Case Studies

Keep in mind every deal is different and we have had sellers receive 2X multiples to .5X, all cash at closing to 12 year payout periods, 100% based on retention to no retention period at all. The volume of firms we have worked with range from start-ups to national and regional firms.
In all of the following Case Studies, the process starts by having a personal meeting with one of our team professionals to review your goals and create a business plan that can accomplish these goals. 

For firms seeking short term or long term succession or through an affiliation with an external firm or merging into a larger firm, we start by requesting information that details both the practice and goals. With our assistance, parameters are established for the type of successor firm to consider based on size, culture, location and various other important variables. A generic but detailed method of representing the practice and the goal is developed that does not reveal the firm name, clients' names or immediate location This information is presented to pre-screened, potential successor firms who meet the seller's parameters. Those firms who respond favorably are NOT provided the seller's name. The seller is first provided detailed information regarding the potential successor firms who responded and the seller selects the firms with whom to meet.

For firms that are seeking to grow through acquiring a firm or merging in a practice, our program starts by reviewing your practice, goals, ability to absorb, creating parameters of the type of practice to seek and creating a program to accomplish these goals.

For firms seeking help with their internal succession plan, step one is getting a strong picture of your practice, staff, partners, the timing and role of partners that are seeking succession, what has been agreed upon, and any existing documentation. Then we can create a business plan to ensure succession works for retiring and remaining partners alike.

Below are links that take you to different case studies based on the following descriptions. Click on the ones you would like to review.

Case Study Number 1: A Two Stage Deal, Seller Transitions His Practice Over Time
Case Study Number 2: A Multi-Partner Firm with Dissimilar Retirement and Career Goals
Case Study Number 3: An Immediate Sale and Transition of a Practice
Case Study Number 4: A Large Local/Regional CPA Firm Seeking to Merge Upstream for Professional and Financial Growth
Case Study Number 5: A Small Firm Admits a New Partner
Case Study Number 6: A Regional Firm Merges In A Niche Practice
Case Study Number 7: An Evaluation of a Mid-sized Firm's Succession Plan
Case Study Number 8: A Mid-sized Firm Addresses Its Owner Agreement in Anticipation of Pursuing Mergers
Case Study Number 9: A cull out sale
Case Study Number 10: A 4-partner firm with two partners who seek near term succession and two who seek professional and financial growth
Case Study Number 11: A sole practitioner establishes a Practice Continuation Agreement (PCA)
Case Study Number 12: A review of alternative methods of addressing accounts receivable and work in process in mergers and acquisitions of accounting firms