Closing Remarks Podcast: Conversations That Shape What’s Next

Benchmark International is proud to introduce Closing Remarks, a new conversational podcast featuring founders, advisors, and business leaders exploring pivotal decisions, defining moments, and life transitions that shape the journey of selling a business and stepping into what comes next.

There is often a moment, a single moment, in the life of a business owner who has spent years building something meaningful. A conversation begins, the language shifts, and unfamiliar terms start to surface. EBITDA multiples, earnouts, working capital adjustments, letters of intent, indemnification. The discussion moves quickly. The stakes feel immediate.

And in that moment, many business owners realize that they are navigating one of the most important decisions of their lives in a language they were never taught.

For someone hearing these terms for the first time, it can be enough to make their heads spin. Yet many choose to listen quietly, not wanting to slow the conversation or appear uninformed. The Closing Remarks podcast was created because of that moment.

Why Closing Remarks was Created

Selling a business is often the most significant financial event in a person’s life. It represents years of work, risk, relationships, and personal investment.

“Our industry has a language problem, and the language problem serves the people who created it,” said Dara Shareef, Shareholder and Board Member. “The language creates a wall between the people inside the industry and the people the industry is supposed to serve. Many end up with a partnership between the person who understands the language and the person they represent who doesn't.”

The structure for how deals get done was built for practitioners, by practitioners. It was never designed to be easily understood by a business owner going through the process for the first time. Most owners sell once, maybe twice, in their lifetime. The advisors and buyers they engage with do this every day. Closing Remarks was created to close that gap.

Who is Closing Remarks for

Closing Remarks is built for business owners at every stage. For those preparing to sell, those years away from a potential exit, and those simply beginning to think about what their business may be worth.

It is also for people closest to those decisions. Spouses and partners who have been part of the journey from the beginning. Attorneys, CPAs, and wealth advisors who help guide early conversations. Buyers, investors, and operators who want a clearer understanding of how sellers think and feel throughout the process.

Each episode creates a window for these perspectives, giving every audience a clearer view of what actually happens behind the scenes.

Meet the Host: Dara Shareef

Closing Remarks is hosted by Dara Shareef, Shareholder and Board Member at Benchmark International. With over a decade of experience representing sellers, Dara has worked across a wide range of transactions, negotiating with private equity firms, strategic buyers, and institutional investors. Benchmark International closes more than 200 deals each year, creating a level of exposure and pattern recognition that is difficult to replicate.

Throughout his career, Shareef has seen deals fall apart hours before closing and come back together. He has also seen business owners receive valuations that reflect years of effort, only to see those numbers change during diligence, as well as complex transactions succeed when both sides develop a clear understanding of what truly matters.

These experiences inform his approach as host. In Closing Remarks, Shareef serves as an advocate for the listener. When technical terminology is introduced, he pauses the conversation and translates it in real time. He asks questions many would hesitate to ask, ensuring listeners feel included, informed, and confident in the discussion.

What Listeners Can Expect

Each episode is structured as a conversation that moves from experience to insight. Guests share real stories about building businesses, making decisions, and navigating complex moments. The podcast goes beyond storytelling, offering practical guidance that listeners can apply to their own situations. Preparation plays a major role.

Business owners who understand the process, who have heard from others who have gone through it, and who know what to expect tend to navigate transactions with greater confidence. Closing Remarks is designed to provide that perspective before it is needed.

Notable Guests

Closing Remarks will feature a wide range of voices across industries and experiences.

• Derrick Brooks, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, is now a community leader, philanthropist, and investor
• Blake Poole, Managing Director of Bernstein’s Tampa practice, works closely with business owners and families navigating wealth, legacy planning, and financial decision-making
• Jerry Bell, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and education advocate, brings a perspective rooted in mentorship, leadership, and community impact
• Jason Caras, an entrepreneur and co-founder of IT Authorities, built, scaled, and ultimately sold his company after navigating significant leadership challenges
• Steven Keane, Founder and Global Chairman of Benchmark International, offers decades of insight into preparation, timing, and value creation
  

Benchmark International Arena Connection

The Closing Remarks podcast reflects Benchmark International’s broader presence in Tampa Bay through its naming rights partnership with Vinik Sports Group and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

From the Benchmark International Arena, the home of champions, the podcast brings together conversations of leaders, founders, advisors, and athletes like Derrick Brooks. The discussions extend beyond the arena, offering insight and education to the lower-middle and middle market business community.

Why the Name Matters

The name “Closing Remarks” carries a direct connection to M&A, but it also defines the structure of the show. Each episode concludes with a set of final reflections, where guests move beyond what has happened and share what others can learn from their experience. These moments transform insight into practical guidance.

Preparing for What Matters Most

The moments that define a business exit are often complex, fast-moving, and unfamiliar, but business owners do not have to approach them unprepared. Through real conversations with people who have built, bought, advised, and sold businesses, Closing Remarks helps listeners understand what to expect, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions. Because in business and in life, the best outcomes are not found. They are built.

Where to Listen

Closing Remarks is now streaming on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, and YouTube. The conversation continues beyond the deal table and industry terminology into the real decisions that shape outcomes. New episodes are released regularly, featuring the voices and perspectives that define how businesses are built, valued, and transitioned, where every closing deal has a final word, and this is where the next chapter begins.