Episodes

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Candice Beaumont, Chief Investment Officer of L Investments and Chairwoman of Salsano Group, shares her perspective on the renewed energy in the SPAC market. With deep experience in capital markets, M&A, and board leadership, Candice discusses how the SPAC cycle has evolved from a major cooldown to an emerging wave of enthusiasm, particularly in certain high-growth sectors. She highlights the correlation between equity capital markets and SPAC activity, the ...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, we sit down with Chaz Churchwell, Founder & Principal of Churchwell Insurance Agency, to discuss the shifting landscape of public Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance. With nearly two decades in the insurance industry and a reputation for guiding clients through complex coverage needs, Chaz shares why current D&O pricing levels may not be sustainable — and what market forces could be pushing costs upward. From the role of reinsurance companies like Trans Re,...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, co-hosts Michael Blankenship and Joshua Wilson are joined by Cayman-based attorney Alexandra Low to explore a key decision every SPAC sponsor must make: Where should the SPAC be incorporated—Delaware or Cayman? Alexandra draws from years of experience leading SPAC transactions in both jurisdictions, offering a grounded perspective on why many sponsors favor the Cayman Islands for its tax neutrality, fast turnaround for incorporation, and minimized exposure to...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Michael Blankenship sits down with Alexandra Low, Counsel in the Capital Markets and Corporate team at Appleby’s Cayman Islands office. Ali leads the firm’s SPAC practice and brings extensive experience advising on both SPAC IPOs and de-SPAC transactions for public and private companies, sponsors, and asset managers. Ali shares how she transitioned from working in Canada at Goodmans and Stikeman Elliott to becoming a key legal advisor in the Cayman Islands d...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship and Derek break down one of the most common myths about going public through a SPAC: that it’s quicker and easier than a traditional IPO. While SPACs may provide access to capital up front, the reality is that operational readiness is critical to completing the merger. Companies still need to have audited financials, robust governance, internal controls, and disclosure processes in place—all under a fixed timeline. If that groundwork isn’t p...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, hosts Michael Blankenship and Joshua Wilson sit down with seasoned SPAC sponsor James Graf to explore one of the most pressing issues facing the market today: why even strong private companies are hesitant to go public via SPAC. Graf shares candid insights into the challenges sponsors now face—from widespread redemptions to post-merger underperformance. He explains why institutional resistance, weak aftermarket support, and the reputational fallout of failed...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Michael Blankenship is joined by Daniele D’Alvia—legal scholar and corporate finance lawyer—to explore the long-term viability and evolution of SPACs. Daniele argues that SPACs are not disappearing but rather maturing into a more transparent and governance-driven vehicle for accessing the capital markets. From the SPAC boom of 2020–2021 to today’s more cautious and compliance-focused approach, Daniele walks through what the industry has learned about misalig...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Michael Blankenship welcomes Daniele D’Alvia, a globally recognized academic and legal expert in banking and finance law. Daniele serves as a lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and deputy director of the Institute of Banking and Finance. He is also an associate researcher with the European Banking Institute in Frankfurt. In addition to his academic work, Daniele is an active corporate finance lawyer specializing in SPACs and alternative investment v...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, co-hosts Michael Blankenship and Joshua Wilson sit down with Seth Farbman, Chairman of Vstock Transfer and founder of ShareMedia, to explore the often-overlooked role of branding in SPAC success. Seth shares how today's SPAC sponsors—many of whom are serial dealmakers—must actively build visibility and trust to stand out in a crowded market. Drawing from his work at ShareMedia, a LinkedIn branding agency for IPOs and SPACs, Seth explains why personal brand p...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship and Derek dive into the due diligence process from the sponsor’s perspective. What does it really take to determine if a private company is ready for the public markets via a SPAC? Sponsors go beyond high-level growth narratives. They examine whether financials have been audited under PCAOB standards, evaluate the quality of forecasts, assess operational readiness, and explore any legal or regulatory risks. SPAC teams also consider leadershi...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Candice joins Mike Blankenship to share the unconventional and inspiring story of how she got involved in the SPAC world. It all started with Athena Acquisition Corp.—the first all-female SPAC—where she served as an advisor and got a firsthand look at the power of the asset class. Her experience led her to pitch the idea of launching a SPAC to the billionaire she worked with—offering him a million-dollar stock bonus just for sourcing a deal. The bold proposa...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship and Joshua Wilson are joined by Candice Beaumont—Chairman of the Salsano Group and Chief Investment Officer of L Investments. With deep roots in both public and private markets, Candice shares insights from a career that spans corporate finance at Merrill Lynch, investment banking at Lazard, and private equity at Argonaut Capital. Candice currently serves on the boards of multiple SPACs and advises several others, all while leading global fa...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Derek joins Mike Blankenship to discuss one of the fastest-moving sectors in the 2025 SPAC landscape: digital assets and crypto. With several SPACs actively targeting the space—and recent announcements involving companies like ProCap and Tron—it’s clear this sector is drawing significant interest. As the public gains a better understanding of blockchain-based business models and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, SPACs are increasingly positioning the...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, James Graf joins Mike Blankenship to reflect on how retail investor participation in SPACs has shifted since the 2020 boom. James recounts the pre-COVID era, when SPACs often struggled to meet shareholder count requirements, and how that flipped during the peak of meme-driven interest. Retail investors once drove much of the post-IPO volume and price movement, sometimes outpacing institutions in influence. But that surge came with new challenges—rapid inflow...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship sits down with Seth Farbman, President of VStock Transfer, to unpack the often overlooked—but critical—role of the transfer agent in a SPAC transaction. Seth shares why the transfer agent acts as the gatekeeper of the cap table, balancing the needs of both the issuer and shareholders. From handling shareholder communication to ensuring accuracy and responsiveness throughout the de-SPAC process, transfer agents are a foundational part of the ...

