Thrive Acquisition was founded in 2021 by Kathy DeVries to become the premier business intermediary and commercial real estate brokerage in West Michigan.
Our mission: Helping Business Owners Thrive in Work and in Life
Our vision is to help owners of privately held companies build value at the acquisition stage, holding stage, and divestiture stage to contribute to a robust, thriving community that values the success of its businesses, people, and culture.
Kathy DeVries, Managing Broker
Kathy DeVries is a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) and REALTOR®. With a background in business ownership of a privately-held company, Kathy has first-hand experience in running a business and divesting. Kathy enjoys partnering with clients in helping them excel personally and professionally, and using their business to arrive at their preferred future.
Thrive Acquisition is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Michigan.
BUY SIDE: In some cases, buyers know what they want to buy but cannot find what they are looking for on the open market. Buyers contact Thrive Acquisition to set up exclusive representation to help them acquire their target. As a buyer’s agent, Thrive Acquisition can help create a targeted list, research suitability for acquisition, approach the owner, and begin the acquisition process. A buyer has only one chance to make a good first impression with the owner of the target acquisition.
In this way, buyers leverage Thrive Acquisition’s experience, reputation, local presence, professional network, and negotiating capabilities. The buyer’s identification remains confidential until the parties are ready to engage. Buyers use the confidential approach method to “cherry-pick” bolt-on enterprises or expand market reach with minimal exposure. Once the lines of communication are open between parties, buyers use Thrive Acquisition to help analyze the target in detail. Thrive Acquisition studies sold business entity and real estate comps to calculate desired ROI in helping the buyer prepare an offer. Thrive Acquisition also assists buyer clients by recommending additional professional service providers needed to assemble a robust deal-making team. Attorneys, CPAs, Environmental Inspectors, Building Inspectors, Builders, Lenders, Interior Designers, and numerous other professionals each contribute to a a successful and profitable outcome.
SELL SIDE: In some cases, sellers have someone in mind to continue their business but do not know if that individual is interested or able to take on business ownership. Sellers contact Thrive Acquisition to set up exclusive representation to help them prepare a private, off-market offer to sell. Some sellers think that no one would want their business, while others think that buyers are everywhere. Regardless of which end of the spectrum is true for that particular business, Thrive Acquisition can assist a seller candidate with a business valuation to form an opinion of the “Most Probable Selling Price” based on current market conditions and the attributes of that business or piece of real estate. A confidential approach allows preferred buyer candidates the right of first refusal before extending the sale opportunity to the broader community. Sellers count on Thrive Acquisition to establish a reasonable framework for price expectation, a timeline, terms, and conditions to set the stage for a successful transition.
Ready to explore your options? Why not set an appointment with Thrive Acquisition today to discuss your needs?
Thrive Acquisition represents investors owner/operators in the search for business opportunities that are not up for sale. On behalf of the client, Thrive Acquisition makes a confidential approach to the decision-maker of a privately-held enterprise to discuss the possibility of a transfer of ownership.
Typically, the off-market approach is the tool of choice for business entities over $1,000,000 in enterprise value. Reasons why buyers hire Thrive Acquisition to represent them include maintaining anonymity, disparity in size between the buyer and the target business, transaction experience, and leveraging the relationships and reputation of a local broker.
Contact Thrive Acquisition today to learn more about our confidential approach to off-market opporunities.
Most business owners have never planned for the future of their business. They have never written a business plan or a marketing plan. They have not arranged for business continuation with their spouse, heirs, or business partners. Most have never had “worst case scenario” discussions with their management team.
It is no surprise, then, that more and more business owners are nearing retirement age and yet most business owners have never considered their eventual transition into retirement. America is facing a “silver tsunami” in coming years.
Despite the lack of planning, most business owners plan on using the sale of their business to supplement their retirement funds and support their preferred lifestyle in future years.
A reasonable amount of time to prepare for an eventual exit is five years. Why five years? It takes time to identify and correct problems to build a track record of year-over-year profitability so that a business can sell for top dollar.
Having said that, business owners sell for reasons other than retirement, too. Other motivators are partner disagreements, divorce, better opportunities, distraction, family pressures, shifting demand, burnout, declining health, and any number of other reasons.
Whatever the reason for transition, Thrive Acquisition helps business owners work toward their preferred future. After initial analysis, Thrive Acquisition provides business owners with knowledge and tools to help the business become more profitable, position for transition, and reduce risk.
Contact Thrive Acquisition today to find out more about Exit Planning for your business!
