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Going Beyond the Deal

Going Beyond the Deal

Written by: J. Michael Fischer Jr | DBD Investment Bank
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 Welcome to Going Beyond The Deal. The show for founders, business owners, and professionals who want to grow smarter, achieve bigger exits, and build a legacy that lasts. Your host is no other than, J. Michael Fischer Jr – connector, life-long student of personal growth, and Managing Director at DBD – a bespoke investment bank that helps businesses handle big financial moves. Each week, we look beyond the numbers and the deals to talk about what really drives success. You'll hear from entrepreneurs, strategists, and top performers about the mindset, habits, and decisions that help businesses — and people — keep moving forward. If you're getting ready to sell, raise capital, or just level up — you're in the right place.Copyright © 2025 DBD Partners LLC Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • 40 | Keith Zubchevich – How to Win Big in the Shocking AI Economy Shift

    40 | Keith Zubchevich – How to Win Big in the Shocking AI Economy Shift
    Apr 28 2026
    Ever wonder what will separate tomorrow’s winners from the lost in an economy shaken by AI?In this urgent, eye-opening episode, J. Michael Fisher Jr. sits down with Keith Zubchevich, CEO of Conviva, to reveal how AI is fundamentally rewriting the rules for business owners, advisors, and operators. If you think AI is just another technology wave, get ready to have your assumptions shattered. From the threat of white-collar job extinction to the goldmine of personalized customer experiences, they dig into how to outmaneuver disruption and build real trust (and revenue) in the agentic age.The decisions you make in the next six months will determine if you win or become irrelevant. Listen now to avoid the pain of falling behind and get breakthrough strategies you won’t hear anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The wild truth about who’s really at risk from AI (hint: it’s not who you think)[02:32] – The bold origin story: Measuring experience before “streaming” was even a word[07:18] – The two breeds of AI agents and why the difference could make or break your business[09:25] – Coming shift: Why tomorrow’s buyers will laugh at today’s e-commerce[14:04] – AI outpaces human potential. So where does that leave YOUR edge?[17:42] – The mindset pivot: The make-or-break move for business leaders (it’s not just tech)[19:18] – How slashing headcount and exploding productivity is already possible with agentic systems[21:36] – Miss this and lose your customer: The secret playbook for owning behavior data in the agentic eraMentioned ResourcesChatGPTClaudeMicrosoft CopilotNetflixDisney+ESPNNikeAbout the GuestKeith Zubchevich is the CEO of Conviva, a pioneering leader in AI-powered experience measurement, serving global brands in digital video and beyond. With 30+ years in technology and a reputation for spotting industry shifts before they hit mainstream, he’s redefining how businesses use data, agents, and automation to drive next-level growth, personalization, and efficiency.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    39 mins
  • 39 | What Really Happens When You Sell Alone

    39 | What Really Happens When You Sell Alone
    Apr 21 2026

    What if the biggest financial decision of your life is the one you’re least prepared for?

    In this solo episode, J. Michael Fisher Jr., Managing Director at DBD Investment Bank, breaks down the reality most founders never see when selling their business. This is not just a transaction, it is a high-stakes negotiation against professionals who do deals every day. And if you are unprepared, the cost is permanent.

    Michael exposes the hidden risks, from undervalued offers and deal fatigue to broken cultures and lost wealth during diligence. He also reveals why the right advisor is not just a banker, but a process architect who creates leverage, competition, and clarity.

    Listen now to avoid costly, irreversible mistakes, gain insider-level deal awareness, and access the exact perspective most founders never get until it’s too late.

    Timestamped Highlights

    [00:00] – The uncomfortable truth, you are not just selling a business, you are negotiating your life’s work

    [01:15] – Why success on paper hides a dangerous reality about your wealth

    [02:25] – The silent trap of accepting the “market value” without real competition

    [03:32] – Deal fatigue, how exhaustion quietly forces founders into bad terms

    [04:30] – The real role of an advisor, process architect, quarterback, and emotional buffer

    [05:35] – How elite advisors compress years of mistakes into months of leverage

    [07:13] – Why diligence destroys deals, and how value slowly disappears

    [10:05] – The biggest myth about fees, and the real risk founders ignore

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    10 mins
  • 38 | Don't lose your leverage

    38 | Don't lose your leverage
    Mar 31 2026

    Are you secretly worried your next big business move might happen to you instead of because of you?

    J. Michael Fischer Jr. breaks the silence on a painful reality facing founders and CEOs who wait too long to plan their exit. In this solo episode of Going Beyond the Deal, he reveals why most business owners lose their best negotiating tool—leverage—and how to reclaim it before it’s too late. He explains why high revenue is not enough, how “strategic patience” can mask costly avoidance, and what true readiness looks like when it comes to growth, diligence, and market timing.

    If you’re tired of the myth that great businesses automatically get great deals, this conversation is your wake-up call. The longer you wait, the less power you have and the cost can be everything you’ve worked for. Don’t gamble with your business legacy. Listen now for strategies proven to protect your options and your outcome, with insights you won’t hear anywhere else.

    Timestamped Highlights
    • 00:00 – The Founder’s Trap: Why the first signal you’re ready to sell means you’re already late
    • 00:46 – Leverage Lost: The emotional (and financial) price of reacting instead of driving the exit process
    • 02:34 – The Quiet Shift: How founders mistake performance for strategy and what they miss
    • 05:07 – Strategic Patience or Avoidance? The business-language lie that keeps smart people stuck
    • 08:00 – Growth vs. Readiness: The dangerous myth that high revenue means a great outcome
    • 09:40 – Momentum Isn’t Control: The wake-up call that hits too late for unprepared founders
    • 12:32 – The One-Buyer Nightmare: When negotiation power vanishes and the price gets retraded
    • 15:21 – How Real Founders Win: Optionality, multiple paths, and strategic choices that protect your legacy

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    13 mins
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