Next Venture Alliance Show

The Next Venture Alliance Show is where experienced business owners, investors, and trusted advisors come together to share real-world insights on building, growing, acquiring, and exiting businesses.Each episode features candid conversations with entrepreneurs, M&A professionals, and industry experts exploring what actually drives successful ventures, from preparing for liquidity events and navigating acquisitions to designing life after the deal.You will learn practical experience, hard-earned lessons, and strategic perspectives from those thinking beyond today’s business and toward what comes next.

Next Venture Alliance Show is a business podcast hosted by Oliver Kotelnikov, with 14 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Oliver Kotelnikov hosts Next Venture Alliance Show, a business show with 14 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #14

  SBA Loans, Seller Notes, and Creative Financing, with Carrie Callaway Cardy

  Aug 6, 20261h 52mS1

  What if the obstacle to closing more deals isn’t just about the numbers, but about asking deeper questions and building the right relationships? Are you relying on habit and surface-level expertise, or proactively cultivating the insight, resilience, and creativity needed to guide clients through complexity? Deal flow isn’t only about cash and checklists. The true differentiator for business brokers and advisors is combining hands-on knowledge with a willingness to ask tough, sometimes uncomfortable questions before they become deal-breakers. Success requires seeing the whole picture, not just the transaction. In this episode, Oliver speaks with Carrie Callaway Cardy, VP and Senior SBA Relationship Manager at KeyBank. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in financing, deal structure, and entrepreneurial education, Carrie discusses the realities of SBA lending, recent regulatory shifts, early advisor involvement, buyer fit, seller financials, and the clarity and preparation that can determine whether a deal succeeds or fails. Subscribe for more real-world strategies to help you move beyond closing transactions and become the trusted advisor your clients, and your pipeline need. Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-callaway-cardy/ Email: carrie_callaway_cardy@keybank.com Website: https://www.key.com/personal/index.html Connect with Oliver: Email: oliver@ibainc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkotelnikov YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextVentureAlliance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextventurealliance Chapters (00:00:00) - The Next Venture: How to Build a Business (00:00:37) - Next Venture Alliance: Carrie Calloway Carty (00:02:51) - SBA Lending Wizard: Generational Wealth (00:05:40) - SBA Lending: A Rubik's Cube World (00:07:46) - SBA vs FHA: What's The Difference? (00:11:00) - SBA and Bank Lending: What's The Connection? (00:13:43) - SBA vs Key Bank: Explained (00:15:31) - SBA Financial Products for Business and Acquisition (00:19:23) - Buying a Business for the First Time (00:25:41) - What else is an acquisition worth? (00:26:13) - Quantum Banking: Experience is important in a business buy (00:27:21) - The 3 Things to Consider When Shopping for a Business Loan (00:32:19) - Real Estate Underwriting: Experience and the Need for Success (00:34:28) - Does Experience Matter in Becoming an Estimator? (00:38:50) - 3 Reasons Why 10% Down Is the Right Down Payment (00:43:27) - Steve Ballentine: Startup Business (00:49:15) - Do You Need 0 Down on an Acquisition? (00:53:16) - Max Lending: Debt Service Coverage Ratio and Cash Flow (00:59:19) - Does Seller Carry Make a Deal More Money? (01:06:16) - Does Standby Affect SBA Loans? (01:07:49) - Do SBA Standby Notes Go Away? (01:10:25) - SBA Loan Origination: Changes in the SOP (01:14:35) - Seniors: The Personal Guarantee (01:16:07) - SBA 7A Loan: Positive or Negative? (01:17:18) - One More Change for 7A Businesses (01:21:55) - Why Do Good Deals Fall Off the Rails? (01:26:20) - How Do You Work With Brokers and Producers? (01:32:14) - 3 Things Every Seller Needs to Know Before Putting Up His Property (01:36:42) - Do you have a prediction for interest rates last 12 to 18 months (01:38:30) - Buying a Business: Best Sources of Advice (01:43:34) - Working Less This Year (01:48:14) - England vs Croatia (01:51:43) - Next Venture Alliance: Exploring the Future

