Client Testimonials

All three people with whom I worked listened, responded and were eventually able to help me get through the sale of my deceased husband’s and my practice. My husband and I were a team, I just was not licensed and part of the advice side. This contract negotiation proved to be an emotional process for me, after working together in our practice for 20 of the 42 great years I had with my husband. As I am at retirement age, this sale will make or break my later years, sorting this deal out to protect both me and my family and my business partner/his family, and our practice and clients was extremely important to me. The people at SRG were patient, did not rush me until I was able to make decisions following the death of my husband, then speed things up when I was ready! I am most appreciative of the help received from SRG.

SRG was wonderful to work with. Very attentive & thorough! This was a new business endeavor for me/us, and they walked us through the process with care and patience. We appreciate all of the timely support!

I am very grateful I used Succession Resource Group both for valuations and for Seller Advocacy. The services I received were professional, gracious, and very helpful. Results exceeded expectations.

Very thorough analysis asking the for appropriate inputs. Valuation report provides good information to help me understand the driving forces for future valuations (when I decide to sell/retire). Looking forward to the debrief to enhance my knowledge.

SRG was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. From the initial practice evaluation, screening of potential buyers, comparing and ranking of offers and the completion of purchase agreements and documents, we could not have asked for a more thorough execution from the team at SRG. Their guidance and diligence was invaluable in getting this deal done.

From a buyer’s stand point we felt SRG did a great job keeping us in the loop with where we were at in the process. We also felt SRG kept our interests, strengths, and weaknesses in mind when negotiating with the seller. In our case, the seller has a similar style and philosophy in working with clients so it’s been a great match.

Overall a very positive experience. The evaluation helped both interested parties determine what’s at stake and better understand the capital needed for a potential partnership.

SRG promised the moon and gave me the stars. Truly outstanding exceeded my expectations. They are great communicators. They followed through on every step and kept the momentum going.

I had a very positive experience … Erik P. was quite pleasant and knowledgeable.

I liked the way Nicole Frey, Renata Hoeckel and Kristen Grau took the time to explain each aspect of the planning process. They were very patient with me.

Thanks for the help in my time of need and your thoughts on how I could improve the value of my practice over time.

I did an internal succession and you did a great job of listening carefully to our issues and concerns. After that I really appreciated your expertise on what has/hasn’t worked well with other similar type situations. We are very happy with our plan(it’s a 14 yr buyout plan) and we look forward to having you help us down the road.

The Seller Advocacy service EXCEEDED my expectations. Throughout my career I have been through 6 buy/sell transactions and this was by far the smoothest, easiest and most professional of all. The SRG PEOPLE made the difference!!! Everyone involved were very PROFFESSIONAL and had EXCELLENT positive attitudes. They made me feel as my deal was the most important. The initial stage of Valuation metrics was easy and met my expectation. But the turning point was the amount of interested prospective buyers produced (85). We then whittled down the list to 13 that were closer to my metrics and then to 6 that I decided to meet with each twice. I liked all 6 Advisors. Next, you handled all the negotiations with the 6 buyers which was MASTERFUL, !!! WOW, I received offers from all 6 Advisors of which 2 were much higher than the valuation. It was like a bidding war! After choosing the final Advisor, the contracts were reviewed and signed. The contracts were excellent and had all the points for the buyer and seller. Nothing needed to change. The Seller Advocacy is a GREAT service !!!

I am selling my house next spring. Please develop a Seller Advocacy service so we can list my house ! We still have time !

Thanks so much to to Erik, Kristen, Nicole, Kinsey, Renata !!!!!!

The process was exceptional, and I had contacts form SRG the entire way. The intake/data questionnaire was thorough, and helped me think about the type of practice we have (with my business partner). I thought the intake phone call with Nicole was very, very helpful. My business partner, to who I am selling my 50% of the business, was also on the call. She showed good knowledge of the field and an understanding of the nuances of different practices.
The final valuation makes good sense, and is backed by solid fundamentals about how assets are gained, fees earned, the age of the client base, retention issues, etc.
Very well done. Certainly something we could not have done ourselves. Nice to have capable third party do this.

