with Sam Goodner

Sam shares his background growing companies over 30 years and explained how founders often hit a "ceiling" around 10-15 employees and $3 million in revenue due to owner dependency. He outlines his formula for operational scalability: clarity plus repeatability plus time, emphasizing the need to codify best practices in written playbooks before scaling. He also discusses M&A lessons learned from selling two businesses and acquiring ten, including the importance of knowing your exit number, using professional help like investment bankers, and considering deal structure beyond just valuation. We cover how to build true organizations that can operate beyond founder dependency and the critical need for clarity in business direction across executive teams.Sam is the author of Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision and it is 30 chapters, each a lesson he learned in the Swiss Army and how they apply to business. You can reach Sam at www.samgoodner.com. John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

April 27, 202634 min

Acquisition Lessons Learned and Investments Made with Kris Schumacher

After 20+ years in corporate life, he purchased a manufacturing company in Massachusetts that fabricates outdoor structures, garden trellises, and pergolas. Kris explained that he serves as CEO while his brother, who lives locally, serves as president and handles day-to-day operations. The discussion focuses on business restructuring and systematization.Kris discussed the challenges of taking over a business from its previous owner, who was primarily an artist without systematic processes. He implemented new systems, including a CRM system, order tracking, and inventory management, as well as upgrading time cards to an automated system, which significantly reduced weekly workload. The most difficult aspect of the transition was change management, particularly getting the team to fully utilize the new systems and track custom project details in the ERP system.Kris uses these lessons, especially about being undercapitalized, with his business acquisition program that serves underserved people who desire business ownership. He leads and investment and coaching operation to help these people.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

April 20, 202641 min

Business Acquisition Loans Annual Update with Lisa Forrest of Northwest Bank

Lisa Forrest is a regular guest on our show because she's one of the best and most knowledgeable business acquisition lenders.The SBA keeps changing the rules so we keep discussing acquisition loans.One big change in 2026 is that once a borrower or minority investor (even at 1%) is part of a bad SBA loan the are banned from anymore SBA loans for life. Believe me, investors have added another level of caution to their process.Another fascinating discussion with Lisa.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903

April 14, 202626 min

AI and Workplace Automation with Peter Swimm

Peter Swimm, founder of ToilVille, discusses workplace automation and AI implementation strategies for small businesses. He emphasizes that successful AI adoption requires human oversight and proper measurement of outcomes, rather than treating AI as autonomous agents. Peter shares examples from various industries, including contact centers and advisory services, demonstrating how AI can streamline operations while maintaining human touch points. He stresses the importance of understanding workflow patterns and measuring work to ensure AI implementations provide actual value rather than creating new problems. He also highlights the need to consider both direct and indirect costs of AI adoption, and emphasized that AI should augment human capabilities rather than replace them.John MartinkaJessica MartinkaContact us via either website or give us a call and be sure to check out our videoshttps://nokomisadvisory.com/https://www.martinkaconsulting.com/https://www.gddpodcast.buzzsprout.comhttps://www.youtube.com/c/JohnAMartinka/videos 425-515-4903