Finance Monthly Global Awards 2022 USA 26 www.finance-monthly.com What is apieceof advicewouldyou giveapotential seller? A piece of advice I would provide every owner is to ‘know thyself’. The number one deal killer is having a seller with unrealistic expectations. When we engage a seller and learn more about their company it is hard not to see it through the eyes of the marketplace. Our perspective allows us to gauge the concerns a buyer will have, whether justified or not. If a seller does not head our advice they may go to market with an unrealistic price expectation, which may thwart any chance of selling. The same holds true for deal terms, structure and timing expectations. Until we are on the same page with respect to value range we are just treading water, or worse, potentially adversely impacting value. Leverage plays a significant role in any negotiation. If a seller does not know exactly what they have, they will never correctly appreciate how much or how little leverage they can exercise. What is your ‘secret sauce’? I really think the ‘secret sauce’ is my commitment to our craft. I have invested over a hundred thousand hours in an attempt to master the art and science of this industry. This has allowed me to develop the ability to manage human beings through a long, emotional and complex transaction process. In 2003, we began selling consulting services and business valuations. When we entered the brokerage marketplace at 30, we had to figure out how to compete with large main street franchise business brokerages on the one hand and seasoned investment bankers on the other hand. We had to figure out how to build a better mousetrap. We developed a highly efficient system for screening sellers, qualifying buyers, preparing companies for sale, marketing them and ultimately guiding all parties through a surprisingly long multi-disciplinary process. In the beginning we needed a system to be competitive and to survive. That system has now allowed us to thrive. We were also able to leverage one another’s strengths and experience in order to operate at scale through the efficiencies our internal familylike relationships provide. Another key to successful dealmaking that is often overlooked is the deal team. This may include a client’s legacy advisors such as their attorney and accountant, but we typically also introduce any number of new advisors as appropriate. These may include financial, wealth and insurance professionals or several more. No one party knows every aspect of each client’s personal and business life, but the two naturally intersect in a sale. Sometimes ‘it takes a village’ to achieve the desired outcome. I am highly active in cultivating relationships with complementary professional advisors. Just like no surgeon would enter the operating room alone, I am sure to have those Ryan Clark Veld Mergers & Acquisitions 1 Park Plaza, 600 Irvine, CA 92614 www.VeldMA.com Thedeal teamiskey. Sometimes ‘it takes a village’ toachieve the desiredoutcome.
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