The Viking Way
We pride ourselves on guiding entrepreneurs and focus on providing comprehensive business acquisition and business brokerage services with an emphasis on communication, confidentiality and selling businesses
Our Measure of Success.
Since 1996, our team of professional business brokers has successfully closed sales on more than 850 businesses. Being the Southeast’s most successful mergers and acquisitions firm, we have created a marketplace for businesses ranging in value from $1 million to $100 million. Our numbers speak for themselves.
96%
Businesses we list sell for at least 96% of the published asking price.
85%
The national average is 22%, according to the IBBA.
28+
Viking has continued to grow since 1996, becoming the largest group of its kind in the Southeast.
Work With Us.
In 1995, serial entrepreneur Brad Offerdahl sold his 3rd business and realized there was a need for a professional firm to help the main street business owner that doesn’t have $50,000,000 in sales and a board of directors running the company.
Brad realized that he could transform his real-world knowledge into a business opportunity. So in 1996, Brad Offerdahl and his son Jay Offerdahl started Viking Mergers & Acquisitions.
For over 28 years, Viking has focused on providing comprehensive business acquisition and business brokerage services with an emphasis on communication, confidentiality and closing sales.
We Are Your Guide.
Selling Your Business
Selling a business can be an emotional process—one that may be simultaneously exciting and even a bit intimidating. The right business broker / advisor can help make the business sales process much more straightforward.
Buying a Business
Buying a business can be one of the biggest decisions you ever make. Choose the right business, and you set yourself up for the freedom, flexibility, and sense of pride that being a business owner brings.
Business Valuation
Knowing the value of your business is essential. Viking Mergers & Acquisitions offers complimentary, 100% confidential business valuations. Our certified appraisal experts provide the most accurate value of your company and competitive knowledge for when you go to market.
Focus on Seller Process
We will help you navigate the process to sell your business from the beginning to closing and beyond. This is normally a five-to-twelve-month process. This is our plan to get you there.
Viking will:
- Learn about your business and gather financial information
- Explain what to expect going forward
Viking will:
- Recast Business Financials; Normalize Financials to Maximize Cash Flow
- Conduct Industry Valuation Research
- Review Comparable Sales
- Our Three Approaches: Cash Flow Analysis Approach, Comparable Sales Approach and Industry Standards Approach
- Show Seller’s Pre-Tax Benefit from Sale
Viking will:
- Explain the methodology of our valuation and findings (Your Benefit: you now know what your business is worth, why the value is what it is and how to increase it)
- Explain how we protect confidentiality
- Explain how we will build a profile on your business
- Explain how we will market your business
- Explain meeting buyers, tours, offers, due diligence, closing
- Ensure our team and you align with next steps
- Answer and address your questions and concerns
Viking will:
- Confidentially market the business on our website and digital business media
- Indirect and direct outreach to qualified buyers
- Create a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) for presentation to qualified buyers (Business Profile Questionnaire)
- Respond to buyer inquiries
- Receive completed NDA, financial statement and resume/bio from the buyers
- Conduct buyer interviews to educate on process and pre-qualify them
- Create a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) for presentation to qualified buyers (Business Profile Questionnaire)
- Schedule buyer/seller introduction calls/meetings/tours
Viking will:
- Provide pre-offer due diligence request to buyer
- Encourage the buyer to act in a timely fashion
- Explain to the buyer how to create an offer to purchase
- Review the buyer’s offer
- Review the seller’s and buyer’s positions
- Explore ways to reach an agreement on price and terms
Viking will:
- Negotiate: closing documents; training & transition; allocation of proceeds from work-in-progress; and non-compete agreement
- Create a secured data room for file sharing
- Work together with seller and buyer to collect, gather, and analyze due diligence information
- Review and execute ‘authorization to close’ document
Viking will:
- Review closing instructions with closing attorney
- Distribute draft of closing documents to buyer and seller
- Negotiate any final changes in closing documents
Success Stories.
Seller Success
RICK VAAL SELLS HIS MANUFACTURING BUSINESS
For nearly 30 years, Rick Vaal had been working hard for decades building up The Lab Zone. The Lab Zone specializes in designing and manufacturing unique formulations for the detailing market. Rick also sensed that in order for the business to grow he needed to transition it to new ownership.
Back on the Water
JEFF CROUCH SELLS HIS BOAT DEALERSHIP
Viking Mergers had the opportunity to work with JC Sports owner Jeff Crouch to help walk him through the process of selling his leading boat dealership and transition it to a top-notch buyer.
Keep Your Eye On the Prize
HAMILTON ELECTRIC AND PLUMBING
Watch the video above to see how Ben and the Viking team helped the Hamiltons successfully sell their business and achieve their dreams of retirement.
Testimonials.
Thanks to the entire team for getting the sale of Home Design Decor magazine over the goal line. Everyone at Viking that I was involved with were top notch professionals. Greg performed with determination with a great balance as the deal-facilitator and counselor for the buyer. It certainly is a delicate balance.
Thanks again to you the Viking Team- your professionalism, guidance and attention to detail made the Sun Plaza Acquisition a very positive experience for us. Looking forward to working with you on the next one!
Viking Mergers & Acquisitions showed a unique desire to learn my business from the inside because they wanted to effectively promote my business on the outside and that impressed me. If you are in search of a professional firm and a professional broker to sell your business, look no further than the Viking Mergers team because they will get the job done!