The PREP Playbook reverses that sequence. Before any buyer sees the business, we do the work a buyer's lender will eventually do anyway. We find the problems first. We address what can be fixed. We build a financial narrative that holds up under scrutiny. Then — and only then — does the business go to market.
That approach comes from 13 years as a commercial lender. Reading a business the way a credit committee does is not a method most brokers have. It is the foundation this practice was built on.
Before a business reaches the market, we evaluate its financial performance, owner dependency, customer concentration, market position, and transferability. We identify what a buyer or lender will challenge — before they find it. The owner leaves this phase knowing exactly where the business stands and what a qualified buyer will pay.
We strengthen the financial narrative, organize documentation, address identified weaknesses, and prepare recast financials to lender-defensible standards. Nothing reaches the market until the business is ready to hold up under a buyer's due diligence process.
We market to qualified buyers, manage negotiations, coordinate advisors, and maintain momentum. Sellers who prepared thoroughly in phases one and two negotiate from strength. They lead the process instead of reacting to it.
Due diligence, transition management, continuity planning, and legacy protection require active attention. Employees, customers, relationships, and reputation do not protect themselves in a transaction. This phase ends when the transition is stable and the owner can look back with confidence.
Before banking, I built and sold two construction companies through asset-based transactions. Those exits were not perfect, but they were instructive. They taught me how critical timing, preparation, and control are when navigating a transition.
Owners deserve time to prepare, clarity around their options, and a process that minimizes surprises. That lesson is central to how I work today.
That perspective shapes how I advise owners who are thinking about selling their business or preparing for a future exit.
Business owners often ask how buyers actually determine value. I evaluate businesses with the discipline of a banker and the judgment of an owner. I understand buyer expectations because I have spent years on both sides of valuation, underwriting, diligence, and closing.
My role is to bring structure and clarity to complex decisions. That includes bank-ready valuations, clean financial narratives, and transaction processes that hold up under scrutiny and preserve leverage.
My practice focuses on established companies in skilled trades, home services, professional services, healthcare, and marine-related businesses, typically with revenues between $1 million and $50 million.
While I work directly with clients, I am supported by dedicated transaction and operational infrastructure within the CIBB platform. This includes hands-on coordination, document control, and process management to ensure consistency, momentum, and confidentiality throughout each engagement.
Business owners deserve a plan. They deserve straight answers, clean numbers, and a process that respects the years invested in building something meaningful.
My role is to help owners make informed decisions with clarity and confidence. And when the time comes, to exit on their terms.
