Carlos Cardenas

Notes from the Deal Table

Insights

Writing on deals, ownership, and the practical work of building and selling businesses in South Florida — from the seat across the table.

Hands signing a contract on a dark table
FeaturedM&A

What Buyers Actually Pay For

Multiples are a symptom, not a cause. After a decade at the deal table, the businesses that clear the highest price share four unglamorous traits.

August 12, 2026 · 6 min read

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South Florida coastline at dusk
Real EstateJuly 24, 2026

South Florida Is a Cross-Border Market

Treating Miami as a domestic market misreads the capital. Half the conversations that matter start in Spanish and end in a U.S. closing statement.

An empty executive chair beside a window at dusk
Exit PlanningJune 30, 2026

The Exit Starts Three Years Early

The most expensive decision an owner makes is waiting until they are tired to start planning. Here is the sequence I walk owners through.

An owner walking through an industrial facility
OwnershipMay 18, 2026

Vertical Integration for Small Operators

Owning adjacent capability is not empire building. Done narrowly, it protects margin and shortens the distance between a problem and its fix.