Acquiring Meaning

Business, Leadership, and Wisdom

Thoughtful conversations and insights designed to help you build a more meaningful life and career — with Austin Hartley of Parkland Capital Partners.

About the Podcast

Business insights designed to build a more meaningful career.

Acquiring Meaning explores business, leadership, and wisdom through thoughtful conversations designed to help founders, executives, and operators build more intentional careers and companies.

 

Hosted by Austin Hartley, Managing Director of Parkland Capital Partners, each episode draws from real-world M&A experience and the lessons that come from advising founders through the most consequential decisions of their careers.

Topics Covered

Business strategy, leadership development, M&A advisory, exit planning, and the pursuit of a meaningful life and career.

Available On

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube — new episodes released weekly.

Hosted By

Austin Hartley — founder of Parkland Capital Partners, M&A advisor to founder-owned businesses in the lower middle market.

Episodes

Latest Conversations

How John Carona Built the World's Largest Community Management Firm Ep | 4

Building a billion-dollar community management firm through acquisitions requires a playbook most founders never see. If you are scaling through mergers and acquisitions, learning how to buy

He Trained The Rock, Stallone, and Zac Efron: His Warning for Every Entrepreneur Chasing “Making It” | Ep 3

Aaron Williamson carried fellow Marines to their graves, went bankrupt and slept in his car, then built a career training Hollywood’s biggest names before walking away from all of it to chase something real.

Lockheed Martin Engineer Turned Founder: The Rules and Mindset Behind Everything He's Built

Justin Cross is a Navy veteran, former Lockheed Martin lead flight test engineer on classified F-22 and F-35 programs, and an entrepreneur who walked away from one of the most elite aerospace careers

The Vision

"The most meaningful work isn't always the loudest — it's the kind that stays with people long after the conversation ends."

Every episode of Acquiring Meaning is built around a single conviction: that business and wisdom are not opposites. The conversations go deep, the insights are practical, and the ideas are designed to outlast the commute.

Start the Conversation

Ready to Explore Your Strategic Alternatives?

Whether you’re considering a full sale, a recapitalization, a growth partnership, or simply want to understand what your business is worth – start with a confidential conversation.