Advertise on podcast: Middle Market Growth Conversations

Asset-based finance (ABF) is a rapidly growing niche of the highly scrutinized private credit space, with some analysis projecting a 10.2% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2035. Alex Knowland and Brenden Gallinek are building out ABF business at WhiteHorse Capital, and they join the podcast to share their outlook for ABF, digest some recent fraud headlines from the space, and discuss how ABF best works for the middle market and how to strategically deploy it. This episode is brought to you by WhiteHorse Capital. To learn more about WhiteHorse, visit WhiteHorse.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

As AI drives an unprecedented wave of data center construction, where can middle-market investors find a foothold? Brian Thom and Ryan Gillis of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company join the podcast to explore the M&A opportunities emerging beyond the headline-grabbing megaprojects, share where deal activity is accelerating, discuss the challenges facing AI infrastructure development, and more. This episode is brought to you by Grata. Learn more at grata.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

For a founder or entrepreneur, choosing whether or not to opt for outside capital is an important inflection point. Joe Camberato of National Business Capital sits down to talk about the misconceptions many founders hold about capital, how they can prepare for a first-time capital infusion, and how to best utilize that money when they get it. This episode is brought to you by National Business Capital. Learn more at nationalbusinesscapital.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Rising geopolitical conflict and projected record defense spending signal a potential wave of middle-market deals for companies in the aerospace and defense sector. Merit Investment Bank’s Chris Abato and Leonid Capital Partners’ James Parker join the podcast to discuss trends in defense sector dealmaking, the health of the A&D supply chain, and what considerations dealmakers should keep in mind as they scour the sector for targets. This episode is brought to you by Grata. Learn more at grata.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Grata was acquired last year, but the firm still gets emails from investors wanting to participate in its Series A funding round. It could be the result of business development professionals relying on AI to source deals without addressing the technology's blind spots, says General Manager Nevin Raj. He shares how to mitigate the shortcomings of LLMs and scale AI agents in deal sourcing through better data, improved prompting, MCPs, and more. This episode is brought to you by Grata. Learn more at grata.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

The human resources function can struggle to keep pace with a scaling business, so how can teams implement an HR strategy that enables growth rather than hampering it? In part one of a two-part series, Insperity’s Chris Sloan and Mike Iapalucci join the podcast to talk about the HR solutions that support portfolio companies in the era of AI disruption, longer hold periods, and challenging post-merger integrations. This episode is brought to you by Insperity. For more information, visit Insperity.com/ACG. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Young professionals—and M&A professionals of all seasons—are told time and time again that M&A is all about who you know, but actually making meaningful connections that lead to real deals takes more than showing up and handing out business cards. J. Michael Fischer Jr., managing director at DBD Investment Bank and vice president of ACG New Jersey, joins the podcast to share how he builds and utilizes his network, how he works with founders to gain their trust, and how he gets the most ROI out of ACG. This episode is brought to you by SRS Acquiom. Learn more at srsacquiom.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

As small businesses grow into the middle market, their infrastructure, people, and capital needs can change rapidly. Joe Camberato, founder and CEO of National Business Capital, is back with the podcast to delve into what small businesses need to successfully scale in 2026 and the role creativity plays in a calibrated capital stack. This episode is brought to you by National Business Capital. Learn more at nationalbusinesscapital.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In today’s private credit markets, success is defined by resilience and discipline. As a higher-for-longer rate environment reshapes the lower middle market, new challenges are creating fresh opportunities for those who stay the course. Chris Hendrix of TPG Twin Brook joins the podcast to debunk myths about why there may be more inherent risk in the lower middle market and share the team’s approach to sponsor flexibility and risk management. This episode is brought to you by TPG Twin Brook Capital Partners, a leading direct lending finance company focused on providing cash-flow based financing solutions for the middle-market private equity community. To learn more about TPG Twin Brook, visit www.twincp.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Subordinated debt can play an important role in the capital stack for businesses growing into the middle market—if used under the right circumstances. Joe Camberato, founder and CEO of National Business Capital, shares how he’s seeing small and midsized businesses use sub debt not as a lifeline for cash, but as fuel for expansion and exit-readiness. This episode is brought to you by National Business Capital. Learn more at nationalbusinesscapital.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Upskilling is an important component to a human capital management strategy, but isn't enough to fill today’s AI talent gap. Daniel Pianko, cofounder and managing director at private equity firm Achieve Partners, offers a look into the firm’s apprenticeship program that begins filling that gap for porticos at the very top of the talent acquisition funnel—with demonstrable impact on EBITDA growth. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The middle market continues to face an uncertain and challenging environment, but new data from KeyBank’s Middle Market Snapshot survey reveals something surprising about midmarket borrowers’ use of private capital: It’s become an important lever for strategic growth, not just survival. KeyBank’s Chris Picardi joins the podcast in a conversation about more of the survey’s findings and considers how lenders can position themselves as partners that tailor the capital stack to businesses’ unique needs. This episode is brought to you by KeyBank. Learn more at key.com. All credit, loan, and leasing products are subject to collateral and/or credit approval terms, conditions, and availability and subject to change. This is for general information purposes only and does not consider the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any individual person or entity. Information included was prepared based on survey respondents’ answers, information from business leaders considered to be reliable, and an express disclaimer of warranty, express or implied, as to such information’s accuracy or completeness. KeyBank does not provide legal advice. 260608-4572578 The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Firms that can respond swiftly to a complicated and rapidly shifting investment environment have a competitive advantage. Creating that agility requires the right human capital strategy, a component that is often overlooked, says Insperity Private Capital Consultant Brad Burke. He joins the podcast to offer tips on enhancing operational agility through people pre- and post-close, how AI plays into the equation, and more. This episode is brought to you by Insperity. For more information, visit Insperity.com/ACG. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Since 2020, private equity has seen high highs and low lows, and in a more competitive and condensed market, firms are having to pull different levers to see value. Adrian Nohr, principal with CLA, joins the podcast to share her perspective on how shifting market dynamics are influencing buyer behavior, discuss how dealmakers are navigating valuation gap, and explore the latest considerations leading firms are evaluating to remain competitive. This episode is brought to you by CLA. Learn more at claconnect.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

AI has fueled white-collar layoffs at blue chip companies, but many middle-market workers and leaders are uncertain of exactly how and when AI will impact their lives and businesses. Stephen Murray, founder and president of Grow Fast Advisory, shares how AI is driving change in the middle market, where value can leak during the transition to AI, and what well-managed AI adoption gets right. This episode is brought to you by Grow Fast Advisory, AI-enhanced advisory for critical transitions. Learn more at growfastadvisory.com. The Middle Market Growth podcast is produced by the Association for Corporate Growth. To hear more interviews with middle-market dealmakers and industry experts, subscribe on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.