TRANSITION TALK

Acquisition strategies are varied and diverse; how an advisor or a firm pursues acquisitions will depend on their business model and philosophy. While the approach to acquisition should be personalized, it is a mistake to do it alone. In addition to the successful transactions presented in this report, FP Transitions works with many advisors who have endured failed sales or stalled deals.

The story of a failed transaction often begins with one or both parties hesitating to hire a mediator, the perception being that their deal is “simple,” and that buyer and seller can save money if they do it themselves. The information we gather from these clients about their failed sales gives our consultants broader perspective on what works and what doesn’t in an evolving marketplace. When we combine this information with the data gathered from successful deals, it is clear that investing in a mediator improves results for both buyers and sellers in terms of success rate, speed, and value.

One misconception advisors often share with us is the belief that one-on-one negotiations are easier and brokers will just get in the way of a personal connection between buyer and seller. This perception is understandable, as it is essential that buyer and seller have a mutual affinity and have aligned interests in order to transfer and retain client relationships after the deal is done. However, mutual affinity is not sufficient to get buyer and seller over basic negotiating factors, such as valuation, deal structuring, and tax allocation of the purchase price. These are complex topics where a mediator can provide expertise and perspective to both sides and advance the deal forward.

Financial services is such a regulated industry, with the added complexity of requiring a long transition, that it is common for a sale to get bogged down in “paperwork.” So, while each party does need representation, there also needs to be a knowledgeable and neutral mediator who can be responsible for keeping everyone on track, offer solutions, and has data to show why one side’s objection is or is not valid.

FP Transitions is pleased to announce the sales of financial services businesses in the following areas during the month of July:

• Seattle, WA  |  $780,000
• Central Coast New Jersey  |  $630,000
• Fresno Area California  |  undisclosed
• Kansas City Area Missouri  |  $1,300,000
• Southern Illinois  |  undisclosed
• Portsmouth, RI  |  $2,450,000
• Orange County California  |  $260,000
• Philadelphia Area Pennsylvania  |  $460,000
• Central Colorado  |  $880,000
• Upstate New York  |  undisclosed
• Philadelphia Area Pennsylvania  |  $1,770,000

VIEW CURRENT LISTINGS HERE 

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Sold announcements include all closed third-party transactions facilitated by FP Transitions, including private listings, pre-arranged matches, and those listed on the open market. 

FP Transitions is pleased to announce the sales of financial services businesses in the following areas during the month of June:

• Northern New Jersey | $395,000

• Colorado | undisclosed 

• Chicago, IL | $185,000

• Georgia | $380,000 (partial book sale)

• Boise, ID | $550,000

VIEW CURRENT LISTINGS HERE 

VIEW COMPLETE LIST OF PRACTICES SOLD 

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Sold announcements include all closed third-party transactions facilitated by FP Transitions, including private listings, pre-arranged matches, and those listed on the open market. 

FP Transitions is pleased to announce the recent sales of financial services businesses in the following areas:

FP Transitions is pleased to announce the recent sales of financial services businesses in the following areas:

If you’ve spent much time around Portland, Oregon, you know tap houses, microbreweries, and brewpubs are about as prolific as coffee shops. The Pacific Northwest takes their food very seriously, and beer and wine are an integral part of that. In the early days, first-generation craft brewers (and their counterparts in the wine industry) were entrepreneurs or career changers who wanted to break free from the corporate world and be their own bosses. Businesses began in garages and strip malls—small spaces that provided just enough room to get the businesses off the ground. Small brewers, looking to increase scale and reduce their individual costs, collaborated to share expenses for equipment or to piggy-back on each other’s licenses. Founders have shown grit, resourcefulness, and thrift to further their businesses through the first stages. Now, the most successful operations are evolving and acquiring, and the next generation of professionals are entering the industry with specialized degrees and focus on their careers. Meanwhile, boutique and even once “cult” brands struggle to maintain their position amidst stronger competition and a consolidating industry.

Does this sound familiar? The issues of scale, expense management, and growth planning are not unique to financial services. Other professionals begin their businesses with similar limitations, which they must address and overcome in order to reach a baseline of success. Passion and perseverance are powerful fuel, but the challenge comes—for financial advisors as well as craft brewers—in creating a business that can support sustainable growth. Oftentimes, the skills necessary to make this transformation are not innate to the business owner and reluctance to seek help is precisely what hinders their growth or even survival. As entrepreneurs who are passionate about their field, getting outside guidance is necessary to overcome their limitations and see the business into the next stage.

FP Transitions is pleased to announce the 2019 sales of financial services businesses in the following areas:

• Richard Metro Area, VA • $520,000
• Central Illinois • $390,000
• New Haven Area, CT • $2,000,000
• Colorado • $200,000
• Eastern Pennsylvania • $610,000
• Minneapolis Metro Area • $700,000
• Northeastern Wisconsin • $190,000
• Atlanta Metro Area • $330,000
• Eastern New Jersey • $1,500,000
• Eastern New York State • $300,000
• New York, NY • Undisclosed
• San Francisco Bay Area • $1,100,000
• Pacific Northwest • $950,000

VIEW CURRENT LISTINGS HERE 

VIEW COMPLETE LIST OF PRACTICES SOLD 

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Mergers are transactions that can take on many shapes, apply to almost any size advisory enterprise, and are infinitely customizable depending on the unique details and situations of the participating advisors.  

Advisors commonly think of a merger as the statutory combination of two practices into one in a tax efficient manner, but it’s better to think of the merger process as the combination of two or more advisors’ strengths, client bases, and cash flow streams, while reducing or eliminating weaknesses and inefficiencies – lofty goals to be sure, but readily achievable.

The reality is that mergers can be used to address a much wider set of challenges and opportunities including:

1. Growth through acquisition (i.e., by merging a small practice into a larger practice, and then setting up an internal succession/continuity plan);
2. Finding a successor, or becoming a successor (by first creating an internal, minority equity partner who later completes the buy-out of the founder’s S-corporation or LLC);
3. Establishing a practical and reliable Continuity Plan and protecting the value of your practice against your sudden death, disability or retirement is best accomplished by having an equity partner such as may be created through a merger;
4. Improving Enterprise or Revenue Strength through increased efficiencies and the added strengths of other advisory owners;
5. Expanding market territory, expertise, and services;
6. Building a strong, enduring business by combining the diverse strengths of multiple contributors.

To help illustrate these benefits, consider the following three examples as discussed in our recent Roundtable Talk, “Every Merger Is Unique,” below, each representing an actual merger between independent advisors that we helped orchestrate in 2018: 

• Central California • $1,500,000
• Southeastern Connecticut • $800,000
• Chicago, IL • $317,000
• Northwestern US • $1,000,000
• Eastern New York State • $410,000
• Northwestern Wisconsin • $340,000
• Northern Alabama • $3,000,000
• Columbia Metro Area of South Carolina • $1,360,000

VIEW CURRENT LISTINGS HERE 

VIEW COMPLETE LIST OF PRACTICES SOLD 

LIST YOUR PRACTICE WITH FP TRANSITIONS