An excellent value.

I have used SRG in the past and was happy with past service so decided to use you again. Initially I felt the amount charged for the service was a bit excessive and was not sure if I would get that value but after working with Nicole Frey for past few months I am so happy I decided to pay the fee and go with SRG. Nicole’s professionalism and knowledge of the industry was invaluable to me as a seller. I really do not know what I would have done without her helping me as we had many bumps along the way and each time she was able to help me sort through the challenge and get me back on track. She was excellent and represented SRG in the highest level possible. Even the attorney I hired had great things to say about her. Please express my gratitude to her!!!

We had established an aggressive timeline for our practice sale/purchase but were able to reach the goal with SRGs responsiveness and accommodative nature. We would not have reached the goal without them. They were very accessible throughout the process and always had time for us. I appreciated their professionalism, expertise and familiarity with the practices and terminology of our broker-dealer. A special thanks to Nicole and Erik.

We have really enjoyed working with the SRG team. We have already recommended SRG to a few people and look forward to continuing to work with the SRG team on new projects that come up.

SRG handled our business valuation in a professional and speedy manner. All staff with whom I spoke were courteous, intelligent, and understood our industry. They were also flexible with my time schedule and allowed me to expedite the valuation during the busy holiday season. I am impressed.

Everyone was easy to work with. Very thorough.

Because of the emotional difficulties in trying to put a objective valuation on our financial planning business (especially after having just lost my husband), hiring your company to walk both parties (seller/buyer) through this process has been invaluable! And since the buyers, in my case, also worked with and were trained by my husband, I realized that this was something that I had to do for both our benefits. I am thankful I was referred to your firm and would definitely recommend you to anyone else walking this same road.

Thanks again!

Many thanks for the great service! Your team has done a great job of follow up and quick turn around with our firm.
When we started out, I thought this would be a “cookie cutter” process. As it turned out, with your many revisions we requested, it was anything but.
Thanks to all.

When I purchase a business, I will have your team of experts provide the comparative market analysis and documentation. I feel confident in your ability to analyze a sellers practice and increase my comfort level as a buyer!
Thank you again

Very good follow up and response. You answered all our questions and followed up on a timely and efficient basis. Nicole was always available to answer our questions.

Straightforward and understandable. It is very interesting seeing how my practice measures up against others in the various categories.

Dave did a great plan for us. We are in year 2 of a 5 year buy sell. Thanks for everything.

Great experience, very thorough and customized solutions for my succession planning and entity needs. Thank you!

David was helpful in making suggestions and getting us to think outside the box.

First and foremost I believe you have to be ready and willing to let go.

Once you have the right mental attitude, the people at SRG can help you with the planning and the paperwork to complete your transaction.

You provided a confirmation of many things that we already knew but had questioned our accuracy. I do believe your services were more valuable to the buyer who has less experience than myself. I also believe we completed the succession plan faster with your assistance which allowed us to devote more of our time to our clients.

David kept us focused and pushed us to follow through on this rather lengthy process of transitioning our practice. I know many advisors who have started this process but were unable to complete it. In some cases it was the details, in others it was the price, and too many times it was people’s egos which derailed the plans. The people at SRG were a great help with our negotiations.

I have already referred you to one of our associates who has recently completed her succession plan, all in a timely manner I might add.

If I were an advisor wishing to sell my practice I would definitely use SRG to assist me in all of the details necessary in completing the process.

Nothing but great things to say about SRG! They have their process down and they have made a complex business transition as smooth and seamless as possible. All I can say is THANK YOU!

Everything about this project went completely as anticipated. The only reason it took as long as it did to complete was due to changes in my practice that I had to deal with before consummating the Contingency Agreement. I look forward to working with SRG in [the future].

It was very nice to work with David, Nicole and SRG. I look forward to discussing other related issues regarding my practice in the future!

