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Going Beyond the Deal

Going Beyond the Deal

By: J. Michael Fischer Jr | DBD Investment Bank
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Welcome to Going Beyond The Deal. The show for founders, business owners, and professionals who want to grow smarter, achieve bigger exits, and build a legacy that lasts. Your host is no other than, J. Michael Fischer Jr – connector, life-long student of personal growth, and Managing Director at DBD – a bespoke investment bank that helps businesses handle big financial moves. Each week, we look beyond the numbers and the deals to talk about what really drives success. You'll hear from entrepreneurs, strategists, and top performers about the mindset, habits, and decisions that help businesses — and people — keep moving forward. If you're getting ready to sell, raise capital, or just level up — you're in the right place.Copyright © 2025 DBD Partners LLC Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • 47 | Why the Biggest Offer Can Cost You Everything

    47 | Why the Biggest Offer Can Cost You Everything
    Jun 16 2026

    What if the highest offer on the table is the one that leaves you with the least?

    A founder once turned down an offer, then a month later celebrated a bigger one that put less money in his pocket. In this solo episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr., Managing Director at DBD Investment Bank, explains how that happens and why the number on the front page of a letter of intent is not the deal.

    Michael breaks down what actually decides what a founder keeps: cash at close, rollover equity, earnouts, escrows, the working capital peg, asset versus stock structure, and tax exposure. He shows why the highest bid is rarely the best bid, why you have to diligence the buyer as hard as they diligence you, and why the strongest exits are built 12 to 24 months before a sale ever starts.

    If you are years of work away from the most important financial moment of your life, this is the perspective most founders only get after it is too late. The champagne runs out. The structure is what you live with. Listen now.

    Timestamped Highlights
    • [00:00] – The offer that paid less than the smaller one he turned down a month earlier
    • [00:40] – Why the big number on the LOI feels like the deal, and why it isn’t
    • [01:44] – How a single $50 million offer can mean two completely different lives
    • [02:43] – The line between a real exit and a job with a closing dinner
    • [03:22] – The “fine print” that is actually the entire deal
    • [04:37] – Why selling to private equity often means choosing your next boss
    • [04:53] – The reason the highest bid is almost never the best bid
    • [05:51] – The buyer you forgot to diligence, and why it costs you later
    • [06:59] – Why the best exits start 12 to 24 months before the sale
    • [07:54] – The one crack in your story that quietly drains your price
    • [08:05] – The invisible asset that holds every deal together
    • [09:38] – Valuation or outcome? The question that changes everything

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    10 mins
  • 46 | Eric LeGrand – Can Your Worst Setback Become Your Greatest Business Edge?

    46 | Eric LeGrand – Can Your Worst Setback Become Your Greatest Business Edge?
    Jun 9 2026
    What if your greatest setback became your launchpad for impact and growth? In this episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr. sits down with Eric LeGrand, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and founder of LeGrand Coffee House and Eric LeGrand Bourbon. They dive deep into the raw realities of starting over after unimaginable adversity, challenging common myths about resilience, business, and success.Through candid stories and actionable lessons, Eric unpacks what it truly means to hustle, lead, and build wealth without shortcuts or gloss. This is not a highlight reel, but a playbook for those who refuse to quit. If you miss this episode, you miss the real stories and strategies that separate passionate survivors from passive dreamers. Listen now to claim practical insight you will not find anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights00:05 – The brutal truth behind business “overnight” success05:29 – Eric reveals the daily grind (and the real face of the hustle)11:58 – The single hospital moment that shifted Eric’s entire mindset13:55 – How elite athlete discipline became his recovery superpower16:05 – Resilience decoded: instincts, training, and relentless belief18:23 – What a “bad day” really looks like after starting over24:00 – The wild leap from motivational speaking to coffee entrepreneur28:51 – Why most business owners misunderstand profit (and what it actually takes)32:04 – The expensive, high-stakes world of launching a spirits brandMentioned ResourcesLeGrand Coffee HouseEric LeGrand WhiskeyChristopher & Dana Reeve FoundationBrian Axelrod (business partner)Rutgers UniversityCoach Greg SchianoGreen River spiritsMiletto Business AdvisorsACG Corporate Growth AwardsShopRiteNicholas CreameryRosie’s PizzaBroadway ChickenWalk to BelieveKessler InstituteAbout the GuestEric LeGrand is the founder of LeGrand Coffee House and co-founder of Eric LeGrand Bourbon. A nationally recognized motivational speaker and philanthropist, Eric is known for transforming life-changing adversity into a platform for business and community impact. He has been honored with ACG New Jersey’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership and resilience.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    43 mins
  • 45 | How to Break the Cycle of Forced Succession

    45 | How to Break the Cycle of Forced Succession
    Jun 2 2026

    What if your family business legacy is actually a hidden burden?

    J. Michael Fischer Jr. dives deep into the emotional and strategic fault lines of succession where legacy, guilt, and honest conversations collide. This episode is for founders, operators, and advisors who care about more than just the numbers.

    If you've ever wondered what really happens when your children don’t want the business, or how to know if your succession plan is built on obligation or true desire, this conversation offers surprising clarity. Get ready to challenge what you think you know about legacy and continuity.

    Miss this episode, and you risk repeating the quiet mistakes that break families and companies alike. Listen now for honest, actionable strategies and discover why going beyond the deal is the only way to future-proof your legacy.

    Timestamped Highlights
    • 00:26 – The silent burden founders feel about legacy and identity
    • 01:35 – The brutal reality when the next generation rejects the business
    • 02:55 – Why irrelevance—not failure—is the real fear in succession
    • 04:22 – What children see versus what founders believe about the family business
    • 05:16 – How guilt and secrecy create fragile succession plans
    • 06:10 – Why legacy and obligation are dangerously different
    • 09:35 – The hidden signs your successor wants approval, not ownership
    • 11:31 – The pivotal moment: When honesty finally breaks the cycle

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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