Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532052
FEBRUARY 2025 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 47 industries. One of my favorites is accounting. When I was younger, there was the Big 12, then the Big 8, and now the Big 4. Even with the Big 4, there are still thriving companies that fill in that middle, and there are still plenty of small accounting firms. If somebody wanted to be a small EMS player forever, there would be a place for that, like there's a place for a small accounting firm. However, if you want to build equity value as a business owner, how much equity value can you create from a two-man account- ing shop? You might be able to make a good living, but you won't build up a lot of equity value. ese are personal decisions. ere's no right or wrong, but if you want to build equity value, we have a very good under- standing of what buyers and private equity investors look for in terms of what they would pay for a certain EMS business. We also want to educate people on how to build equity value. Lubin: Whether you're a potential buyer or seller of a company, the trends we see in M&A are strategic, not only from a growth stand- point but also for other aspects that companies may need to deal with. For example, you can acquire growth through M&A, but you also may have certain technical areas that you want to grow through M&A, and vice versa. Aspects of your business may have more value if they're sold to focus on something else. Calderon: I think everyone in the industry knows who the companies in the industry are. What a lot of them don't know is how to part- ner with private equity. We will discuss the increased private equity influence in the EMS industry as opposed to past years. Attendees should come away with a better idea of how they want to proceed. Thank you, gentlemen. SMT007