What separates a successful SPAC from one that struggles? In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship and Derek explore the key characteristics of high-performing SPACs in today’s market. With nearly 60 SPAC IPOs in 2025 already, the data shows that most successful SPACs are led by experienced sponsors—those who understand the ecosystem and know how to navigate each stage of the transaction. Equally important is the strength of the advisory team, including legal, banking, and accounti...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship is joined by Seth Farbman, a seasoned entrepreneur and trusted name in the capital markets ecosystem. With a career spanning over two decades, Seth has founded and sold multiple service firms supporting thousands of public and private companies. Now serving as Chairman and President of VStock Transfer, Seth works closely with issuers across IPOs, SPACs, and national exchange listings. He shares how the role of a transfer agent fits into the ...

As securities litigation involving SPACs continues to rise, SPAC sponsors are increasingly finding themselves named in lawsuits. In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship and Chaz Churchwell break down what sponsors need to know about D&O (Directors & Officers) insurance in this shifting legal environment. Chaz shares recent litigation trends—including the fact that 96% of SPAC-related securities lawsuits in 2024 named the sponsor team—and emphasizes the importance of specific endor...

🎙️ SPAC Guest Spotlight — Meet Chaz Churchwell From the U.S. Army to the boardrooms of public companies, Chaz Churchwell has spent nearly two decades helping leaders manage risk with precision and integrity. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran and founder of Churchwell Insurance Agency, Chaz brings an unwavering sense of purpose to executive liability insurance — protecting what founders, officers, and directors work so hard to build. Since founding his agency in 2014, Chaz and his team have served ov...

What separates one-off SPAC sponsors from those who build lasting platforms? In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike Blankenship speaks with James Graff, a veteran sponsor with over 14 years in the space, about what defines success in today’s market. James explains that long-term sponsors don’t treat SPACs as opportunistic vehicles—they treat them as a repeatable business. The most successful players build institutional platforms, focus on execution, and think ahead to the next transaction. F...

In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, co-host Mike Blankenship sits down with James Graff, CEO of Graff Global Corp and a veteran SPAC sponsor who’s been active in the space for over 14 years. James shares how he transitioned from a 20-year career in investment banking to leading SPAC transactions—having now participated in eight as a sponsor or director. He recounts his early exposure to SPACs while working at MGM Studios during its financial restructuring and reflects on what drew him to the s...

After the historic SPAC boom of 2020–2021 and a cooling period that followed, 2025 is seeing renewed interest in the SPAC model. In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, Mike and Derek discuss why the market is turning back to SPACs as a viable capital formation pathway. Many SPACs from the boom years ultimately liquidated, returning billions in capital to investors. With the traditional IPO window still slow to reopen, that capital is now looking for new deployment vehicles—and SPACs are regaining...

Derek is a Partner at Centri Business Consulting and the leader of the firm’s SEC, Financial Reporting & SPAC Practice. He has more than 25 years of accounting experience in both public and private industries. He joined Centri in September 2020 and has focused on Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules and regulations, recurring public company SEC filings, IPO registration statements, business combination filings and pro forma financial statements as well as private company IPO readines...

While the promote is often the most discussed form of compensation for SPAC sponsors, it’s not the only one. In this episode of The SPAC Podcast, we take a closer look at additional forms of sponsor compensation that may exist around a transaction. Private placement warrants, expense reimbursements, success fees, or even advisory roles post-close are all possible components. These forms of compensation are not uncommon, but transparency around them is critical. The SEC has emphasized the import...