Have you noticed that we’re just now at the beginning of March and we are already seeing a flurry of mergers being announced across the country?  The pattern is evident on a national, regional, and local level.  The reason we’re seeing the increase in M&A activity is because in 2023 money stayed on the sidelines as financial executives waited to see how the Fed would act on interest rates. Most economists have been split between an impending recession or the US economy experiencing a soft landing, but the demands of the market are pushing companies to consolidate to maintain growth and competitive advantage.  Companies have waited as long as they can, but in reality, it’s the demands of the customers that are driving this activity because the consumer is always looking for better options.   That’s why I have asked Craig Stacy to join us. Craig is, the Managing Director of Sunbelt Business Advisors, who specializes in the sale and acquisition of companies.  Craig is one of the most knowledgeable M&A experts in North America and his take on the recent spate of consolidation announcements is fascinating.  There is always more to the deal than meets the eye and Craig brings a very insightful perspective as to why companies merge and more importantly, how to make sure you’ve got the right partner to merge with. Craig has agreed to preview the next Fundings Strategies Webinar airing this Thursday, March 7th entitled 2024 the year of M&A. To register for the webinar go to: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ek80uku133d4b9b0&oseq=&c=&ch= Enter the code MERGER24 to watch it for free.