M&A Science17 Jul 2025

The Secrets to Sourcing Proprietary Deals in Private Equity with Ryan Gable

Ryan Gable, Managing Partner, BW Forsyth Partners

Ryan discusses how his team uses a hybrid private equity model backed by Barry-Wehmiller to execute people-first, long-term acquisitions. With over 55 deals and zero exits, Forsyth has developed a sourcing and integration playbook that challenges traditional PE norms, focusing instead on trust, cultural alignment, and multi-decade value creation.

Ryan breaks down how to build relationships that convert to proprietary deal flow, structure rollover equity with flexibility, and align seller incentives for lasting outcomes.

Things you will learn:

How to source proprietary deals by building trust with founders and prioritizing cultural fit
Why Forsyth avoids traditional PE norms like over-leveraging and fixed exit timelines
How they structure flexible equity rollovers and provide liquidity without needing to sell

Episode Chapters:

[00:02:00] From Investment Banking to Building Forsyth with Barry-Wehmiller
[00:07:00] Why Barry-Wehmiller Created a New Investment Arm Instead of Scaling Internally
[00:10:00] The Hybrid Equity Model: Strategic Backing + PE Agility
[00:14:30] Rollover Equity and How Forsyth Structures Flexible Liquidity
[00:23:30] From Auction Fatigue to Sourcing Proprietary Deals
[00:26:00] How Forsyth Builds Trust With Sellers (And Wins Deals Off-Market)
[00:31:00] Why Founders Should Think About Selling Before They're Ready to Retire
[00:41:00] Structuring Earnouts that Sellers Actually Want to Hit
[00:49:00] The "Less is More" Approach to Post-Close Integration
[00:56:00] The Future of M&A: Return Expectations, Capital Saturation, and Deal Discipline

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