What if the smartest move before your liquidity event isn't talking to your banker — it's talking to a community foundation?

In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Missy Andrade, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA), to unpack one of the most overlooked tools in middle market dealmaking: the community foundation. Missy leads a 26-year-old organization stewarding more than $253 million in assets across roughly 1,000 component funds, working alongside CPAs, attorneys, and wealth advisors to turn liquidity events into multi-generational legacies. From donor-advised funds and complex asset gifts — appreciated stock, real estate, mineral rights, art collections, even ownership of operating companies — to the conversation founders should be having before they sign an LOI, Missy walks through how community foundations function as a strategic partner for entrepreneurs, families, and the advisors who serve them.

🎯 What We Cover:

• How community foundations actually work (and why they're like "a bank for donors")
• Why CPAs send clients to community foundations before a sale closes
• The case for charitable planning before liquidity — not after
• Donor-advised funds vs. private foundations: when each makes sense
• How a billion-dollar Baton Rouge company was transferred to a community foundation
• Complex asset gifts: stock, real estate, mineral rights, IP, art, and more
• Donor intent and how to protect a founder's legacy across generations
• The G2 and G3 succession question every fund holder should ask
• Why the most successful philanthropists are obsessive — and team-builders
• Trust-based philanthropy and why neutrality is a community foundation's superpower

🤝 Connect with Missy Andrade:

🌐 https://www.cfacadiana.org/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/missy-bienvenu-andrade-81363b65/

🤝 Connect with Co-Host Scott Shea: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/escottshea/

💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/

🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast:

🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/

▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast

Disclaimer: Joshua Wilson is a licensed Florida real estate broker and holds FINRA Series 79 and Series 63 licensure. The Deal Podcast is presented by FA Mergers and is produced for informational and educational purposes only.

Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, legal or tax advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or to pursue or avoid any transaction. All views and opinions expressed by the hosts, co-hosts, and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of FA Mergers, One Iron Network LLC, any regulatory agency, or any employer. Listeners should consult their own legal, financial, and tax professionals before making any business, financial, or transaction decision. This podcast does not constitute a solicitation or recommendation for any financial products or services.

Let's Connect on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/

To Contact Us, Please Visit:
https://www.thedealpodcast.com/contact/