The #1 CEO M&A Summit for 7-9 Figure Founders
October 19–21, 2026 · Austin, TX
Acquire Smarter.
Exit Bigger.
The private, closed-room summit where 150 vetted leaders learn the acquisition playbook behind 16 acquisitions and over $2B+ in lifetime brand sales revenue. Even if you have never done a deal.
Hosted By
Tom Shipley
Matt Bodnar
150
Vetted
Founders
$2B+
Lifetime Brand
Sales
7 FIG+
CEOs in
the Room
Archer Hotel, Austin | Welcome reception Sun evening, Oct 18
Tom Shipley
Co-Founder, DealCon
16 Acquisitions and Exits · $2B+ in Lifetime Brand Sales Revenue
"Scale by acquiring, not grinding."
We ran out of money and then one $15M acquisition took us from $331K to $100M in three years. As I learned, the fastest-scaling entrepreneurs aren't grinding harder, they're acquiring smarter.
If you already run a 7- to 9-figure business, you have the ultimate advantage: you can scale faster and more reliably through one acquisition than through launching a new product line, opening a new sales channel, or three years of organic growth combined.
One deal beats two years of hiring, building, and hoping. And the math isn't even close. DealCon delivers the exact playbook for sourcing, financing, structuring, and integrating deals, without millions in capital or a bloated team.
"Lead at the level you were meant to lead."
After your next acquisition, you get to lead an organization at the level you were meant to lead. I have watched it for years: most entrepreneurs do not get better by staying small. They get better by playing bigger.
$331K → $100M
Atlantic Coast Brands, 36 months
$1 Billion
Hydroxatone lifetime sales
$630M
Keranique, America's #1 women's hair regrowth brand
$2 Billion
Grew Atlantic Coast Brands startup to $2B in Lifetime brand sales.
16 Acquisitions & Exits
Strategic acquisitions and exits to fuel long-term growth and innovation.
Your Co-Host
Matt Bodnar
Co-Host, DealCon
Founding Partner, Eidolon Capital | $100M+ in Closed Transactions
Founding Partner of Eidolon Capital, a private investment firm making control investments in lower middle-market companies: $10M to $100M in revenue, $3M to $10M in EBITDA. The same market DealCon attendees buy and sell in.
Nearly fifteen years and more than $100M in closed transactions. Chairman of four operating companies across manufacturing, distribution, and consumer.
Built Fresh Hospitality's restaurant portfolio as Partner and Head of M&A after starting at Goldman Sachs. Forbes 30 Under 30. Host of The Science of Success podcast, 5 million+ downloads.
Teaches the creative deal structures behind the average DealCon deal: less than 10% cash down.
“Your DealMaker or VIP 1-on-1 strategy session is with Tom or Matt. Either way, you are sitting across from a dealmaker who has done it.”
Meet the Speakers
The Math
Why Smart CEOs Choose Acquisition Over Organic Growth
Organic Growth
60%
Five years of 10% organic growth compounds to roughly 60% more enterprise value. New hires and new channels that
barely move the needle.
Acquisition
2,000%
One acquisition of half your size each year, compounded over the same five years, can grow enterprise value roughly 2,000%. Compress a decade of growth into a fraction of the time.
The Opportunity
1,800 American Businesses Close Their Doors
Every Single Day.
900
Retiring Owners
Roughly 900 businesses owned by retiring owners close their doors every single day, because only 1 in 4 ever finds a buyer.
900
The 5 Ds
Another 900 close every day, forced out by one of the 5 Ds.
Disagreement
Distress
Divorce
Disability
Death
This is the buyer's market of a lifetime. Most founders will just miss it.
Sources: BLS Business Employment Dynamics, Exit Planning Institute, BizBuySell/IBBA.
October 19–21, 2026 | Austin, TX
The 3-Day Agenda
Actionable frameworks. Acquisition and exit strategy. You leave with a plan, not a notebook.
October 18
welcome reception plus curated dinners.
Before the first session, we take over Austin. Sunday night is a welcome reception, then a set of curated dinners across the city, small tables of eight founders, speakers, and experts, matched on purpose and set in rooms built for real conversation. This is the night people fly in for. It is how you walk into Monday already knowing the people who matter, and it is one of the most memorable relationship-building experiences we run all year.
Day-1
MONDAY OCTOBER 19
Day-1
MONDAY OCTOBER 19
Find Deals Nobody Else Sees.
The best acquisitions never hit a marketplace. Day 1 is how you get to them first.
A repeatable acquisition strategy you can run the Monday you get home
The criteria that separate a high-impact target from an expensive distraction
The off-market deal flow system that has motivated sellers calling you back
How to spot a motivated seller before your competitors know they exist
How to open the legal conversation without spooking the deal
VIP Evening at Cota
Day-2
TUESDAY
OCTOBER 20
Day-2
TUESDAY OCTOBER 20
Buy It Without Writing the Big Check.
The average DealCon deal closes with less than 10% cash down. Day 2 is the how.
