Episode 93: Inside the Deal with Brian Allen

In this episode of the Tech M&A Podcast, we sit down with Brian Allen, former Managing Director and Chief Executive of Certus Solutions. Over the course of two decades, Brian grew Certus into a leading IBM-focused software and services provider in Australia and New Zealand, specializing in enterprise asset management. This journey culminated in a successful strategic sale to Aegis, following a long-planned liquidity event for the company's shareholders. Brian discusses his decade-long relationship with Corum Group, which began during a prior M&A process, and explains why he chose to re-engage professional advisors for the Certus exit. He shares candid insights into managing a complex transaction that included a strategic "hiatus" period, the importance of maintaining competitive tension during negotiations, and his advice for CEOs navigating their first or second sale. This episode offers a masterclass in long-term value creation and the discipline required to execute a high-stakes liquidity event. Takeaways     Plan for the long term: Successful exits are often the result of years of preparation to ensure maximum shareholder value.     Specialization is key: Deep expertise in a specific ecosystem, such as IBM technologies, can position a firm as a dominant regional player.     Maintain leverage: Using a "hiatus" or pause in a deal can be a strategic tool to reset expectations and ensure competitive tension.     Professional representation matters: Engaging experienced advisors is critical when negotiating with large institutional buyers and global entities.     Focus on the "Why": Understanding the specific timing for a liquidity event helps align the interests of all shareholders and stakeholders. Timestamps     00:11 – Introducing Brian Allen and the growth of Certus Solutions     01:22 – A ten-year history: First learning about Corum Group via Zcom     01:55 – Navigating the 15-year journey toward a liquidity event     03:40 – Scaling as a premier IBM partner in Australia and New Zealand     06:15 – Why Certus chose professional M&A representation for this exit     08:30 – Life after the deal: Advising Aegis and future plans     09:30 – Navigating the transaction "hiatus" and its impact on the deal     10:07 – Creating competitive tension to protect deal terms     10:21 – How the hiatus ultimately benefited the final outcome     10:27 – Final thoughts and wrap-up

Selling a company is one of the most complex—and emotional—transactions a founder will ever face.   In this 2026 Annual Sellers Panel, CEOs who successfully built and sold their companies share real‑world insights from inside the M&A process. From global deal dynamics and valuation expectations to earnouts, advisor selection, partner alignment, and emotional resilience, this panel offers candid lessons every founder should hear before going to market.   The discussion highlights what surprised sellers most, where preparation mattered, and why having experienced advisors, aligned partners, and clean financial reporting can make or break an outcome.   If you're a tech founder or CEO thinking about an exit—now or in the future—this panel delivers practical, experience‑driven advice from those who've already been through it.   Corum is the world's leading educator on tech trends, valuations, growth strategies and Tech M&A. If you are a Tech CEO/founder and would like to  learn to prepare, position, research, value, negotiate and execute due diligence for maximum price and optimal structure in an M&A transaction, attend one of our upcoming events. Visit corumgroup.com/events for a full global event schedule.     Takeaways Tech M&A is truly global, with buyers and sellers spanning multiple continents A company is ultimately worth what the market is willing to pay, not expectations Valuation discussions require research and realism Earnouts and post‑close roles must be clearly defined upfront Partner alignment and transparency are critical during negotiations Strong preparation of financials reduces pressure during due diligence Experienced M&A advisors help smooth negotiations and protect value Once committed to an exit, founders should make every decision around building value   Chapters   01:42 – What was your process for selecting an advisor 04:54 – What was your motivation for going through the M&A process? 07:39 – During the M&A process, what surprises did you encounter along the way? 11:53 – What advice would you give to CEOs selling their company?

