Jacqueline Martinez “The Velvet Hammer”: Her Journey Through M&A (Ep. 26)

In this episode of PRess Play: The StreetCred Podcast, hosts Elena Krasnow and Jimmy Moock sit down with Jacqueline Martinez, managing partner at Alaris Acquisitions. Jacqueline shares her journey into M&A, her experience working at United Capital during its landmark sale to Goldman Sachs and her perspective on the human side of dealmaking. She also reflects on a decade-long partnership with Allen Darby and how their work at Alaris helps buyers and sellers find their best match.

We cover:

• Jacqueline’s early days in M&A and her time with the United Capital team
• the curiosity to be more neutral in the dealmaking process that brought Jacqueline to Alaris
• how to proceed when clients learn about a sale from the headlines instead of their advisor
• Jacqueline’s personal passions, including her secret talent as a gift wrapper and her well-earned nickname, “The Velvet Hammer”
• and much more! 

Learn more about Jacqueline’s story and how the team at Alaris is changing the way buyers and sellers come together! 

Topics:

(0:15) Meet Jacqueline Martinez 

(1:23) What’s for (plot twist) breakfast? 

(2:00) Coffee or tea?

(3:07) Already thinking about happy hour 

(4:16) Jimmy and Jacqueline go way back 

(4:32) Jacqueline’s professional background and how she got her start in M&A

(4:55) Gary, Joe, Mike…the whole gang at United Capital!

(5:55) Joe Duran’s infamous holiday parties

(6:50) 10 years of partnership with Allen Darby

(7:49) Curiosity about being more neutral in the seller/buyer dynamic

(8:15) Alaris and its agnostic approach

(8:57) “The four horsemen of inorganic growth”

(10:05) An abundance of opportunity for sellers

(10:38) “So many different flavors of what partnership can look like”

(12:45) Succession planning: are advisors taking their own advice?

(13:35) Exit plans aren’t always as expedited as people think

(14:44) Alaris Acquisitions Lens

(15:45) Buyers and sellers match-making

(17:25) When clients learn about a potential sale from the headlines instead of their advisor

(20:35) Paranoia & PR go hand in hand

(21:10) The United Capital sale to Goldman Sachs

(23:15) Montage Laguna Beach David Bowie tribute on the night he died

(25:42) What Jacqueline is most excited about right now at Alaris

(27:15) Recent favorite moments from the Buyer’s Boardroom

(28:05) “The freak out moment”

(29:15) Being a calm guide to sellers

(30:15) Change is scary no matter who you are

(31:25) Our many, many listeners

(32:05) Time for our Play segment!

(32:30) An alternate life as an interior designer/professional gift wrapper

(34:00) Love of traveling

(34:25) Going to Barcelona? Hit Pallella Club

(35:30) Moment of gratitude

(36:11) Call her “The Velvet Hammer”

(37:52) From one podcast host to another

(38:22) Thank you to our listeners!

Connect with StreetCred PR:

• Contact Us: https://streetcredpr.com/contact/ 
• StreetCred PRWebsite: https://streetcredpr.com/ 
• Elena Krasnow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-krasnow/ 
• Elena Krasnow on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/elenaspeaking 
• Jimmy Moock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-moock-3103162/ 
• Jimmy Moock on X (Twitter):  https://twitter.com/jimmymoock 
• StreetCred PR on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetcred-publicrelations/ 
• StreetCred PR on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/StreetCred_PR 
• Subscribe to PRess Play on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StreetCredPR 

Connect with Jacqueline Martinez:

• Alaris Acquisitions Website: https://www.alarisacquisitions.com/ 
• Jacqueline Martinez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-martinez-/ 

About our Guest: 

Jacqueline Martinez is the managing partner of Alaris Acquisitions, an M&A advisory firm exclusively dedicated to the wealth management industry. Previously, Jacqueline served on United Capital’s M&A team where they executed on adding $10.5B in acquisitions to the organization in the five years leading up to the firm’s sale to Goldman Sachs in 2019. Following her two years at Goldman Sachs, she joined Allen Darby at Alaris where they led the team through executing 43 closed acquisitions in a short 3-year period with the nation’s top wealth management firms. Jacqueline is also the co-host of the podcast The Buyer’s Boardroom, where she shares insights and best practices to help sellers and buyers successfully execute their M&A aspirations.