The Bodnar Letter

Articles & Insights

M&A strategy, decision-making, and acquisition insights from 40+ deals and 5M+ podcast downloads.

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The two questions Brad Jacobs asks everyone

The frontline already knows. Nobody asked.
October 1, 2026

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The NADA test

Most of your week won’t survive question one.
September 24, 2026

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More, better, new (in that order)

The order is the whole insight.
September 17, 2026

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Management matters (a lot)

Not the model. Not the market. Not the cost cuts.
September 10, 2026

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Thinking in minutes vs. months

Most companies inherit their execution speed from their meeting calendar.
September 3, 2026

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The boring math behind 1,750x

Half of all acquisitions destroy value. Here’s the underwriting that never did.
August 27, 2026

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Problems hide in averages

The counterweight to all that autonomy is sunlight.
August 20, 2026

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Treat them like owners

Autonomy without ownership is abandonment. Ownership without autonomy is a slogan.
August 13, 2026

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Run your payroll like a salary cap

A blank-sheet exercise that shows where the roster drifted.
August 6, 2026