Eric Van Dam

But you should ask, if you're going to buy a business, ask them, like, what are you looking for in a partner and how can I add value? Maybe they're having a hard time getting trucks. Maybe they're not getting enough leads. Maybe they're not getting enough employees.

But you should ask, if you're going to buy a business, ask them, like, what are you looking for in a partner and how can I add value? Maybe they're having a hard time getting trucks. Maybe they're not getting enough leads. Maybe they're not getting enough employees.

And so you can figure out how can I help them recruit more employees or how can I help them get more leads or how can I help them get more trucks, right? But if you really want to be, you know, a platform and help companies out, figuring out what those bottlenecks to growth are and how do you unlock them.

And so you can figure out how can I help them recruit more employees or how can I help them get more leads or how can I help them get more trucks, right? But if you really want to be, you know, a platform and help companies out, figuring out what those bottlenecks to growth are and how do you unlock them.

Which subsector are we talking about? HVAC, garage doors, roofing? There's not a one.

Which subsector are we talking about? HVAC, garage doors, roofing? There's not a one.

Yeah. So I would say best in class from a gross margin perspective for HVAC and plumbing would be somewhere between 50% to 55% gross margins. And then from an EBITDA margin perspective, usually call it like 18% to 20% is best in class. We've seen some probably as high as 25%. But in general, that's what I would say.

Yeah. So I would say best in class from a gross margin perspective for HVAC and plumbing would be somewhere between 50% to 55% gross margins. And then from an EBITDA margin perspective, usually call it like 18% to 20% is best in class. We've seen some probably as high as 25%. But in general, that's what I would say.

I think it's important to unpack the numbers. What is driving that? And for instance, with this one particular company, they had a little bit of a unique marketing approach and they had an extremely high ROI on the marketing dollars that they were allocating. And so there was a good explanation for why they were driving that, but they were also at 55% gross margin.

I think it's important to unpack the numbers. What is driving that? And for instance, with this one particular company, they had a little bit of a unique marketing approach and they had an extremely high ROI on the marketing dollars that they were allocating. And so there was a good explanation for why they were driving that, but they were also at 55% gross margin.

So they were at the upper end from a gross margin perspective from where they should be. And more of that trickled down to the bottom line.

So they were at the upper end from a gross margin perspective from where they should be. And more of that trickled down to the bottom line.

it's just intense and you probably remember it, but think about all the different advisors that all the various buyers had. They had accountants, they had tax advisors, they had insurance and benefits, they had lawyers, they had third-party consultants doing, you know, market assessments and industry research. And so,

it's just intense and you probably remember it, but think about all the different advisors that all the various buyers had. They had accountants, they had tax advisors, they had insurance and benefits, they had lawyers, they had third-party consultants doing, you know, market assessments and industry research. And so,

The one thing that we always tell our clients is don't bring a knife to a gunfight, right? It's really important to assemble your deal team, get the right advisors. And so we were representing you as an investment banking advisor, but we also hired EY Parthenon to do the market study. We had FTI Consulting doing the quality of earnings analysis.

The one thing that we always tell our clients is don't bring a knife to a gunfight, right? It's really important to assemble your deal team, get the right advisors. And so we were representing you as an investment banking advisor, but we also hired EY Parthenon to do the market study. We had FTI Consulting doing the quality of earnings analysis.

And there was so much preparation work that really went into it so that we could be well prepared for the due diligence process and really ensure that we have a very successful outcome that also has speed and certainty to close.

And there was so much preparation work that really went into it so that we could be well prepared for the due diligence process and really ensure that we have a very successful outcome that also has speed and certainty to close.

We normally say it's six months from hire to wire. So from the time we get hired and sign an engagement letter to the time you get wired all the funds that hit your bank account, it's about six months on average. There's some processes that potentially could move a little faster and some that may move a little bit slower, but on average, six months.

We normally say it's six months from hire to wire. So from the time we get hired and sign an engagement letter to the time you get wired all the funds that hit your bank account, it's about six months on average. There's some processes that potentially could move a little faster and some that may move a little bit slower, but on average, six months.