Villwock Advisory Services LLC announced that it has joined Axial as member in order to introduce our services to a broad base of lower middle market companies, and to the private equity and debt funds that provide capital to these companies.
Axial is a network of over 16,000 companies, including investment banks, private equity, lenders and operating companies. The platform has become “the place” for each of its constituencies to network with potential clients. Companies use the site to find advisors, whether that be to raise capital, provide advisory services or investment banking services. Bankers and advisors use Axial to market or test market transactions, and to attract new clients.
Villwock Advisory Services works with middle market companies, private equity and debt funds in several ways:
1. We partner with operating company CEOs to develop and implement a growth and exit plans. As an example, we start working with a company in late 2012 that had plateaued at $12 million in sales for five consecutive years. Less than two years later, the company is on track to produce over $24 million in revenue and EBITDA margins have improved. The CEO’s equity value has tripled, and we are looking at strategic alternatives including a majority sale or ESOP.
2. We work with private equity and debt funds to review opportunities in healthcare. We recently were retained to provide consulting services for a mezzanine debt fund which was considering a healthcare investment. The firm had limited healthcare experience and we became part of the team that analyzed the company and its opportunities in its healthcare niche.
3. All private equity and debt funds have investments that are doing very well, and those that are doing so poorly that they are beyond fixing. However that middle 30% of investments are doing “OK” but perhaps with some guidance, vision and expertise these middle performers could become top performers. However most investment firms don’t have the internal capacity to really get into the day-to-day details and work with the senior management team. Their time is better spent working on the next investment. We can work with the fund and the senior management team to assess the issues, come up with a corrective strategic and financial plan, and if approved by the Board, assist the CEO in implementing the plan.
Axial provides access to all three types of potential clients. We are excited to be on the largest web portal of its kind which introduces companies to capital and advisers.