Finding the right advisor when selling a business is paramount. Knowing their capabilities is the first step.
When we originally began our journey, we put a lot of thought into the brand. We wanted a name that would reflect the fundamental service we provide – helping clients get from point A to B. This includes putting an executable roadmap in place, removing obstacles along the way, and doing the heavy lifting throughout the trek so clients can continue to focus on their business. And this is why we chose the name Portage. It is a word that embodies the required ingenuity that opened trade corridors centuries ago, while at the same time, perfectly represents our company and esprit de corps today.
The mission of Portage is quite simply to bring sellers and buyers together to create win-win transactions. We focus on businesses across multiple industries that have an enterprise value of $2M-$30M. Our vision is to be the most trusted lower mid-market M&A advisory firm across the province. You’ll appreciate the personalized approach we take and be impressed with the level of expertise we bring to the table.
What sets us apart is how we do business. We only take on engagements that we truly believe in, and our fee structure supports this philosophy. We operate on a success fee model, which means we don’t get paid before we have successfully completed a transaction. Surprisingly, many of the professional merger and acquisition service providers who operate in this space rarely use the success fee model. Instead, they prefer to charge clients an hourly rate or a large flat fee (often paid upfront) for a specified amount of work completed. In other words, they do not provide any guarantee that the business will be sold, but they do ensure that they are compensated for their time. This type of billing is commonly seen at larger Accounting and M&A firms where lower mid-market transactions are viewed as ‘filler’ work or as experience for junior staff, as their primary objective is to focus on much larger transactions ($100M+). This is what ultimately led us to this space. We believe that businesses in the lower-mid market should be provided with same level of service and value as the larger businesses. We put our most senior staff on each engagement with the objective of bringing each transaction to the finish line. After all, we don’t get paid until our client gets paid.
We invite you to take the first step and see how we can help you realize your dreams. Follow the link below or simply give us a call and schedule an introductory appointment. The coffee is always on.