David Grau Jr., MBA spoke at a Industry Conference on Succession in 2015 and I immediately know I was dealing with a talented specialized professional. After engaging with David, he was in fact was extremely knowledgeable, professional, experienced, and specialized, which I needed and appreciated during the entire acquisition process. Buying a large practice was extremely stressful, but David and his Team brought great confidence to me and my Team. After the engagement offer letter was accepted, Erik Pahlow and Nicole Frey picked up the contract details of both parties. The Buyer and Seller were both served in a professional and specialized manner. SRG was exactly what we needed in a large or small practice deal! In fact, knowing SRG was handling the deal gave the Bank and SBA Lender gave great comfort. Thank you Team SRG.

Thanks so much for your help in our business sale. Tom and I felt so much more comfortable after speaking to you!

The support we received was good. The process was well laid out and easy to follow. My situation was one of a “unique” style as we were doing a report for an advisor thinking about retiring. The data sent to us was right on what we expected so that was good. The benchmarking was very helpful as well.

From start to finish the process and assistance I received was timely and very professional. I will definitely recommend your firm to anyone that needs any of the services you offer. Thanks again.

My husband was working with SRG on a contingency plan. At the time of his unexpected passing, it became a succession plan. Erik helped take a difficult situation and turned it into a successful experience.

I received a lot of value going through my appraisal and contingency planning process with SRG. I didn’t have to search for a lawyer separately to set up a contingency agreement following the appraisal and pay them to figure out my business. I got a compressive service from SRG and it was a great experience. I recommend SRG to any financial advisor who is looking at getting their practice appraised and needing to set up a contingency agreement.

Your [contingency plan] service has been professional, helpful and efficient. The process was much easier and less time consuming for me than I expected.

Thanks for all you did to help me with [this] project. I really don’t know what I would have done otherwise.

Our engagement with Succession Resource Group aimed to help us with a succession plan that not only was reasonable and fair for the seller, but also the buyer. We were hoping for clear dialogue and understanding throughout the process and were thrilled with the team approach and communication. David and his team walked us through their valuation process with such detail that we couldn’t help but both agree on the final number almost immediately. The short-, mid- and long-term plans, along with the dialogue that came with it, were invaluable to our transition. Because of SRG, we have now executed the first of three phases of our plan and couldn’t be happier! This was a very large transaction and big deal in our office and we are thankful that we had SRG by our side. We will be utilizing the team again when we get closer to the second phase of our plan!

Business transition is such a tough process, so when I was referred to SRG it was so comforting to work with a professional team that was responsive, that knew the industry and could help me navigate an evaluation a cash flow analysis and get me in touch with a lending firm to close the sale. SRG went above and beyond to help me when it came down to last minute scenarios and provided me with industry standards I could identify and work with. It was a tough few years of negotiation and SRG really made the process at the end successful for me. Happy to say the deal closed and the transition has been amazing –here I grow !

Succession Resource Group’s valuation skills and market knowledge were invaluable in realizing the full market value of my practice and locking it in with the proper contractual agreement. My consultant, Erik Pahlow, provided superior expert counsel through every step of the process which resulted in a positive overall experience.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you [Nicole] and Succession Resource Group for representing our firm in our most recent practice acquisition. You and your team did a great job helping us navigate through the myriad of issues that came up during our negotiations. We look forward to the next one.

My interest in needing SRG was putting together a servicing agreement, with an option to purchase my practice contained within the contract. David Grau Jr. and his team were very helpful and patient with the entire process. All questions, concerns, and suggestions were handled with the utmost of care. I wouldn’t hesitate going back to SRG for anything else I may need in the future.

Aside from managing your clients’ assets, transitioning your book of business is as important a decision for you and the client that you will ever make. SRG allowed me to get a view of my book of business that would never have been possible without them. I can say without a doubt that SRG gave me and the buyer confidence that we both were getting a fair shake. I would recommend them to anyone.

I found your services to be exceptional. The quality and care taken on creating the best deal was exceptional. I have found no other company that worked to make sure the details were covered as a sale of my largest asset. You folks have done an exceptional job and I highly recommend your services. Your people are the BEST!

Very professional, good advice and met expectations.

The presentation [AMPF Succession Workshop in Jacksonville, Florida] was awesome, best I’ve seen yet.

