2018 Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year Finalist

It is an honor to be a finalist for the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors 2018 Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year Award.

I founded Oaklyn Consulting in 2016 to address a problem facing small and middle-market private companies and their professional advisors:

Investment banking and corporate finance advice is available almost exclusively from service providers who work for success fees, and as a result they help most when a deal of a certain size is the best outcome. But deals are not always the answer, and the path to the answer is not always clear.

We believe that any business owner should have access to thoughtful investment banking advice when their business is at a crossroads.

So, we help small and middle-market private companies complete mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other strategic transactions; arrange financing; and manage investor relationships, all with time-based billing. We complement the work of investment bankers, lenders, lawyers, wealth managers and accountants.

Sharing knowledge through articles supports our mission and serves our larger vision that all entrepreneurs and business owners should have access to the capital they need to plan for the future, grow and thrive.

We very much appreciate that the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors has recognized our work.

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3 Signs an M&A Deal Is in Trouble

Read the article in CFO.Spotting signs of trouble early is critical for CFOs to prevent a deal from derailing. Not every CFO will experience M&A firsthand during their career. But those who do typically find that their existing skillset makes them a crucial asset...

4 Tips for Pitching Investors in Today’s Economy

Read the article in CFO.Any company that intends to grow past a certain point eventually reaches the familiar milestone of pitching to private capital sources in hopes of securing additional funding. Those businesses that tend to be most successful are the ones that...

Resolving Conflicts in a Family Business

Read the article in Small Business Current.When family members run a business together, the experience often draws them closer, but there are inherent risks as well. Having years of personal history with one’s co-workers can sometimes lead to non-work disputes...

Oaklyn Consulting Congratulates Proof of the Pudding on Acquisition by Bruin Capital

Oaklyn Consulting congratulates Atlanta-based catering, food service and event company Proof of the Pudding on its recent acquisition by Bruin Capital. Oaklyn Consulting assisted Proof of the Pudding in evaluating potential partners and negotiating the transaction....

Analyzing Broad vs. Narrow M&A Deal Processes

We respect the unique M&A market insights that Sutton Place Strategies, an affiliate of Bain & Company, creates from its business development work with PE firms. SPS Founder and CEO Nadim Malik gave a presentation at ACG Boston's M&A Outlook forum in...

How To Work Through Conflicts In a Family Business

Creating a family business comes with a lot of positives, as well as a lot of challenges. Here’s how to handle those conflicts as they arise. Thanks to The American Genius for having me! Read the article in PDF.Anyone who’s managed a business with other family members...

Takeaways from Axial’s Recent ‘Dead Deals’ Analysis

Those of us who negotiate M&A transactions for, and with, small- to mid-sized businesses know a few hallmarks of the process: For any company, there is a limited universe of buyers. Each buyer's interest is unique, so average valuations are not reliable indicators...

Who We Helped in 2022

At the start of every year, we at Oaklyn Consulting like to look back at the past 12 months to reflect on projects accomplished and lessons learned from our clients. Building on our achievements from 2021, Oaklyn Consulting worked with 34 organizations in 2022 on...

Monty Bruell Interview with Business Radio X

Our Monty Bruell sat down with Business Radio X to discuss succession planning in minority and women-owned businesses. Listen on Spotify or Amazon Music or read the transcript below!INTRO: Broadcasting live from the business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it's...

Succession Planning for Minority and Female Business Owners

For the founders of minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), succession planning takes on a deeper significance. Our Monty Bruell explains in a guest column for Memphis Business Journal. Read the article in PDF.Any entrepreneur approaching retirement has...