A unicorn is a mythical horse-like creature with a single, spiraling horn on its forehead, but the term also has distinct meanings in business, specifically in the world of Finance. In venture capital and economics, a unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion. Could your start-up, with no revenue be the next unicorn or close to it?

The US Private Equity Activity increased during the month of June, in comparison to not only its prior month but year over year growth. So does this mean that the growth in the M&A market, that we have been waiting on for over 13 months, has finally arrived?

Whether it is a generative AI, MLA (machine learning applications) or AI enabled productivity, these tools have influenced the financial and strategic drivers of valuations and quiet honestly, here at OPG, it has literally reshaped the M&A transaction dynamics.

2026 has brought the same old story lines which continue to be a factor in the growth of various industries. With new and interesting challenges that seem to pop up every single day. Companies need to control the things you can control and manage the things you cannot.

Privately Held middle market companies have seen bankruptcies surged in 2025, reaching the highest levels since the Great Recession, with over 700 U.S. corporate filings driven by high interest rates, inflation, and yes, tariffs. This upward trend is expected to continue through early 2026, with industrial and consumer discretionary sectors facing the highest distress.

Recent updates to US tariffs on imports from China and our North American trading partners (Mexico and Canada), as well as reciprocal global tariffs on other countries, along with retaliatory tariffs, may cause uncertainty in the markets and supply chain disruptions that can significantly affect US businesses and your valuations.

We are amid the greatest tailwind since 2019, yet it seems different this time around. The stock market is at an all time high. Interest rates went through three rate cuts leading into 2026 and AI has been the forefront of growth for middle market companies. Yet, having a business valuation is more important today than it has been in years past.

What a valuation provides is a roadmap for future success, The future of securing funding, the future of having fair partner agreements, and a future for ensuring business longevity beyond the owner's tenure. A valuation is proactive tool, not just for a business transaction, it provides an objective benchmark for performance and value creation over time. 

Having an accurate valuation for your company, your estate or your exit strategy is critical. If not done correctly it could cost, you or your family in the end, thousands if not millions of dollars. This month, we will discuss the importance of having a valuation for either Gift & Estate planning, exit strategy platform ESOP or for an M&A transaction.

The clock is ticking! We are in the final stretch of 2025 and valuations still have the same challenges as it was at the beginning of the year: market volatility – interest rates – inflation – and those three themes have one thing in common for valuations in these areas of M&A, ESOPs and Gift & Estate – Uncertainty!!

In this episode, we are going to talk about what happens when a company makes the exciting decision to become an employee-owned company with Christopher Czyryca. Mr. Czyryca is the President of Collaborative Testing Services; Inc. CTS is a company that runs interlaboratory programs; these are quality assurance tools for testing in measurements laboratories.

Even though it feels like we have been in this whirlpool cycle so far in 2025, there have been a lot of interesting things happening in the Merger and Acquisition space. As we know, the M&A outlook coming into this year saw that there were several advantages for M&A activity: substantial amount of capital raised, monetary supply side pressure for deal flow, lower interest rates and a more business friendly government. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the second quarter, we took a negative turn!

Having ESOPs as an alternative platform for a potential exit strategy has gained a lot of momentum for a variety of reasons. This podcast explores three areas of interest for considering the ESOP option: 1. Professional Services 2. M&A Growth Strategy and 3. Government support.

Our current economic and market conditions have shifted a great deal in the first quarter of 2025. This shift has brought on both uncertainty and the unknown for any opportunities for M&A for middle market businesses. This month, we will tackle three things to keep an eye on as we go through this next wave. 

As the threat of tariffs hangs over businesses here in the United States, business values will continue to suffer. It can come from increased costs to reduced consumer spending to ongoing uncertainty around how the future will unfold, leaving business owners, or Board of Directors with the need to be prepared for potentially two things: lower transaction valuations and lower valuation multiples potentially moving forward. 

The financial sector, once known for its inefficiencies and complexities, has undergone a revolutionary transformation with the rise of fintech startups. But valuing a FinTech startup company is not done with a traditional business valuation. This sector is a mixture of innovative technology and financial services, and most importantly, involved in a rapidly changing market. This all means that you cannot just rely on traditional methods to gain a clear picture of the company’s worth.

To kick off 2025, we are going to discuss Preparing your Business for an Exit, with a special guest, Sankeetha Selvarajah. Sankeetha is the chair of Mergers & Acquisitions Corporate at Romano Law, a corporate law firm in lower Manhattan New York.

The valuation of crypto assets (Bitcoin) has emerged as a critical topic owing to the growth in popularity and adoption of crypto assets. While many recognize crypto assets as a legitimate asset class, many remain skeptical of their value proposition, leading to varied opinions and debates in the industry.

