Business Transitions | Mergers & Acquisitions | Consulting
Chris Cole, a Missouri licensed attorney and commercial real estate broker, has been through extensive mergers and acquisitions (M&A) training, learning the business of brokering M&A deals and executing business transitions. As a practicing attorney, Chris had already handled a large number of small-to-lower middle market M&A transactions for his clients, including stock acquisitions, asset purchases, and corporate reorganizations and recapitalizations. Cole has also been involved in a number of business acquisitions on his own behalf, both stock and asset purchases. Through his prior experience as an attorney and his M&A experience, Cole has developed his own procedures, materials, and support services needed to make the M&A process go smoothly.
We are now proud to offer these services in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Southeast Missouri through Lorimont Business Advisors.
The M&A industry is made up of several players, including private equity firms, investment banking firms, accounting firms, law firms, business brokers, and business intermediary firms. Non-Wall Street type business transitions are frequently handled by business brokers and business intermediaries.
Generally, business brokers work with "Main Street" type businesses (i.e., small businesses usually under $1,000,000 in value), while business intermediaries tends to work with larger companies from $1,000,000 to $50,000,000 in value. The latter transactions are inherently more complex, with more moving parts, more shareholders, more complex financial structure, and are more challenging to manage through the due diligence process to a conclusion. Our experience and training in the more complex business intermediary world has prepared us to handle both Main St. and larger lower-middle market deals.
Lorimont brokers are occasionally asked if we can sell a business along with the commercial real estate it is occupying. Although a state or national license is generally not required to help someone sell a business, a lot of expertise is necessary depending on the business and the industry it is in, as well as complex legal documents and intense transaction management. With a legal background in M&A and many hours of training, Cole has the tools required to effectively assist business owners with their business transitions.
Chris can be reached at ccole@lorimont.com or call toll-free at 1-888-275-0429.