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Artwork for The Deal Factory

The Deal Factory

Jeff Harkness
Private Equity
Mergers and Acquisitions
Artificial Intelligence
Employment Law
Technology In Landscaping
Talent Acquisition
APHIX Grounds Maintenance
Yardnique
North Georgia Landscape Management
Due Diligence
Integration
Navigator Concept
Aspire
Advisor Consulting
Landscape Industry
Lean
Labor
Employee Ownership
Culture Fit
Compensation

The Deal Factory, powered by 3PG Advisors, brings practical insights from the front lines of mergers & acquisitions, scaling, and exit strategies in the skilled trades and service industries. Hosted by Jeff Harkness, each episode cuts through the jargon and translates complex deal-making into real-world lessons for business owners. With 30 years of experience helping companies create transformatio... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes19Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

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Artwork for The Deal Factory

Latest Episodes

Most entrepreneurs dream about building a business that lasts. Few ever build one capable of attracting multiple private equity partners, completing more than 20 acquisitions, and creating life-changing wealth for employees.

In this episode of The D... more

What does it really take to build a category-leading company?

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with Brian Dumont, Founder & CEO of YARDNIQUE, one of the fastest-growing commercial landscape companies in the Southeast.

Br... more

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In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with executive recruiter and talent advisor Rachel VanderPol to discuss what really drives employee retention, leadership, recruiting, and company growth. Rachel shares lessons from years o... more

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A lot of business owners think private equity means losing control, sacrificing culture, and putting profits ahead of people. What if the exact opposite could be true?

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with Chester Buczyns... more

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Most people think the hard part of a deal is getting to the closing table.

It’s not.

The real challenge begins the moment the paperwork is signed.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with 3PG Advisors’ Ed Bates for a deep ... more

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A prospect gets a referral, checks you out online, and quietly moves on. No call. No second chance. No explanation. Just… gone.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff Harkness sits down with Chad Diller, CEO of Landscape Leadership, to unpack wha... more

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Everyone’s obsessed with revenue growth… but what if the real money is hiding in your operations?

In this episode, Jeff sits down with industry veterans Ken Thomas and Ben Gandy to break down what actually drives value in service and trades business... more

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Most founders wait too long to prepare for a sale. By the time they start thinking seriously about it, value has already leaked, risk has already built up, and the deal gets harder than it should have been.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff ... more

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Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jerry Shill
Founder and CEO of Schill Landscape Collective
Schill Landscape Collective
Episode: How Serious Operators Build Value After Partnering with Private Equity
Brian Dumont
Founder and CEO of Yardnique
Yardnique
Episode: Building a $220M Landscaping Business with Private Equity
Rachel VanderPol
Talent advisor, coach, executive headhunter
3PG Advisors
Episode: The Talent Advantage: Why Some Companies Keep Winning
Chester Buczynski
Co-lead of YardMaster Big Lakes platform
YardMaster Big Lakes
Episode: The YardMaster Landscape & Big Lakes Lawncare Merger Story: Why We Chose A Private Equity Partner
Mike Montenaro
CEO/leader with background in landscape services
YardMaster Big Lakes
Episode: The YardMaster Landscape & Big Lakes Lawncare Merger Story: Why We Chose A Private Equity Partner
Ed Bates
Hall of Fame landscape industry leader, VP of Business Development at 3PG Advisors
3PG Advisors
Episode: The Deal Isn’t Done at Closing | Real Talk with Ed Bates
Chad Diller
CEO of Landscape Leadership
Landscape Leadership
Episode: Don’t make these Contractor marketing mistakes
Ben Gandy
Co-founder of Advisor Consulting, landscape industry veteran
Advisor Consulting
Episode: Why Most Service Businesses Are Leaving MILLIONS on the Table
Ken Thomas
Co-founder of Advisor Consulting, landscape industry veteran
Advisor Consulting
Episode: Why Most Service Businesses Are Leaving MILLIONS on the Table

Host

Jeff Harkness
Host of The Deal Factory, facilitating conversations on mergers & acquisitions, scaling, and exit strategies in skilled trades and service industries.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Serious Operators Build Value After Partnering with Private Equity
Q: What were the early deals like and what did you learn from them?
The early acquisitions were challenging and learning-intensive; we had to dive into every detail across the tech, finance, and operations to understand how to integrate and scale, which set us up for repeatable processes and a scalable model.
What Kills Deals (and How to Fix It)
Q: How should an owner approach accruals and working capital to avoid post-close surprises?
Owners should establish robust accrual practices for payroll, bonuses, PTO, and other liabilities, ensure accurate capitalization of fixed assets, and align working capital with a realistic forecast that accounts for the post-close cash needs; this reduces retrades and improves closing certainty.
What Kills Deals (and How to Fix It)
Q: What is the navigator concept and how does it help an entrepreneur progress from LOI to close?
Gloria describes a navigator as a quarterback who guides the owner through heavy due diligence, organizes data requests, coordinates cross-functional teams, and translates investor expectations into actionable steps to keep the deal moving toward closing.
What Kills Deals (and How to Fix It)
Q: Why is the balance sheet so critical in a deal, and what common pitfalls should entrepreneurs fix before engaging buyers or investors?
The guest stresses that balance sheets bridge cash and profitability, and common pitfalls include missing accruals, inconsistent fixed asset records, and not properly recognizing liabilities like PTO or bonuses, all of which distort EBITDA and working capital calculations.
What Kills Deals (and How to Fix It)
Q: What are the core differences between accounting and finance in the context of preparing a business for sale?
The host explains that accounting focuses on historical accuracy and GAAP-compliant statements, while finance emphasizes forward-looking planning, forecasting, and analysts' ability to provide actionable insights for decision-making and valuations during a deal.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Deal Factory

What is The Deal Factory about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Practical, deal-focused insights for owners and operators in skilled trades and service industries. Episodes center on mergers and acquisitions, private equity partnerships, post-close integration, leadership and culture, and scalable growth strategies. Guests range from founders and operators to legal and advisory professionals, all sharing real-world playbooks for buying, selling, integrating, and financing growth. A notable throughline is balancing financial outcomes with people-centric execution—using structured integration, transparent governance, and technology to drive value beyond EBITDA. The show often highlights how to navigate diligence, secure favorable sponsorships or partnerships, and build lasting platforms that reward employ... more

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How many listeners does The Deal Factory get?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Deal Factory?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Deal Factory:

1. The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
2. Trades Talk Podcast
3. The Ultimate Landscape CEO - Jeffrey Scott
4. THE ED MYLETT SHOW
5. The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

How many episodes of The Deal Factory are there?

The Deal Factory launched 9 months ago and published 19 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Deal Factory?

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What guests have appeared on The Deal Factory?

Recent guests on The Deal Factory include:

1. Jerry Shill
2. Brian Dumont
3. Rachel VanderPol
4. Chester Buczynski
5. Mike Montenaro
6. Ed Bates
7. Chad Diller
8. Ben Gandy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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