blood sucking vampire squids

"Blood-sucking vampire squid" was the phrase used to describe Goldman Sachs (an investment bank) in the aftermath of 2009.

Now that I work in M&A, I find myself in the same pool as these squids—but something feels different.

When I was in school, I saw the world of mergers & acquisitions (M&A) as ruthlessly cutthroat in the pursuit of money. I heard tales of endless hours, flashy dealmaking, and eye-watering bonuses.

So when I stumbled into M&A and joined Chinook Business Advisory with Keith MacKenzie and Mike Lenz, I was surprised by what I found.

They weren't the super-serious, emotionally stunted, French-cuff-wearing banking robots I'd encountered before.

These guys were kind and thoughtful, and—get this—they had fun while working (crazy, right?).

Looking at their complexions, Keith and Mike seemed more like victims of vampire squids than being ones themselves.

Let me share some examples:

• Keith MacKenzie, who gave me two raises before my first day of work (because he felt his original offers weren't enough).

• Mike Lenz, who installed a bead door in our new office, has more philosophy books than business books lining his shelves, and is always ready to lend an ear.

• And finally, Ramon, our latest partner, who might be the most community-focused person I've ever met. He serves on what feels like 82 boards and is even a volunteer firefighter for his local community.

Breaking the mold of finance bros, these three gentlemen taught me that helping business owners sell their business is a life-changing event, not just a payday. Let me share three key lessons I've learned from them that can benefit your business:

1. Why so serious? While this is a disturbing scene in the Batman movie, I agree with the Joker on this one. Our work is important, but you can have fun too. And no, not the "pizza party in the boardroom" kind of fun—real enjoyment during your day (it helps if you love what you do). We spend most of our waking hours working—why be miserable?

2. Long-term greed: This philosophy suggests that by helping people, the favor tends to return in the future. It means helping business owners in tough spots (with free advice), putting clients first, and giving back to our local community.

3. Energy matters: The ages of the partners here at Chinook span over four decades, but you'd never guess it. Since joining, we've launched 4 businesses and expanded from a team of 3 to a team of 12. Age isn't an excuse for not bringing passion and enjoyment into your life.

So while I might not be rubbing shoulders with the squids of New York, I wouldn't trade it for building a firm with virtues I can proudly stand behind.

Thinking about selling your business? Schedule a confidential call with me here.

idea of the week

• problem: People struggle to maintain consistent workout routines due to lack of accountability and community support

• idea: A gamified fitness app that pairs users with accountability partners who share similar fitness goals and schedules. User has to share ‘proof’ to their accountability partner, otherwise their credit card is automatically charge an agreed upon amount (and sent to the partner).

• how it makes money: App is free but takes a % fee on each transaction. App also offers mutual challenges where the app takes all the money from both partners if they fail (example: each partner needs to hit 5 workouts in a row or they lose $20/each).

• why it might fail: people will eventually ‘graduate’ off the app because they get into a routine. This is good for health, bad for business.

workout of the week

Three different workouts to challenge yourself this weekend:

at-home workout:

Complete 5 rounds:

• 25 bodyweight squats

• 15 diamond push-ups

• 20 leg raises

• 30-second hollow hold

Rest 90 seconds between rounds

gym workout:

• 5x5 overhead press

• 4x10 Bulgarian split squats

• 3x12 cable rows

• Finisher: 50-40-30-20-10 box jumps

outdoor workout:

Complete 4 rounds:

• Sprint 100m

• 20 air squats

• 10 burpees

• Farmers walk 50m

Rest 2 minutes between rounds

tweet of the week

Here’s a list of podcasts to listen to this weekend:

my plugs

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