February 2026 was an active month for technology mergers and acquisitions, with 394 tech M&A transactions, including five billion‑dollar mega deals and a top disclosed transaction valued at $9.9 billion.   In this market update, we break down the latest tech M&A data from the Corum Index, including deal volume, valuation multiples, private equity activity, cross‑border trends, and sector‑level performance across horizontal, vertical, infrastructure, gaming, IT services, healthcare, AI, cybersecurity, and supply chain management.   You'll hear where valuations are expanding, which subsectors are commanding premium multiples, and how strategic buyers, private equity firms, and non‑tech acquirers are shaping today's deal landscape. If you're a founder, CEO, investor, or corporate development leader, this report offers practical insight into exit timing, buyer demand, and market momentum.   Takeaways February 2026 recorded 394 tech M&A deals, including five $1B+ mega transactions Private equity acquired 23 platform companies; VC‑backed exits totaled 105 35% of deals were cross‑border, highlighting strong global buyer demand Startups represented 45% of all transactions, with an average target age of 12 years The horizontal sector continues to lead in total deal volume and value Supply Chain Management (SCM) delivered the highest revenue and EBITDA multiples Healthcare, education software, AI, cybersecurity, gaming, and infrastructure saw robust activity Strategic buyers increasingly pursued AI capabilities, data platforms, and sector‑specific software Valuation multiples varied widely by subsector—underscoring the importance of positioning and timing   Chapters 00:13 – Mega Deals and Market Scale 00:24 – Private Equity, VC Exits & Cross‑Border 00:47 – Vertical vs Horizontal Sector Performance 04:22 – IT Services Valuation Trends (Developed & Emerging Markets) 06:15 – Consumer Sector Deals 09:06 – Infrastructure Sector Valuations

After 40 years advising technology founders on mergers and acquisitions, one thing is clear: old myths about selling a tech company refuse to die—and they cost founders millions.   In this video, a veteran tech M&A advisor breaks down five dangerous myths that still derail otherwise great exits. From the belief that "companies are bought, not sold," to the risks of amateur buyer outreach and flawed bid timelines, this discussion explains why preparation, process, and professional execution matter more than ever.   If you're a tech founder, CEO, or shareholder thinking about an exit, recapitalization, or strategic sale, this video explains how to avoid undervaluation, missed markets, and broken deal dynamics—and how to position your company for the best price, structure, and outcome.   Takeaways Companies are sold, not magically bought—waiting rarely produces premium outcomes "Soft" signals to buyers don't work; credible market engagement does Serial buyer outreach weakens leverage—competitive tension drives valuation Rigid bid timelines often backfire in today's regulatory environment Amateur outreach burns bridges and reduces optionality The best exits are driven by experienced deal professionals, not luck Optimal outcomes require focus on price, structure, tax efficiency, liabilities, and post‑deal terms   Chapters 00:18 – Myth #1: Companies Are Bought, Not Sold 00:43 – Myth #2: Soft Overtures to Buyers Work 01:02 – Myth #3: The Serial Buyer Approach 01:22 – Myth #4: Beware of Bid Timelines 01:47 – Myth #5: Amateur Buyer 02:15 – What Actually Drives Optimal Exit Outcomes  

In this episode of the Tech M&A Podcast, we sit down with Robin Fisk, co‑founder and CEO of Donorfy, a SaaS CRM platform built specifically for nonprofits and charities. Robin shares the 10‑year journey of building a bootstrapped, cloud‑based CRM serving over 1,000 organizations across the UK and Scandinavia, culminating in Donorfy's acquisition by The Access Group in November 2024.   Robin walks through why he and his co‑founder decided to sell, how they prepared for the M&A process, why choosing the right advisor mattered, and what surprised him most along the way. He also offers candid insights into due diligence, managing confidentiality with a close‑knit remote team, defining non‑negotiables, and life after exit. This episode is packed with practical advice for founders considering a strategic sale.   Takeaways Build with the exit in mind from day one. Preparation matters more than speed. Choose advisors with founder experience. Know your non‑negotiables early. Selling your company is emotional — even when it's successful.   00:22 – Introducing Robin Fisk and Donorfy 03:06 – Acquisition by The Access Group 4:28 – Choosing Corum Group as an M&A advisor 06:35 – The hardest parts of selling a company 09:29 – Defining non negotiables in the deal 11:56 – Balancing work, due diligence, and personal life 14:48 – Advice for founders considering an exit 17:18 – Life after selling the business 18:50 – Final thoughts and wrap up

