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Last week I got a call from a business owner who had decided to sell his business. He and his partners were beginning the beauty contest phase of selecting a firm to represent them in the sale. His partners had begun discussions with a merger and acquisition advisory firm. He had followed up with this firm prior to calling us and had questioned them on several issues. He shared his findings with me and asked my opinion. Generally I subscribe to my old IBM training and will not disparage a competitor, however, some of the answers were alarming to me so I elected not to withhold my opinions.
The first red flag was that this competitor required a large up-front engagement fee. I certainly have no problem with Merrill Lynch or Goldman Sachs charging their up front fees to their fortune 1000 clients. These firms are a proven commodity with a proven process. Their clients feel confident that a liquidity event will result from their work. A monthly fee is a more accommodating approach for smaller clients whose cash flow would be strained by a large up-front payment.
We have had many prospective clients approach us after unfortunate experiences with these big up-front fees.
Dave Kauppi is a Merger and Acquisition Advisor with Mid Market Capital, Inc. MMC is a private investment banking and business broker firm specializing in providing corporate finance and business intermediary services to entrepreneurs and middle market corporate clients in a variety of industries. The firm counsels clients in the areas of M&A and divestiture, family business succession planning, valuations, minority interest shareholder sales, business sales and business acquisition. Dave is a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI), a licensed business broker, and a member of IBBA (International Business Brokers Association) and the MBBI (Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries). Contact Dave Kauppi at (630) 325-0123, email davekauppi@midmarkcap.com or visit our Web page www.midmarkcap.com.
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