Mergers & Acquisitions
“ I worked with Michael Sieber for sixteen months, beginning in April of 2003 until July of 2004 which resulted in the acquisition of my former employer’s company, G. Hensler & Co. He represented me in all aspects of this acquisition as outlined below.
I was introduced to Mike at the suggestion of a friend, when I mentioned that I hoped to buy the company I’d help start in 1989 and had worked at ever since, at the time in the capacity of President. I was aware that the owner was taking steps to sell the company to a large public company and I wanted to pursue buying it myself. I was told I could never afford it based on the valuation he’d recently had done. I had no prior experience with how valuations are done and could only rely on my knowledge of the company, our business model, and the assets to determine what is was worth to me. My initial conversations with Mike involved his educating me on valuation models and how we could together determine the fair market value of the company I wanted to purchase. I also had serious reservations about negotiating with the owner directly due to my extensive history with him and my lack of experience in this arena. Mike was able to represent me in an objective manner that allowed me to focus on running the business and getting the end result I wanted.
During the course of our working together, Mike helped me explore all options of business ownership in order for me to make a sound decision about whether or not I should buy the existing business and at what price. He developed a model of a business plan which allowed me to analyze the cost benefit ratio of striking out on my own with a similar business model should the deal not come to fruition. He also actively pursued alternative businesses for sale within the same industry, two of which were seriously considered. Throughout this period, Mike kept my best interest as his primary focus which was helping me become a business owner in a way that made sound business sense, offered plenty of room for growth, and would not jeopardize my personal financial security.
Throughout this time we faced many obstacles, all of which Mike thoughtfully considered before advising a course of action. At a point when he felt the deal we were working on would not come to fruition, we were able to switch gears into a Plan B that had been thoroughly explored and was also very exciting to me as a potential outcome. Because Mike had positioned me with such a positive Plan B, I was fully prepared to walk away from the original deal which, in the end, brought about the ultimate successful outcome. This positioning was a critical part of Mike’s strategy to help me buy the company at a fair price and in a timely manner.
In April 2005 we finally secured a signed letter of intent from the seller, which had been prepared by Mike. At this point we entered into the second phase of our journey which involved securing financing for the acquisition. By this point I was already convinced that Mike was a valuable asset, but little did I realize that our journey had just begun. Mike tirelessly explored all available financing options and was able to secure a workable combination of SBA and commercial bank financing in less than 60 days. Within this time we faced significant closing issues that threatened to negate the deal, but Mike was able to keep a cool head and his clear perspective allowed us to push on and get it closed.
Overall, I cannot say enough in support of Michael Sieber. He has a solid skill base along with legal, financial, and accounting expertise which together create a value far in excess of the actual cost. On a personal note, I can’t imagine a better partner to have along for such a stressful journey. His calm demeanor does not betray the tenacity beneath the surface that make for such a fierce negotiating partner. His pleasant disposition combined with a serious sense of humor made every encounter all the more enjoyable. Our working relationship brought about a win/win result of which I am very proud.”
Lisa Rissetto, President, G. Hensler Co.