“You helped us merge two businesses and provided strategic direction, growing both revenue and profitability. When we were ready, you helped us become an attractive target for two national buyers and we sold for a premium. Your experience, integrity and sensitivity was the perfect match for us...”
Clients
The following reference samplings are a testimony to the success achieved by ClearPath's clients through our collaboration:
"I'm still in shock as to how well this has turned out. It would not have happened this way without your wise and experienced counsel."
- Harry Welch, CEO, BayMark Signs (Buy Side Transaction)
"I work with hundreds of CEOs running companies in every industry… I don't hesitate to recommend ClearPath when they have to prepare for a major strategic event or simply need some outside counsel. … I've always received great feedback on their work."
"Our office has worked with ClearPath Business Advisors on many customer projects over the last few years. We have found that ClearPath delivers pragmatic strategic advice. Many business consulting firms develop elaborate plans that end up sitting in a drawer with little to no results. ClearPath works with their customers to develop realistic plans that are implemented and make a difference."
- Jim Pease, CPA and Principal, W.H. Mayer Accountancy
"We want to thank the ClearPath team for helping grow Access Information Management over the past four years through almost 20 acquisitions. Due to this growth, we are now ranked in the top ten companies in our industry within the Western United States. We appreciate your work in evaluations, due diligence and helping us close our transactions as well as helping identify two deals we needed to walk away from. We also value the closing process you helped develop for our acquisitions but most importantly, I appreciate the detailed attention and feedback you and your team give to our needs. Without this, we would not have been able to grow so quickly and efficiently."
- Dennis E. Barnedt III, President & CEO, Access Information Management - Member Vistage International
“I just want to say THANK You for wanting to be a part of the BWC team!!!! I went home last night thinking how excited I am for our future. I feel that BWC has talented, wonderful people working here and all have the same goal, to work hard, do their best and help BWC grow. What makes me excited for the future is your gift of bringing focus to our group. I love working with you and can’t wait to learn and learn.
"My experience in working with ClearPath has been one of the most fulfilling in my business career. Our relationship with them has been invaluable for the growth, reorganization and strategic positioning for our company. Chris Crawford is effective, efficient, focused, and makes things happen. While I have worked with many financial and consulting firms in my career, what I have often found is that the sales pitch is more than the end result. Too often such firms merely spit back at you information that you already know about your own company. ClearPath goes far beyond and delivers incremental value that has helped move our company forward. They are truly an outstanding organization. Their service, devotion and commitment to us is superior. I am so impressed with the quality of their insight, their capabilities to help us with our strategic planning process and their focus to getting things done. They are one of the most talented organizations I have ever worked with."
- Barney Mizel, Chairman CCI Financial & Insurances Services, Inc., former founder/CEO of USI Holdings, Inc.
"We have worked with ClearPath Business Advisors over the past several years on a variety of assignments. These include an in depth review of our financials for improved budgeting and an outside in look to create increased focus by our sales force. These endeavors have produced very positive and tangible results. We continually evaluate areas of our business to engage Chris as his broad experience brings view points that we might otherwise miss. While we're all in business to make money, ClearPath's approach is practical and focused on concrete results, whereby their own success takes care of itself by taking care of their customer; not so novel a thought but increasingly a rare find. It is my pleasure to enthusiastically recommend the ClearPath team to other business owners that will invariably benefit by working with them."
- Jim MacDonald, President & CEO, RF MacDonald Company - Member Alliance of CEOs
"As a first time business owner taken for a ride by the juggernaut that we created, your experience provided us with the support, skills and strategy that we needed to maximize our market position, profitability and ultimately, the value, of our business. Over a 3-year period, you helped us merge two businesses into one unified entity, professionalized our management systems, provided strategic and business direction, and helped us acquire and retain critical employees, all while growing both revenue and profitability. Then, when we were ready to sell, you quickly helped us become an attractive acquisition target for two national buyers and sold for a premium. Your experience, integrity, candor, promptness, patience and sensitivity to our vision was the perfect match for us and our business. I could not more strongly recommend ClearPath Business Advisors to any company which is looking to ethically maximize the performance, profitability and value of its business."
- Douglas Rohn, DVM, ACVS, President & CEO, Bay Area Veterinary Specialists
"ClearPath represented us as Sellers of a Hardware Reseller and Services business when we were approached by a Strategic Buyer. ClearPath prepped our Company for the process, helped clean up historical financials, created the forecast model which was the basis for valuation, prepared the offering package, negotiated the price and terms into a Letter of Intent, facilitated due diligence, referred us to a great transaction attorney and worked with him to help negotiate final terms and complete the transaction. The total cash increase to us as compared to the original offer we received: $1.4 million after tax and $2.2 million pre-tax. Thank You ClearPath!"
