After recognizing these voids in the M&A landscape, I formed Great Lakes M&A Consulting with five guiding principles:

1. To provide small and mid-sized middle market businesses access to high quality and highly experienced M&A professionals.
2. To advise business Owners and Leaders in the development of comprehensive M&A strategies and processes first, and not just rush into deal mode and “doing deals”.
3. To invest in learning about what an “ideal” transaction would be for each individual Company or Owner/Leader. An “ideal” transaction is different for every company and situation. And for most business Owners and Leaders that I’ve had the honor of advising, an “ideal” transaction is much more complex than just simply “the highest price” or the biggest acquisition. Culture fit and alignment.
   How employees will be transitioned and treated post-acquisition. How the business legacy will be preserved post-acquisition. These factors and many more -in combination with a fair value – constitute an “ideal” transaction for most business Owners and Leaders.
4. To provide these services on a consultative and “as-needed” basis for companies that want to lean more into the M&A space but are unable to internally staff an M&A only focused person or team.
5. Above all else, to provide professional M&A advisory services in a completely honest and ethical manner, to be a true trusted advisor to my clients, and to put their needs and goals above any simplistic deal doing and being a “paid cheerleader”, rooting for deals to get done regardless of fit.