Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A)

At Transworld, we have a mergers and acquisition department consisting of a team of professionals that specialize in larger transactions.

What Qualifies A Business To Be An M&A Transaction?

There are several situations that could make your company qualify for our M&A department:

Your company has earnings greater than one million dollars. When businesses grow to this size, they become targets for acquisition by industry players.
Your business is too large for an individual buyer to purchase or finance through conventional methods. Once your company is worth multi millions, a single individual usually will not purchase it (most multimillionaires do not wish to work).
Your company is in an industry that is currently being "rolled up". In some industries, strategic buyers that want to consolidate the marketplace will purchase even small businesses.
Your business is experiencing incredible growth. If your company is running out of capital because of growth, it may be a merger and acquisition target.
You want to grow your company and perhaps retain some equity. If that is the case, you will need M&A expertise.

If your business is not a fit we can still help, visit our business brokerage department.

The M&A Selling Process

Understanding Your Goals

We meet with you and perhaps your advisors to understand your future goals. There can be many situations that could be present.

Important issues include:

Your company is growing and you need capital.
Your company is growing and you need expertise to take it to the next level.
You would like to take some chips off the table.
You need to retire and there are no family successors.
There are family successors and they will need capital and/or expertise.
You have been approached by your competition to sell your business.
There is an industry consolidation happening.
The marketplace is changing and you cannot or are not willing to invest to keep up.
You're tired and want to do something else with your life.

Whatever the issues are we need to understand them completely.

Review Your Options

There are many options that you must consider. Transworld can help you understand them all.

Important issues include:

Is it time to sell?
Who are the buyers?
Strategic or financial?
Can I raise capital?
Can or should I go public?
Will I have to stay on and how long?
What are Transworld's fees?
Are their any upfront fees? (Most probably NO!)

Valuation!

Transworld can help you understand how much the company worth!

Important issues include:

Should I pay for a valuation? How much? (Not 50k!)
What multiples apply to my business?
What methods or rules of thumb are used in our industry?
Do assets matter?
Do you apply gross sales?
What are the tax implications?

Create A Strategic Plan

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Transworld merger and acquisitions will set up a plan of action to take your business to market.

Important issues include:

Which buyers do we approach first?
How do we get the best price?
How do we create completion for the deal?
How do we keep it CONFIDENTIAL!
How do we prepare the right marketing package? (Deal book!)

Network And Market The Sale

Transworld is one of the largest and most successful business sale organizations in the country! We work our merger and acquisitions differently!

Important issues include:

The multifaceted approach. First strategic buyers, then financial, then open market.
Create competition for the deal! To get you the best price!
Qualify buyers.
Review their qualifications.

Meet With Prospective Buyers

Transworld will attend most meetings with buyers and be present on conference calls. We will prepare beforehand. We will also have a post meeting to go over how the meeting progressed.

Important issues include:

Meet with only the best buyers.
How to handle conference calls.
How to handle face-to-face meetings.
Limited but important information.

Solicit And Review Letters Of Intent (LOI's)

Transworld will work with you and your advisors to decide who is the best buyer, and which one will eventually close!

Important issues include:

Who's the best buyer?
Cash, notes, earnouts, stock, escrow?
Senior debt, mezzanine, secondary?
No shops and non-solicitation agreements?

Negotiate The Sale

Transworld has an in house rigorous training program to refine negotiating skills. Most companies in the M&A process are professional buyers, you need an expert on your side.

Important issues include:

Negotiation never ends.
What should be in the LOI?
When should the definitive agreements be drawn?
How long for due diligence?
Who pays the attorneys or CPAs?
Is an audit necessary?

Due Diligence

50% of unmanaged deals die in due diligence. Transworld will quarterback this process and keep everyone in the game.

Important issues include:

What information is necessary?
Where is due diligence done?
What to do when the buyer asks you to cut out the intermediary, your attorney, or CPA?
How not to get a "haircut" as the deal progresses!

Close The Deal!

Once due diligence is over, then the merger and acquisitions process must be completed. Transworld will work tirelessly to get the transaction closed!

Important issues include:

Review and negotiate definitive agreements.
Follow up with financing sources.
Arrange real estate sales or lease transfers.
Notify key employees at the appropriate time.
Help arrange wire transfers.
Make reservations for the celebratory dinner! (Perhaps even pick up the tab!)

Transworld's Wyoming Team of M&A Intermediaries

With our many years of experience, our team of senior advisors will guide you through every step of the M&A process. We understand the complexities of these transactions and will help you strategize, research, and position your company to maximize value and ensure a successful transaction.

