John is a successful cross-functional executive with experience in leading and strengthening finance, accounting, and operations organizations. He has held various executive roles, including CFO, VP of Supply Chain and Planning, and EVP of Finance and Operations, during his 17-year career. In these roles, John was an integral part of the leadership team that scaled a medical device company and sold it to a private equity firm for $161 million. He led integration efforts and participated in due diligence for all the company's acquisitions.
John began his career with the accounting firm Ernst and Young in Atlanta, GA, and has worked with both startups and a large, private equity-owned medical device manufacturer. He leverages his extensive mergers and acquisitions experience to help entrepreneurs successfully transition business ownership.
John graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and holds a Master of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University. He currently lives in Marietta with his wife and two daughters.
Seth is a seasoned executive with an impressive track record of success, having held Vice President and Director positions across diverse industries. He has a wealth of experience in sales and understands the importance of building strong relationships and working collaboratively to achieve outstanding results. Seth is a skilled consultant, having helped companies of all sizes boost sales, streamline processes, and improve their bottom line. Notably, he played a crucial role in the mergers and acquisitions strategies for one of the nation's largest medical retailers.
Graduating from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, Seth has gone on to become a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) and holds a real estate license in Texas. Throughout his 20-year career, he has consistently been recognized for his achievements, receiving the highest rankings for his exceptional work.
Seth is a devoted family man and lives with his wife and two daughters in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. When he's not at work, he's active in his local church, where he volunteers his time and serves as the executive committee chair for finance.
Carl is an entrepreneur at heart. He was the third-generation owner of a wedding services provider with 14 locations and 200 employees. Carl led the effort to sell the 50 year-old business in a private equity roll-up of the industry, and his first-hand experience gives him an unparalleled understanding of what it’s like for a business owner to bring their company to market and negotiate a successful exit.
Carl is also an Adjunct Professor in the Executive MBA program at the University of Georgia and serves on the Board of the Shore Entrepreneurship Center at Kennesaw State University. He is the Founder of Brio Business Academy, dedicated to guiding business owners as they launch and grow their business. He is passionate about education because he believes that business owners make better decisions when they know how and why things work (or don’t!).
Carl graduated from the University of Notre Dame, and holds an MA from the University of Chicago, an MBA from the University of Georgia, and an M.Ed from the University of Loyola. He and his wife live in Dunwoody and have two sons that attend the Georgia Institute of Technology.
A successful company sale process requires careful planning and execution, beginning well before the business is put "on the market." Integrating sell-side M&A strategy into every stage of business planning is essential to a successful exit. In fact, studies show that companies that begin M&A planning earlier achieve higher valuations than those that start later.
Here are four key components for successfully exiting your business:
1. Be Prepared
Proper preparation is critical to easing buyer concerns and keeping the sales process moving along smoothly. This includes preparing for due diligence by gathering all necessary documents before you put your company on the market, identifying and profiling your ideal buyer type, and ensuring your business is as profitable and streamlined as possible. In fact, businesses that undergo a thorough pre-sale preparation process can see a 15% to 20% increase in valuation.
2. Build a Team Aligned With Your Goals
Selling a business is a complicated undertaking, and the buyer will likely have expert representation on their side. Hiring your own team of experts, such as the Marsh Creek team, is essential to level the playing field. Marsh Creek is affiliated with various organizations, including the Bristol Group, which consists of over 20 skilled advisors nationwide, to deliver a personalized, hands-on approach that caters to your needs. Studies show that companies that engage a professional M&A advisor achieve higher valuations and close deals more quickly than those that don't.
3. Focus on Running the Business
Hiring an expert sell-side M&A team empowers you to continue running your company while the sales process is underway. This allows you to keep the business competitive and profitable, which is critical to maintaining its value during the process. A loss of revenue or decline in EBITDA as you approach a sale can be catastrophic, so it's essential to have a well-structured exit strategy that enables the company to remain in a strong position.
4. Build a Competitive Sale Process
Your M&A advisors will run a competitive process that pre-screens buyers and identifies the ideal buyer profile. They will oversee the transaction and shepherd it through to completion as quickly as possible. A well-executed M&A process can increase the sale price of your business by up to 20%. Your team will also help you cultivate a list of back-up prospects should the original deal fall through. This tiered approach builds security into the process, and encourages buyers to keep pushing forward. Deals that lose momentum lose value. Your M&A team helps the deal maintain momentum from start to finish.
In summary, a well-planned and executed M&A strategy can significantly increase the value of your business and ensure a successful exit. As you interview M&A teams, ask what you can expect from the process, how much attention you will get, and how they ensure the deal is successful. The statistics show that a professional M&A advisor can be a game-changer in getting your exit strategy right.
