OUR APPROACH
Whatever inflection point your business is at — growth has flatlined, you’re ready to sell, thinking of an acquisition — our approach is the same: listen intently, give an honest appraisal of what we’re hearing, and recommend best practices we’ve seen work countless times before. Because we are both entrepreneurs and advisors, we understand that all business is personal, and we approach your challenges as though they are our own.
Our Three Uniques
CALL IT LIKE WE SEE IT
We are honest and direct in our counsel. Our clients don’t pay us to tell them what they may want to hear — they expect us to provide them with informed truths. We sleep best knowing that our guidance will lead to meaningful change, and that means calling plays as we see them and providing recommendations accordingly.
INDUSTRY AGNOSTIC
From restaurants to manufacturing, best practices in strategy, management, and financial health remain the same across industries, and we apply them universally. Of course, we also take the time to learn the nuances of our clients’ businesses so as to recommend the principles that are most appropriate. But if more than 40 years of ownership and consulting has taught us anything, it’s that you reinvent the wheel at your own peril.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
As passionate as we are about business, our primary charge is to make meaningful connections with those we serve. Our approach is designed to help our clients feel comfortable and confident in the steps they are taking. Earning our clients’ trust allows us to work most effectively on one of the most precious things in their lives — their business.
Words We Live By
KEEP IT SIMPLE. Our clients come to us with very complicated issues (otherwise, they would have already solved them), but the root cause is often quite simple. Our job is to give you clarity in understanding your challenges and a logical path to overcome them.
ADVICE SHOULD BE ACTIONABLE. Theory is great, but our clients are looking for practical and sound counsel. We’ll certainly talk through the big picture, but we’ll also make sure you leave with well-defined tasks that will get results.
WORK ON THE BUSINESS, NOT JUST IN THE BUSINESS. Focusing exclusively on the day-to-day leaves your business vulnerable. We work with owners on employing strategies that translate to long-term growth: building leadership teams, developing a culture of accountability and trust, and learning to take calculated risks.
OUR TEAM
Michael Vann
PRESIDENT
Michael has more than twenty years of strategic consulting and transactional advisory experience. Passionate about second-stage companies, Michael focuses his efforts on helping owners obtain their value objectives by creating the framework for continuity and scalability within their organizations. His areas of expertise include strategic facilitation, succession/transition planning and mergers and acquisitions. He serves as a trusted advisor to the owners of companies who value his practical and personable approach and his ability to simplify complex business issues into an actionable plan.
Michael serves on the Elms College Board of Trustees. He lives in South Hadley with his wife and two daughters, and cultivates a love for California wines and Italian cooking. Ask for a Cab or Pinot rec — he’ll advise you on that, too.
Kevin Vann
CHAIRMAN
Entrepreneurship is in Kevin’s DNA. From a bookkeeping service he founded in high school to partnerships in multiple aerospace companies and restaurants, Kevin brings broad business experience to his strategic consulting and transactional advising services.
His passion (and that is the right word) lies in “fixing and building,” aligning businesses with their greatest opportunities and helping owners bring them to fruition — a skill that has served countless regional companies in a wide variety of industries: construction, transportation, real estate, and hospitality, to name a few. Kevin brings special interest and expertise in guiding clients through mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to his work as vice chairman of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, Kevin also serves on the boards of several nonprofits that benefit children and those experiencing cancer, including the United Way and the Boys & Girls Club. He coached high school basketball for many years and now finds every opportunity to spend time with his own grandchildren.
Kate Medina
TRANSACTION ADVISOR
Specializing in proposal and evaluation review, Kate keeps every “i” dotted and “t” crossed. She particularly enjoys working with emerging companies, running the numbers to help inform their growth strategies. With more than 30 years invested in our company, Kate brings a broad range of industry experience, with a special interest in construction-related projects.
When she’s not happily immersed in spreadsheets and P&Ls, Kate is active outdoors, hitting the slopes in Utah, Colorado, and wherever fresh powder can be found. She lives in Belchertown with her husband and enjoys time with her two grown children.
Nicholas Carella
TRANSACTION ADVISOR
Nick brings strong business acumen to buying and selling transactions, guiding our clients step-by-step through the due diligence process. He additionally manages tax structuring for all of our group’s merger and acquisition projects, and specializes in construction, bonding, and job cost systems. In addition to 30 years of experience in tax planning, Nick understands the emotional side of transactional advisory services, and appreciates our clients’ need to be heard and have strong advocates throughout the negotiation process.
