Let's Make a Deal
...a conversation with Jordan Bauman, Director, Corporate Development
Today we shine the Support Centre Spotlight on Jordan Bauman, Director, Corporate Development, who talks with us about the impact that team sports as had in his life, and what not to do when stopped at the border.
Tell me about your background – how long have you been with dentalcorp and what were you doing before you joined?
I’ve been with dentalcorp for a little over two years now. Prior to that I worked in finance at BlackBerry during its transition to a software company. I encourage people to have a look at what they are up to these days – they are completely out of the keyboard phone business that we knew and loved (confession: I still oddly enjoy seeing BlackBerry phones in movies). Before that, I earned my CPA during my time at BDO, primarily working in assurance with small and medium-sized businesses.
Have you always wanted to be in Corporate Development? What did you want to be when you were a kid?
There is no way I dreamt as a kid of being an accountant or working in corporate development. Like many other young Canadians, I thought I was headed to the NHL. But at one point, I wasn’t even making the best travel team in my small town of New Hamburg, so I knew that being a professional hockey player would not pan out. Early on in my career, I knew I wanted to have an impactful role. Corporate development and M&A will always be exciting as it can pivot an entire business, drive growth at another, or even reshape an industry. Going the accounting route helped ensure I had the proper tools to get there.
Can you tell me a bit about your role on the team? What does a typical day look like?
My team is responsible for executing on dentalcorp’s acquisitive growth strategy. More specifically, my role is to lead our deals in Western Canada through to closing. I work alongside our Partnership Development team to source the best practices, determine an appropriate valuation, and ultimately negotiate a win-win deal for dentalcorp and our new partner. I spend plenty of time on financial models (headphones in, listening to country), reviewing legal agreements, and integration matters, but a big part of the position really is talking with dentists, advisors, and our existing partners to help find those who would be a great fit with our network.
Tell me something funny that's happened to you.
Last summer on a Friday, my friends and I were driving to the US for a weekend trip. We had two deals closing that day and I was on my phone answering work emails to wrap things up. My head was buried in my phone in the backseat and I didn’t realize we were already at the border crossing. The border officer stepped out of the booth to tell me that whatever I was typing wasn’t important (he obviously had no idea how great these dental practices are). He sent my two friends and I to a customs room where we awaited our fate. To make things worse, my two friends’ names were told over the loudspeaker that they were free to leave. I was left sweating in this dark room all alone for the next twenty minutes, pondering my fate, until the border officers realized they had forgotten about me. They finally called my name, laughed, and told me to enjoy my trip.
Tell me about an experience you’ve had that’s really left an impact.
I feel like this is something a professional athlete would say, and not a CPA, but my parents signing me up for every sports team possible growing up has made an impact. Spending hours driving to practices, paying for tournaments and camps. Sports and being part of a team can teach important life lessons and be invaluable for good health. My greatest friendships have been from the various teams I was on. Sport builds character, competitive drive, teamwork, camaraderie – the list goes on and on.
Tell me something about yourself that your co-workers would never guess?
Before transferring into Laurier’s business program, my major was psychology. Within the first month of school however, I knew I was going to re-apply for business administration. I was also on the high school curling team.
What are your aspirations for personal and professional growth? Do you have a 5 year plan?
Professionally, I plan to continue learning from those around me. There are plenty of very bright people here at dentalcorp that I am fortunate to be around. On a personal note, I plan to get back into shape. Working from home ten feet from the fridge has done me poorly. My fiancée and I are getting married in 2021 so we (mostly she) have been planning that. We thought we were in the clear with a date far enough out from COVID-19, but that is becoming less and less of a certainty.
What advice do you have for new team members joining dentalcorp’s Support Centre?
Integrating at least one new practice every single week presents a unique set of challenges. Keep a positive attitude and do not be afraid of making improvements where you see fit. dentalcorp is still a young, exciting company to make your mark on. When we are back in the physical Support Centre office, team members are also encouraged to ring our office gong to celebrate new partnerships – it’s always fun to scare the entire office.