Valuation drivers, and how to move them before you sit down to negotiate
Seller notes, earn-outs, and equity swaps: the structures sellers say yes to
The negotiation plays experienced buyers run, and first-timers walk into
Deep-dive due diligence: find the problem before it finds you
Integration moves that lift EBITDA in the first 90 days
THE MARQUEE DINNER, ALL 150
Day-3
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 21
Day-3
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21
THE DO-NOT-MISS DAY
The Aggregator Keynote & Workshop Day
Plus 3 workshop tracks, and the day it becomes your plan.
Do not book the early flight. Wednesday is the day the room came for. We open first thing with the keynote panel, then move straight into three parallel workshop tracks, and wrap by 1:00 PM. One morning, built entirely around turning everything you learned into your plan.
Keynote panel
ADVISORY BOARD'S FAVORITE PANEL
The Aggregator Panel
ADVISORY BOARD'S FAVORITE PANEL
This is the session people talk about for the rest of the year. We open Wednesday with the whole room together and put the aggregators on a panel: the founders who have actually rolled up companies, live and unscripted. The acquisitions that made them. The integrations that nearly broke them. What post- deal scaling really looks like once the wire clears, and the single most expensive lesson each of them paid for, handed to you for the price of staying in your seat.
The Rest of the Morning: Choose Your Track. Build Your Plan.
Right after the panel, three parallel, hands-on workshops run back to back and wrap by 1:00 PM. You pick the one that matches your next move and build alongside the founders who have already done it.
Exit Track
Exit at Your Number.
Founders who have sold walk you through their exits deal by deal: what buyers paid
premiums for, what almost killed the deal at the table, and what they would do differently today.
Learn firsthand from founders who have successfully exited
What buyers actually pay premiums for, and the mistakes that kill most sales
How to structure your company and terms for maximum multiple
You build: your 12-18 month exit roadmap
Rollup Track
One Company Becomes a Platform.
Serial acquirers teach the machine behind the deals: the thesis, the buy box, the cadence, and the integration system that makes deal three easier than deal one.
Learn from serial acquirers executing 3-10 deals per year
How to pick a thesis, define the buy box, and sequence deals two and three
Funding options and creative capital for a programmatic strategy
You build: your platform thesis and next-deal criteria
AI Track
Your Unfair advantage,
Installed.
Leverage AI on both sides of the deal: inside the acquisition itself, and inside the business you already run.
AI for acquisitions: sourcing, diligence, and deal analysis
AI for scaling: run the combined company without the bloated headcount
Hands-on builds in the room, not a demo from the stage
You build: an AI workflow working before you fly home
These are hands-on working sessions. You are not taking notes on someone else's playbook.
You, as the CEO, are building your own.
VIP EXCLUSIVE | MONDAY NIGHT, оСтоBER 19
The VIP Evening.
Formula One Dinner
A Private Night at Turn 11, Trackside at COTA, During Formula 1 Week
DealCon lands during Formula 1 week in Austin, and on Monday night VIP ticket holders go where race week cannot buy its way in. T11 is a private members' club built trackside at Turn 11, one of the most famous corners on the Circuit of the Americas Grand Prix track. The evening moves between the clubhouse and a private collector's garage, with rare and exotic cars on display and a guided tour of the grounds. You will sit in a private dinner with 100 other VIP guests and hear from two of Formula One's legends.
Venue: T11, the private car community at Turn 11, Circuit of the Americas. Photos courtesy of T11.11
THIS EVENING IS RESERVED FOR VIP TICKET HOLDERS ONLY.
BEYOND THE SESSIONS
Where Real Relationships Are Built
Cocktails, then dinner, every attendee in one room. This is where relationships are built. Joint ventures. Acquisitions. Friendships that outlast businesses. You will not want to leave.
SUNDAY, OCT 18
Welcome Reception & Connection Dinners
Curated dinners that seat you with the founders you should know. Women founders can join the Women Entrepreneurs Evening Dinner.
MONDAY, OCT 19
VIP Night at Turn 11, Trackside at COTA
A private trackside evening during Formula 1 week, where most of the room ends up doing deals over dinner. VIP ticket holders.
TUESDAY, OCT 20
The Marquee Dinner, All 150
A large group dinner with a surprise speaker, the entire room together. This is where colleagues become partners and partners become friends.
Who You'll Sit Next To
70%
Making Their First Acquisition
7- to 9-figure revenue, ready to scale through acquisition
10%
One Deal Closed
Scaling to second and third acquisitions
10%
Serial Acquirers
$50M–$300M companies building multi-company platforms
10%
Sellers
Founders preparing an exit, in the room with the buyers and the capital
"In the Room"
7- to 9-figure founders ready to acquire
Serial acquirers executing 3–10 deals per year
Exit-focused CEOs planning 2026–2027 liquidity
Debt and equity partners funding lower middle-market deals
M&A attorneys, investment bankers, and transaction advisors
Integration, operations, and AI experts
Industries Represented
E-commerce & Consumer Brands, SaaS, Digital Agencies, Professional Services, Legal Roll-ups, Home Services, Manufacturing, Healthcare Services
The frameworks are universal. Only the industry details change.
Hear From Prior DealCon Attendees
3 Ticket Options. Choose Your Experience.
General Admission
This is for you if you want the full playbook and the room, and you are earlier in your acquisition journey.