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  Episode #13

  Exiting a Family Business and Finding New Purpose, with Carol Anne Lee

  Jul 23, 20261h 37mS1

  What if the greatest value in selling your business isn’t the financial windfall, but the relationships you’ve built along the way? Are you truly preparing clients—and yourself—for the emotional and practical reality of life after a sale, or just focusing on the deal itself? This episode reminds us that the end of a transaction is only the beginning of a new chapter—for both advisors and owners. The real transformation comes not just from financial freedom, but from confronting one’s identity, finding fresh purpose, and reconnecting with what matters most. It’s a challenge to shift our perspective from merely engineering the exit to stewarding the entire journey, including the uncertain—and exciting—"what’s next?" Joining Oliver Kotelnikov is Carol Ann Lee, a former catering business owner who sold her company and navigated the emotional, logistical, and personal complexities that followed. Together, they unpack the often-overlooked side of succession: balancing the planner and the visionary, surviving the literal and figurative bruises of entrepreneurship, and learning that reinvention doesn’t end with a successful deal. You’ll get fresh insight into aligning a business for sale, stewarding client relationships through change, and redefining fulfillment after the paperwork is signed. Share this episode with another advisor who’s ready to become more than a dealmaker—someone committed to guiding clients and themselves into a richer, more authentic “next chapter.” Connect with Carol Anne: Email: Carolannelee99@gmail.com Connect with Oliver: Email: oliver@ibainc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkotelnikov YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextVentureAlliance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextventurealliance Chapters (00:00:00) - The Next Venture: Oliver Kotelnikov (00:00:31) - Venture Alliance (00:02:29) - A Long Journey Back to Business (00:02:51) - Married Hospitality Employees Start a Business (00:10:43) - Private Events Catering Started as a Side Business for His Personal Chef (00:17:17) - How I Learned to Run a Business Without My Partner (00:25:39) - A small business owner's funny full circle moment (00:27:48) - Are Entrepreneurs More Risk-Averse? (00:28:55) - Disrupting the Cycle: Working on a Commissary Kitchen (00:36:19) - The Decision to Sell My Business (00:43:32) - How I Learned to Sell My Business (00:47:03) - How To Sell a Business in 4 Months (00:51:18) - Retiring with a Business in the Background (00:55:54) - Dan and Dane on Their First Father-Son Trip (00:59:57) - Selling Your Caterer Business (01:03:16) - How I Poached My Girlfriend From My Company (01:08:11) - In the Elevator With a Fortune (01:10:03) - Post-Business Owners: What Challenges Are There? (01:16:02) - Tom Clancy on Chasing His Own Path (01:19:32) - What organizations are you considering joining to help your business? (01:23:31) - Dane on His Podcasts (01:27:45) - Friendships in an AI World (01:33:25) - Venture Alliance: Keeping the Business Connected

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  Episode #12

  Why Selling Your Business Starts Years Before You List It, with Christopher Thom

  Jul 9, 20262h 10mS1

  Selling a business isn't just about finding a buyer. It's about preparing years in advance so that when the opportunity comes, both the business and the owner are ready. In this episode, Oliver Kotelnikov sits down with Christopher Thom, CPA and Founder of Evergreen Accounting, to explore the financial side of business ownership transitions. Christopher shares how proactive tax planning, clean financial reporting, and early collaboration between advisors can significantly improve the outcome of a business sale. Together, they discuss the role of accountants in mergers and acquisitions, explain complex concepts such as purchase price allocation, working capital, Quality of Earnings reports, and GAAP accounting in practical terms, and examine how owner dependence can affect business value. Whether you're planning an exit in the near future or want to build a stronger business, this conversation offers practical guidance that can help you preserve more value and avoid costly surprises. Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thom-4b504626/ Email: chris@ever-greenaccounting.com Website: https://www.ever-greenaccounting.com/ Connect with Oliver: Email: oliver@ibainc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkotelnikov YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextVentureAlliance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextventurealliance Chapters (00:00:00) - Next Venture Alliance: The Podcast (00:01:02) - Christopher Tom (00:03:00) - Why CPA Steven Evergreen Started Evergreen Accounting (00:08:22) - The Process of Selling a Business (00:13:03) - What is the Role of an Accountant or CPA in a (00:16:21) - What are some of the things that a seller may not be thinking (00:22:19) - When's a good time to talk to your CPA about succession (00:26:08) - Private Client: No Tax Adjustment for Owners (00:27:50) - Tax Allocation in Business Accounting (00:30:28) - Is Selling Inventory Tax Advantage vs. Buying Goodwill? (00:34:17) - Importance of Tax Allocation in Deals (00:38:00) - Stock vs Asset Sale: What's The Difference? (00:42:00) - Capital Gains and Depreciation (00:45:25) - Working Capital in a Deal (00:56:15) - Asset and Liability under a Property Transfer (00:58:05) - Working Capital Peg (00:59:09) - Should Working Capital Be Included in a Sale (01:03:32) - Cash vs Accrual (01:09:49) - What is GAAP Accounting and when does it really enter the equation (01:11:57) - GAAP vs. Cash Gap Accounting (01:15:28) - Quality of Earnings Report (01:21:31) - Real Estate Multiple (01:26:14) - Ownership Dependency (01:29:17) - Progressive: Owner Dependence on the Business (01:32:58) - Multiple Analysis of a Business Sale (01:41:36) - When Should You Sell Your Business? (01:44:24) - Should I recommend a financial advisor for the sale of my business? (01:51:53) - Why Do Deals Go Off-Riding? (01:54:54) - How important is having the right evaluation for a business from the start (01:55:38) - 7 Things Every Business Owner Should Do to Prepare for Their Exit (02:00:05) - What Do Clients Need to Know About Evergreen Accounting? (02:06:46) - Should I Move? (My First Podcast) (02:09:07) - Next Venture Alliance: Exploring Your Next Venture

