Steve Dykstra

Steve works with owners of privately held businesses on the transaction most of them will only do once. That work starts long before a company goes to market: understanding what it is worth today, what is driving or limiting that number, and what can realistically be changed in the three to five years before an exit.

On the buy side, Steve prepares acquirers to compete. On a recent listing, more than sixty buyers signed an NDA within two weeks and six letters of intent came in at or above an aggressive asking price. Several buyers who were willing to pay it were never seriously considered — no M&A attorney to draft an LOI quickly, no banking relationship or pre-qualification, no personal financial statement or bio to show who they were. Preparation, not enthusiasm, decided that deal.

Every seller conversation begins the same way: a complimentary, confidential valuation and an honest answer about where the business stands.