$2,997
$3,997
Welcome reception and curated opening-night dinner, Sunday Oct 18
Full access to all sessions and networking
Large group dinner with surprise speaker
All breakfasts and lunches included
LOI templates and deal structure frameworks
Private event Slack channel, plus 30 days of post-event community access
DealMaker Access
MOST POPULAR
This is for you if your first deal is in motion and you want guidance, access, and a plan before you arrive.
$3,747
$4,747
Everything in General Admission, plus:
Pre-Event Acquisition Strategy Call, 1-on-1 with Tom or Matt
Post-Event Advisory Session: your 90-day execution plan, with Tom or Matt
Curated introductions to capital and deal advisors
Pre-event attendee directory access
Priority front-row seating
60-day private Slack channel with Q&A access
Not sure which experience fits? Book a 15-minute call.
VIP Experience
VIP is not perks. It is proximity: to capital, to dealmakers, and to the two people running the room. This is for you if you are actively acquiring or preparing an exit.
$4,747
$5,847
Everything in DealMaker, plus:
The Private T11 Trackside Night at Circuit of the Americas during Formula 1 week, headlined by Jonathan Green and Dave O'Neill, with Tom and Matt
VIP Deal Review Session: your live deal, 1-on-1 with Tom or Matt
Priority Capital Introductions: curated 1-on-1 to the partners who fund deals
Advanced Integration and Exit Prep Workshops (post-event)
The 60-Page Integration Playbook with video walkthrough
Private VIP Lounge all three days
Sponsors, Advisory Board members, and speakers all attend the VIP evening. Most of the room will be trackside Monday night.
VIP is limited by T11 venue capacity. First come, first seated
Not sure which experience fits? Book a 15-minute call.
Post-event Slack community access: 30 days with GA, 60 days with DealMaker and VIP.
DAYS UNTIL DEALCON
This Isn't a Conference.
It's a Curated Deal-Making Network.
Not for Everyone.
And That's the Point.
If you're running a real business and ready to acquire or preparing to sell, you belong in this room. If not, this isn't the room.
Active solicitation is reserved for sponsors.
No aspiring founders
No corporate wanderers
No unvetted attendees
PLANNING YOUR OWN EXIT
Thinking About Your Own Exit?
Roughly 70 to 80% of businesses that go to market never close a sale. If selling is on your horizon in the next 18 to 24 months, the Exit Track on Wednesday morning puts you in a room with founders who have already done it, and the two days before it show you the buy-side math that decides your multiple.
One acquisition pre-exit can add
$5M-$15M
to your sale price.
Want to make sure DealCon is right for you?
Book a 15-minute fit call. We would rather tell you no than sell you the wrong room.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS
BEYOND THE SESSIONS
Archer Hotel, Austin, TX
3121 Palm Way, Austin, TX 78758 | In the heart of Austin's business and innovation
district.
DealCon Austin brings together serious founders, 7- to 9-figure entrepreneurs, acquirers, capital partners, and dealmakers who are actively buying, selling, and scaling through acquisition. This isn't a conference for spectators. It's a room for people playing offense.
The real leverage happens between sessions. Early-morning coffee meetings. Long lunches that turn into frameworks. Dinners that become partnerships. Late-night conversations that lead to acquisitions, capital, and momentum. This is where trust gets built, and trust is what closes deals.
The Archer Hotel is sold out. Contact us for other hotel recommendations.
This Year's DealCon Sponsors
Interested in sponsoring DealCon? Position your brand at the heart of the acquisitions-and-exits ecosystem, with access to founders and CEOs actively driving growth through deals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the event dates?
Monday, October 19th - Wednesday, October 21st, 2026.
Where is the event located?
Archer Hotel, Austin, TX: 3121 Palm Way, Austin, TX 78758.
Is there a group rate for the hotel?
The Archer Hotel is sold out. Contact us for other hotel recommendations.
Do you offer cancellations/refunds?
DealCon gives an event credit towards future events. Plus, Tom personally calls attendees beforehand to ensure fit. We'd rather refund than have someone in the room who shouldn't be there.
Can I promote my services at DealCon?
Only as a sponsor. DealCon is a room for learning and building relationships, and every guest is there to do the same. Service providers are welcome to attend, but actively soliciting other guests is reserved for sponsors. Request sponsor information to see the options.
Can I buy multiple tickets for my team?
Absolutely. We recommend bringing partners or senior team members. Contact us for group pricing (5+ tickets).
Can my spouse or children attend?
Spouse is welcome (separate ticket required). Event is not appropriate for young children. This is a professional business event.
What will the event schedule be?
See detailed agenda above. Full schedule with session times sent 30 days before event.
Can you accommodate physical limitations?
Yes. Contact us with specific needs and we'll make arrangements.
Can I sponsor this event?
Yesl Sponsorship opportunities available. Learn more here.
What industries qualify for this event?
ALL industries. Our attendees acquire: agencies, brands, SAAS, professional services, manufacturers, and more. M&A frameworks are universal-only industry details change.
Still have questions? Contact us at [email protected]
