GC Advisory Group provides a full range of CFO and M&A advisory services to small and middle market businesses in a variety of industries. A summary of the services provided includes:
CFO Support
Your organization may not be ready for a full-time Chief Financial Officer. Or perhaps the role needs to be filled for an interim period, or maybe the current finance workload simply requires additional resources. Our team can support your organization under any of these scenarios.
We have improved our clients’ top-line and bottom-line performance, enhanced financial and operational efficiency, strengthened the accounting and financial reporting infrastructure, and developed key performance metrics, to name a few projects. We have also helped our clients raise capital, implement ERP systems, develop business plans, create sales and pipeline management tools, prepare for 3rd party audits and reviews, and conduct a wide range of financial analyses.
Succession Planning
Having an appropriate succession plan for key individuals in the organization, including the CEO, is an asset to any company. Many studies have shown that businesses that possess depth and talent in the management team tend to outperform their industry peers. It follows then that such companies contemplating the sale of a business interest tend to command higher market valuations.
We can help you develop a succession plan that will achieve your objectives.
Business Valuation
Whether you are a buyer or seller of a business interest, it is important to understand the underlying value of the subject business. Using a variety of methodologies and techniques, we can develop a valuation – or range of valuations – that can support transaction pricing, financing arrangements and contract negotiation. We can also provide fairness opinions in connection with M&A transactions.
A business valuation is sometimes needed for purposes other than the purchase or sale of a business interest. For example, a valuation may be required to support stock option pricing, and in these instances, we are able to provide a 409A valuation report. We can also provide a solvency analysis and opinion should your business require one.
Marketing and Business Brokerage
We can develop a plan that connects sellers to the right audience of potential buyers. As part of that plan, we will help you develop the Company story, and create a ‘pitchbook’ that documents and frames the acquisition opportunity in its best light. We’ll also work with you to determine the best channels through which the story will be distributed and shared. Finally, we will reach out to qualified potential buyers and arrange discussions with the Company.
We can also assist buyers identify potential target acquisitions that fill a need or a void in the Company’s business strategy. Once we understand the need, we can communicate with you and our industry contacts to identify targets that are known as well as those not yet known. Additionally, we will reach out to qualified targets to arrange discussions with the Company.
Transaction Structuring and Financing
We can advise you on various options for structuring your transaction, and help you understand the pros and cons of each. Ultimately, we will work to structure the transaction in a way that best supports your needs.
For buyers that seek debt, equity or mezzanine financing, we can suggest options for financing your transaction. We can also work with our network of partners and industry contacts to provide financing proposals. Our goal is to help you secure the best possible financing package in a timeframe and manner that gives you maximum leverage in your transaction negotiations.
Due Diligence
As a seller, it is important to ensure that any potential qualified buyer can conduct its due diligence in an effective and efficient manner. Consequently, we’ll help you build your virtual due diligence room and see that it’s organized and populated with the appropriate information. Doing so will reduce the time that you and your team will spend on the transaction and allow you to spend more time managing the business.
As a buyer, it is essential to conduct the appropriate level of financial, legal and operational due diligence, in order to identify, understand and resolve issues that are relevant to the potential transaction. Our experience in each of these areas allows us to organize and complete the due diligence effort in a way that accomplishes these goals.
Contract Negotiation
Negotiating the purchase and sale agreement is a critical component of the transaction process. Our team possesses extensive experience with the types of contract issues that arise in these transactions, and with the solutions that are appropriate in the circumstances. As a result, we can negotiate on your behalf, or assist you in the negotiations, with the goal of producing a sound and durable agreement that meets your needs.
Buyer and Seller Representation
Our buyer and seller representation process encompasses the full scope of advisory services that we offer. It is essentially a turnkey solution in which we manage all phases of the engagement, allowing you to leverage our experience and give you and your team more time to manage your business.
Our goal is always to arrive at an executed transaction that meets your price expectations in the most efficient manner possible.