Our acquisition services include two components :

• Advice regarding strategy, tactics and best practices
• Identify, research and screen acquisition targets

Mergers and acquisitions are a sophisticated game. It may appear simple on the surface; however, there is room for a large amount of value exchange. The game is too important to wing it; mistakes can be costly.

Mergers and acquisitions can involve a high degree of subtlety. Sometimes the players are not aware of what they don't know. It makes good sense to benefit from the knowledge and judgment of an experienced dealmaker. I work as part of your team to improve your acquisition decisions, tactics and process. My framework of best practices helps you to improve the quality of your acquisition decisions. I also help you avoid mistakes.

Acquisition Advice

I offer an outsider’s objective point of view; my perspective is different than yours. I act as a sounding board for your team, asking critical questions, challenging your assumptions, and advising on structuring alternatives. With many years of experience arranging acquisitions, my deal instincts are well honed.  

The companies that your firm is likely to acquire are the same types of companies that have been my clients for the past 28 years. I have worked extensively with these firms and understand their motivations, risk characteristics and growth alternatives. I offer insight to the seller’s perspective.

Negotiation Strategy and Tactics

The price you get is the price you negotiate. When value is strategic, negotiating is basically a poker game. As a professional negotiator, I have been involved in hundreds of negotiations. Reading people is a paramount skill, and I know how to recognize a bluff.

There is a wide range between the minimum price a seller will accept and the maximum price a buyer is willing to pay. I help determine the best price to offer and I have significant experience establishing rationales for valuations.

Timing is critical in almost every transaction. I offer advice regarding the optimal pacing of a transaction in order to get it closed effectively and to help my client achieve the best price and terms.

Overcome Problems

Every transaction encounters problems. My experience and creative mindset enable me to overcome the problems and obstacles that invariably arise. As a third party, I can handle the tough issues and be the bad guy. Since I will not be involved after the acquisition is closed, it makes sense for me to handle the sticky issues and avert future relationship problems.

The acquisition of a company, especially a small company, can involve a fair amount of emotion. I understand the psychology of these deals and can diffuse emotions.

The two biggest time wasters in the acquisition process are sellers who are not really serious about being acquired and sellers who want unrealistic prices. My experience working with sellers enables me to determine the seller’s motives early in the process.

Identify, Research and Screen

If required, we assist with identifying, researching and screening potential acquisition candidates. We proactively seek out companies that are not for sale and use imagination in exploring adjacent markets for creative acquisition ideas.

Our objective is to provide management with a small set of prioritized and well-researched acquisition candidates. A proactive and committed search yields the best results. The most attractive candidates are generally not "for sale" and must be actively sought out.

Discipline and Imagination

Our acquisition searches are characterized by discipline and imagination. We have the discipline to drill down aggressively on a market sector, turning over every stone. We have the imagination to explore the gray edges of the market, uncovering the less obvious candidates.

Acquisitions on the Edge

The edge of the market contains the best opportunities. The periphery includes smaller, emerging companies in markets that are just taking shape. We examine these tangential and fringe areas to uncover fits that may not be obvious. We provide creative acquisition ideas, not just the usual candidates.

We spend the time to educate ourselves on the company's core competencies, strategic focus and objectives. What strengths would it like to leverage? What weaknesses could be overcome with a well-focused acquisition?

Screening is one of the most demanding aspects of the acquisition process. We put considerable effort into screening and qualifying the candidates, saving the client significant amounts of time.

The Market Opportunity

Many smaller companies have developed excellent technologies or service offerings but have limited marketing and sales resources, or lack capital for growth. Some may have excellent customer bases, however, the owners desire liquidity. Both types of firms need to be part of larger companies with greater sales, marketing, and distribution resources.

Our Clients

Our acquisition clients are typically public and private companies with revenues of $25 million to $250 million. In addition to internal growth, these firms realize that acquisitions can play an important role in achieving their growth objectives. Management is fully engaged running the business and has a sense of urgency about building the company. Utilizing the services of an experienced acquisition firm is both cost effective and productive. In addition to North America, we have closed transactions with companies in Europe and Asia. See our International Contacts. 

Case Study

BVRP's acquisition of Elibrium is an illustrative case study. BVRP Software designs and publishes software designed for communications, mobility, and security. The company's products are sold in over 100 countries through e-commerce, OEM partners and IT resellers. The company had revenues of 43 million Euros and was publicly traded on the Nouveau Marché Exchange. It has subsidiaries in France, Great Britain and the United States. The company recently changed its name to Avanquest Software.

BVRP needed additional distribution channels in North America in order to capitalize on the large U.S. market. Over a six-month period, we investigated almost 200 companies and presented our client with 46 potential targets. BVRP selected 17 companies that they wanted us to qualify further. We performed more in-depth research on these companies and reduced the number of top candidates to a short list.

One of these target companies, Elibrium, possessed many of the requirements that BVRP was seeking. Elibrium was not seeking to be acquired. In fact, the company was in the midst of arranging additional growth financing. A deal was ultimately worked out that was beneficial to both parties and BVRP successfully completed the acquisition of Elibrium.