One of the most exciting things about receiving the final valuation report is to turn to page 3 – the value of the company. The truth is the real value of the report follows in the next 70 to 100 pages. And if done correctly, The Day After, you should be able to implement a strategy from the output of your valuation report to take your business to the next level.

There are certain things in the world of valuations, no two businesses are the same and neither are two valuations. If you are in the market to acquire or preparing to sell your company, there are things you need to know and not fall for a poor valuation which could cost one side of the transactions millions and in some cases substantial legal issues.

Over the last several months there has been a big energy shift towards ESOPs. This episode will focus on what is driving this energy shift and what business owners need to know before moving forward with an ESOP. Owners need to understand the importance of having a feasibility study performed.

Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the American economy. Studies have shown about 35 percent of Fortune 500 companies are family-controlled and represent the full spectrum of American companies from small business to major corporations. Understanding the how and the why when it comes to understanding the use and purpose of a valuation for a Family-Owned business plays an integral part in not only the growth of the value in the business but the country as well.

Cash flow issues and inadequate money management are consistently viewed as the top reasons why businesses fail. It is certainly vital to owners, founders, and boards to sharpen their cash flow forecasting ability and develop a strong understanding of one the most important valuation metrics Free Cash Flow (FCF).

Something you should be aware of regardless of who you make that winning business pitch to, be it a bank, private equity group, venture capitalist, or angel investors. Each one of these groups has a different objective or purpose on why they will invest in your company. 

For Founders and Early-Stage companies, raising capital is priority number one. Understanding why is the first step. Followed by understanding the types of capital raised. Leaving you with the types of sources of a capital raise. 

As we move further into the new year, as an Early-Stage Founder, it is important to understand where you go to raise capital and how you position your business to find the right partner. This is a three-part series. Part 1: Understanding the stages of a capital raise and the platforms that raise capital.

With the Tax Cut and Jobs Act sunset provisions in 2026 quickly approaching, Family
Limited Partnerships have become a very popular vehicle for families that have
appreciable assets. Learn how valuation discounts can be a valuable tool to understand
as you transfer your assets.

Valuation multiples provide a simple yet effective way to assess the worth of a business by comparing it to similar companies in the market. However, using valuation multiples is not just about plugging in numbers and getting a result. It requires a strategic approach and considering multiple factors that can cause different results in the value of your business. 

As a sports fan, most if not all, have a dream of being a sports franchise owner. In this episode, being a minority owner in a sports franchise, may not be as difficult as it may appear. And how the valuation of the franchise can assist you in your decision, for buying the big ticket!

Whether we are backtracking to 2019 or discussing it now in 2023, the most important tool in a company tool box to deal with partnership discussions, how to reward and retain talent, or even understand the current state of the business is having a business valuation. This episode, we will break down each area and show how having a valuation could make those conversations and decisions a little easier. 

When it comes to exiting a business, most are familiar with the big three: Sell to a third party, transfer to a family member or work until you close the business down. Yet, there is another alternative that is not talked about a lot. In this episode, Stephen White, managing partner of Onyx Partners Group will discuss the best kept secret of the exit strategy platform, ESOPs!

We spend our lives working hard, building relationships, but do we put that same amount of energy into how we want to leave our legacy? This episode is a must listen to podcast with our guest, Melissa Goikhman, Esq. of Legacy Wealth Counsel. OPG managing partner, Stephen White and Melissa Goikhman will take us on a journey of leaving a legacy for your family. This episode is not just for business owners or C-Suite executives, it's for everyone to learn how to build but also leave a worthwhile legacy.

2021, the M&A Market ran at a torrid pace.  2022 was a tale of two stories. The first half deal flow continued from the overflow of 2021. The second half dealt with headwinds, which slowed down the activity. This episode, we will discuss the challenges ahead in the middle market M&A and how to navigate in 2023.

How do we continue to grow our wealth after you transition from one phase of your life to the other. When it comes to creating this path, learning how to invest is key. In this episode of Business Valuation...Real Talk, 1792 Wealth Advisors, Private Wealth Officer, Dan Barrett joins us to discuss the steps for creating this path of investing for business owners.

In this month’s Business Valuation…Real Talk episode, Naja Muhammad, CEO and Owner of Insane Audio joins our host Stephen White, to discuss the path that she took before making that decision to leave the accounting world and become a successful business owner.

Episode 1: Business Valuation Basic Talk

In this episode, Stephen White, managing partner of Onyx Partners Group, a business valuation firm, will talk about the basics of business valuations. You will learn the critical elements of every business valuation and how to proactively manage the value of your business. Stephen will discuss how understanding the value of your business can provide more opportunity to increase value when you are ready to either sell, buy, conduct estate planning, or practice management.