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

Austin Hartley, whose background spans mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and capital markets, introduces Acquiring Meaning, launching August 4th. He breaks down why the boomer business transition is a generational
What happens when you build, sell, and exit 12 companies and still feel like something is missing? This episode unpacks the real cost of chasing external success without internal alignment,
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
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
John Carona is the founder and CEO of Associa, the largest community management company in the world with 24,000 employees across five countries. In this episode, he walks through his

The Vision

He's Exited 12 Companies: Here's His Advice to Every Entrepreneur

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.