Guard Management Advisors
Executive Management
We start with a simple conversation.
Whether you are the owner and sole leader of a small firm or an executive in charge of a large regional security group, we have the exact combination of training and experience to help you. Through decades of proven senior management experience with international, national, regional, local and start up contract security firms all over the U.S., we are uniquely situated to understand your daily challenges. Most industry advisors haven't had to fight that uphill battle with little or no support in small to medium security firms.
We realize that you are often asked to do the impossible with little or no resources. When faced with sales, client service issues, hiring and human resource challenges on top of scheduling last minute employee "call off's," seemingly all at the same time, it can be overwhelming. We've been there right in the trenches just like you learning all along the way. Therefore we have no intention of describing unrealistic expectations or providing expensive solutions you couldn't hope to afford.
We start with a simple conversation.
Areas of Expertise
- Management optimization - synergy out of chaos. Management should be integrated, collaborative and effective. We define potential structure options and how to tune core functions. Does your structure limit growth or guarantee it?
- Supervisory optimization - how much supervision do you need and how to effectively deploy it. What are the industry leaders doing with supervision and what should you be doing differently?
- Operations management training - Who does what and why? How do you lower unbillable overtime below 2% and keep it there? Is there a way my Operations Managaer can get a good night's sleep for once?
- Sales and sales management - Should you hire a salesperson or have selling managers? How can you take a small start up firm and sell as good as the big guys? What collateral materials should you have, how to make them on a tight budget yourself and when to use them? How do you sell differently to different vertical markets? How to keep salespeople interested, motivated and ways to track their progress.
- Geographic or market penetration - How to grow effectively in difficult markets. How to expand outward or jump to remote markets. How to add static guard or vehicular patrol services to your company offerings.
- Designing a security company - Occasionally we are called on to redesign a stalled brand, failing company or company division. Done effectively, this can erase losses and jump start lagging sales. We've done this effectively every time. Please ask us about this special assistance.
Selling your Business
Guiding Your Sale
When you consider selling all or part of your business, it can be an emotional roller-coaster. There are many questions to be asked and in some cases answers simply lead to more questions. During this time, it has been our experience that owners deeply appreciate a guide through the process. Yes, owners can sell their own company. However, we are experts at maximizing sale value as well as meeting unique seller challenges and requirements.
Our process involves determining your expectations and non-negotiables. In many cases, this may involve post sale considerations for valued loyal employees, branding, licensure etc. What happens after the sale is often a major sticking point for some owners. This is yet another reason we add real value to the sale. We've dealt with these issues many times and have rather creative strategies to offer both our client the seller as well as the buyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I evaluate the sale price of my firm? Generally this involves several key indicators such as profitability, size, types of service, debt etc. Based upon those items, multiple monthly revenue amounts are often weighed as the main factor.
- What are your fees for assistance selling my business? We charge a flat percentage rate of the final sale price. Larger $1M sale prices have a reduced percentage amount. We also require a small retainer to be negotiated as we put a fair amount of work into the initial process.
- What is the process to sell my business? We interview ownership to determine all requirements of the sale and expectations going forward. We calculate realistic sale values and produce an attractive offering package. We then match potential pre-qualified buyers to you and process the sale accordingly. This includes facilitating LOI's, selling documents and sourcing escrow and legal services as required.
- What about IRS tax liens, pending lawsuits and other challenges? We do our best to provide advice on getting you to your goals. In some cases we can refer you to specialized tax attorneys or industry specific lawyers adept at quick resolutions. This is often why owners wish to sell their business. Therefore, this is nothing new to us. However, some issues may delay your efforts to sell.
- I get offers all the time from my competitors to sell. Why wouldn't I just do that? We have several reasons to start. First, once they know you may sell, it is possible that information could leak out to your employees or customers causing havok! Second, competitors often do not have the highest price in mind for you. Third, owners without significant business broker experience may miss key benefits unknown to them they may be entitled to and/or could be losing out on much more favorable selling conditions. We do come across sellers willing to sell based upon very unfavorable terms. We guide you away from these towards more successful outcomes.
Buying Security Businesses
Buying a Security Business
Buying a Security Business
Buying a Security Business
When ready to buy your first or your next security business, it can be challenging finding what may be available. We assist buyers by locating and qualifying potential acquisition targets. Further, SSBA can facilitate the offering and sale process.
Buying Security Contracts
Buying a Security Business
Buying a Security Business
Some firms occasionally divest themselves of a particular vertical market or division. Others simply need to pull back and regroup for financial challenges. This can be a great option if financing is limited but the need for growth remains. We can help you find groups of contracts in your area to purchase.
Mergers
Buying a Security Business
Mergers
If a relationship already exists or the idea to partner with another firm is desirable, this can propel both groups farther and faster towards success than they ever would by themselves. We can help you through the myriad of questions, paperwork and due diligence for merging in today's markets. We can also help you find a potential strategic partner to build a solid future with.
Industry Representation
Help in a highly specialized industry
Security, safety and law enforcement groups are highly specialized organizations. Despite media hype, they are reliably "old school" and based upon many longstanding traditions. They are slow to adopt changes or accept new opportunities. Even with game changing, remarkable new technology, without significant preparation and groundwork, market penetration cannot be achieved. Uniformed organizations operate with a completely different mindset than the average business. Unless you are recognized as talking their language and offer solutions that make sense to them, you may be shut out entirely.
Inventors and entrepreneurs can make incredible new products and services. But even the best of them need to be tailored to the specific needs and wants of this very demanding industry. Even then, the marketing and collateral materials need to match the mindset of the uniformed and senior uniformed management. We can help you pierce through the barriers to more effectively present and push your products and services. This highly fractured set of markets is best served by well placed, existing relationships. We have those, domestically and internationally.
Areas of expertise
- Product development - we provide guidance in a collaborative environment so your product or service can become a natural fit for the industry.
- Marketing assistance - our vast experience over the years as industry buyers enables critical feedback on what works and what doesn't. We also keep quite current on all industry trends so your marketing approach is fresh and appealing to would be buyers.
- Sales assistance - with longstanding industry strategic connections, we can assist your team reach their sales goals with introductions and proven targeted approaches.
- Industry representation - through meetings, sales presentations or convention floor activities, we provide professional, industry specific executive representation. Police like to talk with police, security with security and technology teams with tech savvy representatives.
Industry Representation
Trikke Tech Inc., is a great example of products and services we help represent to the security, safety and law enforcement community. Partnering with us, we bridge the gap between product and buyer to educate and create industry "need" rather than "want."
Maintaining relationships with industry pioneers and market sector giants is critical to our success. We pride ourselves on these long term friendships that add significant strategic value for our clients.
Your Industry Experts
Your Industry Experts
Whether you require testimony for government legislation or perhaps expert witness help in a court of law, we are your industry experts. Having represented a variety of specialized interests over the years, SSBA are your expert for the experts.
Your Industry Experts
Your Industry Experts
Your Industry Experts
- Help for your marketing efforts to the security, safety and law enforcement markets
- Product representation for critical sales meetings, trade shows and events
- Professional, polished, experienced industry senior executives for solution based industry representation