Strategic Transaction Process™
Business professionals know that in order to produce consistently great results, you have to follow a great process. We’re different than other investment banking firms. We operate with the sophistication of the big firms, but we don’t have expensive offices or large overhead that causes some firms to focus on the “deal flow”.
This is critical because when things get challenging or don’t go according to plan, big firms lose interest and they focus their energy on the next opportunity. The entire culture of our firm is wired differently.
Our primary objective is client success. We don’t slow down until our client’s goals are achieved.
Here’s how we do it.
We begin every engagement with a deep and thorough preparation process. We study every detail and anticipate every question that will be asked to make sure thare are no surprises when we get to the finish line. We have saved our clients millions of dollars and kept transactions on track by being well prepared. We don’t rely on low-level interns to simply gather and scan documents. Our senior team members actively participate and review every detail to ensure that they are well prepared to complete a successful transaction. Some firms call this an innovative approach.
We can’t conceive doing it any other way.
We spend significant time to understand our clients and the industries. When we approach a transaction, we don’t look for the quick and easy answer so we can get a deal done. We work hard and dig deep to find the best answer that will give our clients the best possible result. We utilize our extensive network of relationships and our proprietary database with millions of companies to build a large pool of potential prospects. Then our research team digs more deeply to uncover other additional possibilities and industries that aren’t the obvious answer.
We continue this process until we’ve developed the strongest possible prospect pool.
Many companies will produce marketing materials and blast them out to hundreds or thousands of names on a mailing list. That often produces enough interest to keep a transaction moving, but it does nothing to ensure that the best possible outcome is reached. Often, these blast marketing approaches get lost in cyberspace and the key prospects never see them. We do extensive legwork with every transaction. We proactively reach out and speak to the decision-maker at every prospect company to make sure they fully understand the benefits of the opportunity and the expectations in the transaction.
In any transaction, whether buying or selling, a critical factor in achieving outstanding results is having multiple good options. Harvard Business School refers to this as a BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). Having a good BATNA is critical to maintaining leverage in a negotiation. If you have no other options, the other party runs the show. Our Strategic Transaction Process ensures that you arrive at the negotiating table with great alternatives and a strong position.
Solid Preparation, Planning and Outreach are what make this possible.
All of the Preparation, Planning and Outreach in the world won’t help if you don’t have the skills, experience and deep business acumen that’s required to quarterback a transaction all the way to the end zone. Our team of experienced professionals works in an organized and highly collaborative manner. We have the resources, the talent, and the processes we need to do the job right. We develop a clear timeline at the beginning of every engagement and we follow it closely so all parties to the transaction know exactly what to expect.
There is a great deal of “science” required to complete a successful transaction. However, when it comes to achieving the best possible results or getting a tough transaction across the finish line there is often a delicate “art” that comes into play. This is where our decades of experience really pay off for our clients. We have the broad business skills and the deep know-how that are required to complete a successful transaction. However, we also have the wisdom and people skills that come from experience and are often required to deliver the best value and keep things on track.