Nick also lends his expertise to the Academy Hill School, where he serves as treasurer. He enjoys golf and a newfound interest in travel, thanks to his wife and adult daughter, who always bring the adventure.
OUR TEAM
Michael Vann
PRESIDENT
Michael has more than twenty years of strategic consulting and transactional advisory experience. Passionate about second-stage companies, Michael focuses his efforts on helping owners obtain their value objectives by creating the framework for continuity and scalability within their organizations. His areas of expertise include strategic facilitation, succession/transition planning and mergers and acquisitions. He serves as a trusted advisor to the owners of companies who value his practical and personable approach and his ability to simplify complex business issues into an actionable plan.
Michael is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and serves on the Elms College Board of Trustees. He lives in South Hadley with his wife and two daughters, and cultivates a love for California wines and Italian cooking. Ask for a Cab or Pinot rec — he’ll advise you on that, too.
Kevin Vann
CHAIRMAN
Entrepreneurship is in Kevin’s DNA. From a bookkeeping service he founded in high school to partnerships in multiple aerospace companies and restaurants, Kevin brings broad business experience to his strategic consulting and transactional advising services.
His passion (and that is the right word) lies in “fixing and building,” aligning businesses with their greatest opportunities and helping owners bring them to fruition — a skill that has served countless regional companies in a wide variety of industries: construction, transportation, real estate, and hospitality, to name a few. Kevin brings special interest and expertise in guiding clients through mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to his work as vice chairman of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, Kevin also serves on the boards of several nonprofits that benefit children and those experiencing cancer, including the United Way and the Boys & Girls Club. He coached high school basketball for many years and now finds every opportunity to spend time with his own grandchildren.
Kate Medina
TRANSACTION ADVISOR
Specializing in proposal and evaluation review, Kate keeps every “i” dotted and “t” crossed. She particularly enjoys working with emerging companies, running the numbers to help inform their growth strategies. With more than 30 years invested in our company, Kate brings a broad range of industry experience, with a special interest in construction-related projects.
When she’s not happily immersed in spreadsheets and P&Ls, Kate is active outdoors, hitting the slopes in Utah, Colorado, and wherever fresh powder can be found. She lives in Belchertown with her husband and enjoys time with her two grown children.
Nicholas Carella
TRANSACTION ADVISOR
Nick brings strong business acumen to buying and selling transactions, guiding our clients step-by-step through the due diligence process. He additionally manages tax structuring for all of our group’s merger and acquisition projects, and specializes in construction, bonding, and job cost systems. In addition to 30 years of experience in tax planning, Nick understands the emotional side of transactional advisory services, and appreciates our clients’ need to be heard and have strong advocates throughout the negotiation process.
Nick also lends his expertise to the Academy Hill School, where he serves as treasurer. He enjoys golf and a newfound interest in travel, thanks to his wife and adult daughter, who always bring the adventure.
BUYING OUT THE BOSS
Now Available at Amazon
Father and son team Kevin and Michael Vann reveal the most common problems that arise during transactions between colleagues and family members — and how to anticipate and navigate them. Their step-by-step manual for internal transitions will prepare you to:
- Be strategic, not emotional
- Avoid informal arrangements
- Make sure expectations are aligned
- Assess the company’s true value
- Create a transition plan
- Finance the deal
- Close with confidence
Buying Out the Boss will prepare you for your transition process, allowing you to take each step with confidence.
BUYING OUT THE BOSS
Now Available at Amazon
Father and son team Kevin and Michael Vann reveal the most common problems that arise during transactions between colleagues and family members — and how to anticipate and navigate them. Their step-by-step manual for internal transitions will prepare you to:
- Be strategic, not emotional
- Avoid informal arrangements
- Make sure expectations are aligned
- Assess the company’s true value
- Create a transition plan
- Finance the deal
- Close with confidence
Buying Out the Boss will prepare you for your transition process, allowing you to take each step with confidence.
CONTACT US
819 WORCESTER STREET SPRINGFIELD, MA 01151
30 SOUTHWEST PARK WESTWOOD, MA 02090
413.543.2776
LETSGO@VANN-GROUP.COM