Gerald Brisson

Gerald Brisson

President

As President and CEO, Gerry is headquartered in Houston Texas, and leads a team of approximately 30 business intermediaries and support personnel across South and West Texas, Wyoming, and New Mexico....

His team is focused on the sale of main street and lower middle market businesses.

Since starting Transworld Business Advisors of Houston in 2014, he has sold over 350 businesses. His organization has consistently ranked as one of the top 2 performing organizations in Transworld’s 300 office global network. Gerry is a past president and state board member of the Texas Association of Business Brokers and is currently the President of Transworld Business Advisors’ National Franchisee Council. He was elected to the Transworld Business Advisors Hall of Fame in 2015.

Prior to starting Transworld Business Advisors of Houston, Gerry cultivated thirty years of global business experience which included managing international business units, directing global marketing, and leading a global strategic procurement organization. Gerry has been involved in hundreds of negotiations across 5 continents. He has held executive leadership positions in 3 Fortune 500 companies covering 50+ countries across North America, Latin America, Central America, The Caribbean, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Gerry's uniquely diverse global business experience includes M&A negotiations, Small Business sales, contract and lease negotiations, retail network development, new business development, global and local marketing, global retail brand management, retail revenue stream development, contract & lease negotiations, strategic global procurement, franchise development, general and operational management, and global franchise development.

Gerry is thrilled to have the opportunity in his current capacity to leverage his extensive business experience to assist others in realizing their business & life goals.

President of Transworld Business Advisors of South & West Texas, Wyoming, and New Mexico
President of Transworld Business Advisors’ National Franchisee Council
Past President Texas Association of Business Brokers Houston Chapter (2021-2022)
Past Texas Association of Business Brokers Board of Directors Member (2021-2022)
Transworld Business Advisors Hall of Fame Member (Elected 2015)
Certified Business Intermediary (CBI)
Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Professional (CM&AP)
Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI)
Member of the International Business Broker Association (IBBA)
Member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Source (M&A Source)

(281) 769-4277

[email protected]

Elizabeth Gonzalez

Elizabeth Gonzalez

Marketing Director

Elizabeth Gonzalez is Transworld Houston's exclusive Marketing Director, she joins Transworld with several years of education and hands-on experience working with various marketing platforms...

She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Austin College where she double-majored in Business Finance and Psychology. Elizabeth is primarily responsible for creating and driving the company’s marketing and community relations initiatives. She also directly supports the Houston M&A team along with manages vendor relations for the office. She is a Texas Real Estate Licenses Agent and her hobbies include dancing, fishing, spending time with family, watching crime shows/movies. She is also the proud owner of a pavement princess oIIIIIIIo.

(346) 319-5955

[email protected]

Ana Ruiz

Ana Ruiz

Director of Operations

Ana Ruiz is the Director of Operations for Transworld Business Advisors of Houston. In this role, Ana provides our agents with general operational and systems support in the marketing and sale of our client’s businesses.

She has several years of experience working in various Marketing and Public Relations roles and has excellent problem solving, project management and system development skills. Ana has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Trinity University, where she specialized in Marketing. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, discovering new restaurants around the city, working out, traveling and cooking. Ana is fluent in English and Spanish.

(346) 319-4138

[email protected]

Karissa Bensenberg

Karissa Bensenberg

Director of Mergers & Acquisitions Analytics

As the Director of Mergers & Acquisitions Analytics for Transworld Business Advisors of Houston, Karissa Bensenberg supports the M&A Intermediary Team on lower middle market transactions. Her responsibilities...

include industry research, market analysis, financial analysis, creating executive summaries, strategic buyer identification, buyer management, and due diligence process support. Karissa plays a major role on our M&A Intermediary team.

Prior to joining the TBA of Houston team, Karissa worked in the financial services industry for 7 years in increasingly sophisticated positions. She graduated from NYU's Stern School of Business with a bachelor's degree in finance and from University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor. Continually seeking to expand her professional horizon, Karissa is currently a CPA candidate. Her hobbies include watching football, hiking, reading, and solving logic puzzles.

(281) 769-4277

[email protected]

Shuba-Grewa

Shuba Grewal

Director of Operations & Special Projects

Shuba is the dynamic and accomplished Office Manager at Transworld Business Advisors of South & West Texas...

With an impressive background in managing high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective operations in customer service and consumer product environments, she is a driving force behind excellence in complex projects and strategic initiatives.

(281) 769-4277

[email protected]