an introduction to firm advisory + what we look for in client relationships + how we engage with clients + how we onboard clients
Information relevant to business owners and leaders who care about business value.
We are a boutique M&A, business valuation and advisory practice with a breadth of perspective informed by our professional and entrepreneurial backgrounds. We value function over form. That means you're more likely to see us in blue jeans with our sleeves rolled up than in blue suits and ties.
We help owners of privately held companies measure, grow and harvest business value. We provide frank feedback from an arms-length perspective to valuation and advisory clients. For clients looking to buy or sell a business, we provide transaction assistance and act as sherpas, guiding and providing support from start to completion. For value architecture or turnaround clients, we don't just strategise. We implement.
We view assessing for and ensuring mutual fit as an important first step when considering potential client relationships.
We are generally industry agnostic but do consider business size. Our typical client business generates seven or more figures in sales, up to 50 million dollars in annual revenue. For sell-side transaction assistance, we require that potential client businesses have a minimum anticipated transaction value of at least 1 million dollars.
Beyond business size, we also look for engagement alignment with our expertise and areas of focus, client intent and commitment to the process, timelines and time sensitivity, expectations and communication style, and, of course, ethical alignment
We screen for clients with clear goals and who are open to advice and collaboration. Respect for our professional relationship, including the scope of work, communication protocols, and confidentiality agreements is important. Additionally, clients should have realistic expectations regarding our services, potential outcomes, timelines and costs.
We aim to ensure alignment between the interests of our clients and our own as a service provider. Our engagement letters detail our understanding of client needs, our proposed approach, and our fee structure. For engagements that include a success fee, such as the sale of a business or turnaround assistance, we provide additional documentation to clarify terms.
All engagements require a non-refundable upfront deposit, followed by ongoing invoicing as the project progresses. Late payments are subject to penalties, and we maintain the right to pause work if necessary.
We carefully vet potential client relationships before engaging, but do reserve the right to withdraw from engagements for reasonable cause including conflict of interest or poor mutual fit.
Our onboarding process begins with an online readiness assessment. This assessment typically takes a couple of minutes to complete and allows prospective clients to gauge their readiness for working with us.
Prospective clients can then submit their engagement details online through our intake form. Upon completion and submission, you will be directed to schedule a discovery call. On the call, you will be able to provide an overview of your needs and we can begin to explore our potential engagement.