The streamlined process assisted my partner and I to evaluate our practice versus our peers in structure and process. This assisted us to work on ways to increase the value of our practice. After the valuation of the practice we expressed our concerns of the lack of contingency plans for our practice. Within a couple of interviews and revisions the contingency plans were complete, now our practice succession plan is in a place that protects the partners, staff, families, and the clients was complete.

“The sale of my book has closed. I want to thank the two of you [David Grau Jr. & Erik Pahlow] for all your help. I think my desire to sell increased after I met Erik and could see that a sale was not only possible but probable. I am very comfortable with my choice of partners going forward and feel it is a good fit….Again thank you very much. I am not sure I could have/would have done it without you.”

“I was extremely impressed with Erik Pahlow. We had many revisions, paperwork and hoops to jump through that I would have abandoned ship if it wasn’t for Erik. From calling me from his home on the weekend to late night calls I feel Erik and SRG made this process very simple. If you want the BEST in the Succession process ERIK and SRG will be there for you. Thank you for all of your hard work.”

“The [valuation] report is one of the best reports that I have ever seen. Yes, it is about me and that helps my enthusiasm. The phone call Eric did with my family and I was wonderful.”

“I want to thank you [Erik Pahlow] and the SRG employees. You were wonderful handling all the twists and turns, “curve balls”, if you will, that the sale of my business entailed. At every turn you were calm, had a plan, made changes without frustration and looked out for my interest. I am grateful for efforts on my behalf and would recommend you to anyone who needs your services. I thank you for your time, your company, your personal efforts, and for my excellent results.”

The process was thorough, professional and a very good value. I came away with a clear understanding of both where I excel as a business owner and the areas that I need to spend more time on in order to improve the value of my practice.

I just want to THANK YOU personally for your help, your professionalism and ALL of your hard work getting this deal completed. I would highly recommend you and SRG with helping me through this. This process was unnerving but with you walking me through this it seemed very easy.

SRG provided thorough and very professional services in valuing our financial planning practice and designing our Teaming Agreement for death/disability of the partners. Their follow-up and follow-through was the best. They were very patient with us. We are extremely pleased with the results!

Thank you for your services. I am convinced that, had my partner and I taken this to an attorney, we would have spent two or three times as much. Also, I especially appreciate your attention to the tax aspects of the succession plan and I feel that I was well served by that attention.

Being able to call and talk through questions and concerns was very helpful. The high level of expertise was evident in every transaction.

David and the SRG team have been of immense value in helping me set up a suitable succession plan between myself and my junior partner. The custom guidance and flexible solutions were vital to making it all happen.

Punctual, available, great consulting and advice.

Having an experienced third-party help with discussions and lead the process was so much more productive.

I feel confident in your ability to protect my wife’s interest in my absence. She no longer worries about having to sell the practice on her own and for which she is not equipped to do.

We got really excellent service from Erik and he was extremely professional and knowledgeable. He provided additional insights over and above the documented valuation that really explained the methodology and value drivers. We will certainly engage SRG again in the future.

David and the team were very helpful in working through a difficult period of time for our practice.

Was in need of a Business Valuation and the first step to my Succession Plan. This was done easily and efficiently. Now we plan to move onto having SRG help us with our Deal Support when we are ready.

You all did a great job. I was looking for an outside valuation of the firm as I contemplate my next business decision, expansion and growth strategy going forward. Thanks for all your help. You have provided me fantastic information.

I am looking forward to utilizing more of your services for the next level when I decide to transition out of the business!

Great job, folks!

Erik was fantastic! His insight and advice was valuable and objective and most importantly spot on accurate. Great Experience!!

If you are buying an external practice, don’t try and reinvent the wheel, hire SRG.

David as always does an outstanding job in helping to support the ongoing growth of our individual advisors in the Upper Midwest. I continually reference SRG with all of my valuation and succession planning conversations.

I am very pleased so far. We intend to keep working with you in transitioning our business. Mike and I will know soon in which capacity,

You have an excellent program to value practices. I only wish I had gone through this process about four years ago. Thank you for your help in working with me on this process of business valuation.

You guys have been very professional. Kindly let David know I greatly appreciated his guidance throughout a complex deal.