Operating a company during an exit is difficult. Managing a sell-side process while simultaneously acquiring a business in a different time zone? That requires a specific mindset. In this episode, we speak with James Fair, founder of Vetasi, following his acquisition by Cohesive (part of the Bentley Group). James breaks down the reality of "oily hands" asset management software and the critical importance of recurring revenue. He shares the story of a grueling, unprecedented 3-week due diligence sprint that galvanized his team, and offers advice on why waiting for the "perfect" conditions is often the enemy of a successful deal. Takeaways: Timing matters more than perfect readiness A strong recurring revenue model and full‑service offering make a company highly attractive to buyers Running an M&A process alongside daily operations is extremely demanding Despite the intensity, the M&A journey can be unifying and rewarding 00:00 - The Origins of Vetasi: Building a Global Asset Management Player 01:15 - Why Sell Now? Timing, Market Heat, and Strategic Fit  03:00 - The Secret Sauce: Advisory-First Strategy & Recurring Revenues  04:21 - Steering the Ship: Running M&A While Running the Business  06:48 - Lessons from the Trenches: Preparation, Imperfection, and Three-Week Diligence  08:29 - After the Exit: Culture Clashes, Shared Vision, and the New Chapter Ahead

Markets shift. Buyers have concerns. Sometimes the offer isn't what you expected. After 40 years and more tech company sales than any firm in history, we've learned one crucial truth: Sometimes the best move is to hit "pause." In this month's webcast, hear from three founders who leveraged Corum's Hiatus program to deliver dramatically better results: addressing buyer concerns, improving customer base, reducing churn and demonstrating consistency—proving that patience and preparation beat settling every time. Plus, we'll cover: CEO Desk: Thinking About an Exit? 7 Buyer Benchmarks That Matter Current Valuation Trends: Understand tech company valuations today Key Tech Market Deals: Discover notable transactions from November Active Tech Buyers: Learn which companies are acquiring ------------------------------------------------ Corum's Tech M&A Monthly is a regular podcast series for software company owners, executives and CEOs. Each month, Corum Group, the world's leading M&A firm for software and related technology companies, examines the world of Tech M&A. In addition, Tech M&A Monthly includes special reports on buyers, markets and the M&A process itself. This thirty-minute podcast is a must for owners and CEOs considering Tech M&A, whether now or in the future.

The smart money is capitalizing on the strong M&A market and valuations to exit investments. In this month's Tech M&A Monthly webcast, we'll explore five key reasons why VC and PE funds are heading for the exits—and what it means for your business. Are you watching what the smart money is doing? You should.  What else will be covered? Special report: Understanding Working Capital Current Tech M&A market trends Valuations across all 6 tech sectors November megadeal report Learn why Tech CEOs and Founders should be watching the PE and VC exit trends. --------------------------------------------------------------- Corum's Tech M&A Monthly is a regular podcast series for software company owners, executives and CEOs. Each month, Corum Group, the world's leading M&A firm for software and related technology companies, examines the world of Tech M&A. In addition, Tech M&A Monthly includes special reports on buyers, markets and the M&A process itself. This thirty-minute podcast is a must for owners and CEOs considering Tech M&A, whether now or in the future.

When buyers evaluate a software or tech company, they don't just look at top-line growth or EBITDA. Buyers dig into the quality of your revenue. Is it recurring? Diversified? Sustainable? These factors play a critical role in determining valuation and can mean the difference between an average and extraordinary outcome. In this webcast, we break down what acquirers really look for in revenue streams, how quality impacts valuation and what CEOs and founders can do now to strengthen their company's long-term value. Webcast Agenda:  CEO Desk: 10 AI Traps to Avoid with M&A Presentations Special Report: Quality of Revenue—The Key to Your Value Review of key deals in September 2025 Valuation trends across the six technology sectors --------------------------------------------------------------- Corum's Tech M&A Monthly is a regular podcast series for software company owners, executives and CEOs. Each month, Corum Group, the world's leading M&A firm for software and related technology companies, examines the world of Tech M&A. In addition, Tech M&A Monthly includes special reports on buyers, markets and the M&A process itself. This thirty-minute podcast is a must for owners and CEOs considering Tech M&A, whether now or in the future.

The rules of Tech M&A have changed. What once took months now happens in days — accelerating buyer responses, heightening competition and creating opportunities for sellers to maximize value. In this webcast, we discuss how you can succeed in the virtual age of Tech M&A bidding. Additionally, we also cover: 10 Tips for choosing an M&A attorney Key deals in August 2025 Valuation trends across six sectors Upcoming M&A educational opportunities --------------------------------------------------------------- Corum's Tech M&A Monthly is a regular podcast series for software company owners, executives and CEOs. Each month, Corum Group, the world's leading M&A firm for software and related technology companies, examines the world of Tech M&A. In addition, Tech M&A Monthly includes special reports on buyers, markets and the M&A process itself. This thirty-minute podcast is a must for owners and CEOs considering Tech M&A, whether now or in the future.