Stone Pier approaches every assignment as a fiduciary, searching for the best solution and outcome for its clients. For one client that came to us to sell their company in order to facilitate the retirement of one of the founders, the “best” solution for both founders was to structure a shareholder redemption. This was, according to both parties the absolute best and “right solution”, one they had not considered previously. From Stone Pier’s perspective, this solution dramatically reduced our fees. However, it was the “right solution” and we were pleased to propose and execute this strategy. Another illustration of our fiduciary approach is that we propose a variety of solutions and let the client, and their values determine the “right solution”. For example, since the investment banking fees are often less, many firms will not propose an ESOP or a MBO (Management Buyout). Other firms ONLY suggest ESOPS. Stone Pier investigates each option, our client’s values and preferences, and explains the pros and cons of each strategy.
Stone Pier combines its partners’ experience as not only outside advisors (including M&A, law, public accounting and, of course, investment banking) but also their prior experience as executives “inside” companies, a combined perspective that results in the provision of sophisticated yet practical advice to its clients.
Stone Pier is expert at working with a variety of ownership groups (e.g., original founders/operators, family companies with different generations of ownership, founders who secured investment from unrelated parties, etc.), plus senior management, lawyers, accountants, lenders, and other professionals. We manage and coordinate the project and keep you informed the whole time, bringing key decisions to you for approval bringing key decisions to our clients until the transaction is completed.