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  Next Venture Alliance Show

  Growth Strategies for Small Business Owners, with Dayo Oyetuga

  Apr 30, 20262h 7m

  What if your path to business ownership was less about finding the “perfect” opportunity and more about cultivating clarity and readiness from the inside out? Are you helping your clients build resilient, sustainable enterprises, or just reacting to their immediate wish lists and blind spots? Too many advisors and brokers get caught solving surface-level problems, overlooking the underlying systems, preparation, and mindset shifts that actually drive long-term success. As this episode reveals, transformative progress happens when you challenge ambitious owners to plan beyond their current horizon, systematize their operations, and prepare their businesses (and themselves) for the capital, scale, and transitions they dream of. In this episode, Dayo Oyetuga, Certified Business Advisor at the Washington SBDC, brings experience in both entrepreneurship and large-scale organizational transformation. He shares eye-opening lessons on preparing businesses for growth, demystifying capital readiness, leveraging technology, and mastering the unglamorous—but essential—routines of strategic planning and honest self-assessment. From helping business owners avoid the “lost opportunity” trap to equipping first-time buyers with the right questions and accountability, Dayo Oyetuga offers practical strategies and real-world stories for anyone looking to move from reactive to deliberate, from overwhelmed to empowered. Subscribe for more insights on building your deal flow, elevating your advisory skills, and leading your clients toward lasting, meaningful success. Guest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-kovsky-460aab7/ Email: gregory@ibainc.com Website: https://ibainc.com/ Connect with Oliver: Email: oliver@ibainc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkotelnikov YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextVentureAlliance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextventurealliance Chapters (00:00:00) - The Next Venture (00:00:34) - Next Venture Alliance Show (00:02:05) - What led to your current role at SBDC? (00:07:19) - Does Business Planning Help Entrepreneurs Grow? (00:10:12) - What Does a Plan Look Like for Your Business? (00:16:18) - Does SBDC provide business advisory services? (00:24:39) - Clear Clarity on Your SBA Loan (00:25:08) - 4 tips for business owners on the loan application process (00:31:20) - How to Get More Out of a SBDC Advisor? (00:38:27) - An Owner's Role in a Sale (00:44:23) - In the Elevator With First Time Buyers (00:46:01) - What's the most useful kind of carryover skill from the corporate (00:53:31) - Should I Acquire a Successful Business? (00:59:05) - How Much Money Do You Want to Make As a Business Owner? (01:04:27) - The Right Questions for Advisors (01:05:35) - Balance: Research vs. Action (01:10:55) - The Transition to a Chief Executive Officer (01:15:23) - Does Money Change Your Mind? (01:17:45) - How to grow a specialty garden business under your umbrella (01:24:59) - Will AI Replace Your Business Tools? (01:29:43) - What Kind of Business Advisory Services Should Business Owners Have? (01:31:46) - Will the SBDC help you with legal and accounting issues? (01:36:06) - Top Sources of Information for Business Owners (01:42:39) - 6 tips for becoming a better business owner (01:45:21) - 71 and Change: Bringing All As One (01:51:03) - On The Acquisition (01:52:13) - Dreams of Playing in the NFL (01:56:37) - Dreaming of playing for the Finnish national team (02:00:49) - Seattle Seahawks player on the World Cup (02:04:13) - The Next Venture: Small Business Development

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  Episode #11

  Growth Strategies for Small Business Owners, with Dayo Oyetuga

  Apr 30, 20262h 7mS1

  <p>What if your path to business ownership was less about finding the “perfect” opportunity and more about cultivating clarity and readiness from the inside out? Are you helping your clients build resilient, sustainable enterprises, or just reacting to their immediate wish lists and blind spots?</p> <p>Too many advisors and brokers get caught solving surface-level problems, overlooking the underlying systems, preparation, and mindset shifts that actually drive long-term success. As this episode reveals, transformative progress happens when you challenge ambitious owners to plan beyond their current horizon, systematize their operations, and prepare their businesses (and themselves) for the capi...

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