The Future of Your Business.
Connecting Business Owners with the right Investment Partners
“They understand the M&A process from a business owner’s perspective”
Business Owner who recently completed a $50M transaction through Owner 1st.
Investment Partners
an M&A deal done
M&A Advisors who have
Built & Sold Companies
Jon Polenz, Managing Partner
Our Mission
Find the Right Buyer for Your Business.
When the time is right, we can connect you to best-in-class investment firms.
Run a Successful Deal Process with our proven team.
Step 1: Private Call with Us
A short, introductory call or meeting with one of our M&A Advisors. We want to understand your goals and questions when it comes to selling your business. We're happy to share more about our background and our deal process, and we want to see if it makes sense to work together.
Step 2: Investor Meetings
When you and your business are ready, we'll talk with our selected Investment Partners and give them a snapshot overview of your business. This can be "blinded" if requested so that the name of your business remains private. We'll then help set up calls or meetings with the Investment Partners who are interested in learning more about your business.
Step 3: Deal Coordination
If everyone decides to pursue a deal together and a Letter of Intent (L.O.I.) is signed, we'll help coordinate parts of the deal process, from scheduling diligence calls to juggling materials. We will work hard to help keep the deal on track. We only get paid a Success Fee when you reach the finish line - and we are paid by the buyer.
What types of businesses do we look for?
We work with profitable businesses generating $2M–$100M in revenue — Main St. to Middle Market.
Guided by our Investment Partners’ criteria, we focus on businesses with a proven track record and owners who are selling for the right reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of businesses do you work with?
We work with profitable businesses generating $1M–$100M in revenue — Main St. to Middle Market. We focus on businesses with a proven track record and owners who are selling for the right reasons.
How does Owner 1st get paid?
We get paid a "success fee" by the buyers. As "buy-side" M&A Brokers, we are paid by the Investment Partners we represent if and when we find a deal for them that successfully closes. We also sometimes make referrals to sell-side brokers and get paid referral fees for those connections.
Industries We Know Inside & Out
DON'T SEE YOUR INDUSTRY? TO SEE IF WE HAVE INVESTMENTS PARTNERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS, GET IN TOUCH.
Who Are Our Investment Partners?
We have built a network of investment firms and business buyers who specialize in specific industries.
Our Investment Partners range from smaller, locally focused firms to large international funds with billions in assets under management.
Who Are Our Investment Partners?
We have built a network of investment firms and business buyers who specialize in specific industries.
The Right Investment Partners Have:
Strong Capabilities
Strong funding in place and ability to complete the deal, as well as a strong team who can execute effectively and provide operational resources to drive growth.
clear vision
Clear investment criteria with commitment to the business category and/or a clear competitive advantage in the business category.
proven reputation
Proven track record of successfully closing deals, successfully managing businesses, and producing successful results for all stakeholders, including investors.