- John Fournier, Seller - Member Alliance of CEOs
"The team at ClearPath has an outstanding resume but this is only half of the story. Their backgrounds and training have uniquely positioned them to bring value to any organization during these unique times of risk and opportunity. ClearPath brings a potent blend of strategic thinking, financial analysis, and business know-how to almost any situation. They have helped us during the formation of a complex strategic partnership, navigated all aspects of a merger/acquisition, and helped retool our entire accounting & administration department. Chris Crawford, their CEO, has become an indispensable member of our executive management team and a good friend. I highly recommend them."
"We recently purchased a company in Southern California to expand our business. ClearPath Business Advisors was chosen to assist and consult in the negotiation process and to develop a complex corporate structure to make the deal work. I personally worked with Chris Crawford in putting this acquisition together. I would highly recommend Chris and his company to anyone needing assistance in business merger and acquisitions. ClearPath Business Advisors is a company that I feel totally comfortable with in regards to trust, dependability, knowledge and honesty. Their services to Arborwell were a tremendous value and we will continue to look to them for all of our acquisition related needs."
- Peter Sortwell, President, Arborwell, Inc. - Member Alliance of CEOs
"We just wanted to let you know how incredible Stacey Blanda has been for us. She has stepped in for our departed Controller and really picked up where she left off and is doing what needs to be done to get things right."
- Fred J. Vinciguerra, CEO, Forensic Analytical Consulting Services, Inc. - Member Vistage International
"I want to thank Chris and the ClearPath team for all their hard work. They helped us out in several key areas and in both cases; the work was timely, thorough, and extremely professional. They first jumped in to our rescue with the death of one of our employee stockholders with a buy-back agreement. The issue was very emotional for our company and ClearPath was able to respond quickly and conduct a thorough valuation so that we could put the estate concerns of our employee's widow to rest. The quality of the valuation was outstanding and far superior to anything we did through our then CPA. It was of real value in this case where we had lawyers involved due to the need of a fair stock price to settle the buy-back agreement. Next they helped evaluate a potential acquisition and possible successor for me. As a family owned business, this was a tricky situation and ClearPath handled it superbly. Chris led both parties through the process with kid gloves and upon conducting the preliminary rounds of the due diligence he had the professional integrity to advise us not proceed based on economic and business perspectives. I am lucky to have found ClearPath as a resource. I look forward to using you and your company again in the future."
- Pamela A Kan, President, Bishop Wisecarver Corporation - Member Alliance of CEOs
"All Systems Broadband and TriNet Communications have worked with ClearPath Business Advisors for over two years. We have been extremely happy with the advice and financial expertise that their firm has brought to our company. They have made a definitive positive impact on our companies. I would highly recommend ClearPath Business Advisors to anyone considering their services."
- Jason Skeoch, CEO, All Systems Broadband - V.P. of Sales & Marketing, TriNet Communications - Member Alliance of CEOs and Vistage International
"ClearPath helped us create a robust financial management system and professional cash handling, budgeting and departmental objectives for our sailing school business. Chris Crawford has been a wonderful coach and trainer as well as a very astute evaluator of our business structure and plans. He provided OCSC with a thorough, actionable series of observations and recommendations about our financial and business management procedures and protocols. Chris was fully engaged throughout the initial contract and still follows up on a regular basis to see how we are doing, to answer questions and to keep us moving forward. I want to mention that Chris went the extra mile on a very tight budget to ensure we got enough information, structure and coaching to be successful in our plan to set up our business for growth and increased liquidity. We got from Chris what he had promised and received far more than we paid in time, attention and value. I highly recommend Chris and ClearPath Business Advisors to any business that wants to set itself up for more growth and profitability."
- Rich Jepsen, CEO, OCSC Sailing - Member Alliance of CEOs
"We have worked with ClearPath for many years now. Their expertise has helped us to expand our resources and grow our business in many ways. Chris and Stacy have provided regular CFO and Controller level oversight to our accounting department and have managed our annual audits. This and their help with cashflow management and business forecasting brought our financial department to a higher level than we ever felt possible. More recently, they have helped package and position our company in order to raise equity. Their honesty, integrity and work ethic is to be commended"
- Brenda Dronkers, Founder, Pump It Up / PIU Management, Inc.
"I want to express my deep appreciation for all that you & your staff at ClearPath have done for me & for my company. I wish I could be in the audience at one of your speeches so I could stand up & publicly acknowledge all of the great results, your professionalism and the fact that you have always come in on time and on budget. You and your team have enabled my wife and me to move 500+ miles away to Southern California and not worry about our company. I am looking forward to many years of great results."
- Bill Pickens, CEO, Pool Covers Inc.
"I want you to know how much I appreciate your help. You are excellent at what you do. Your words were very important to give me the confidence to make the tough decisions and thanks for taking the extra time to hold my hand through this. I’m glad you are there. You are worth every cent I pay you."
- Dr. Mark Matteucci, Bay Area Veterinary Imaging
"I have retained ClearPath on a variety of strategic projects from purchasing a company, to designing creative incentive and compensation plans for my employees. I have been more than impressed with each project. Not only was the communication timely, but also the quality of the work and the ideas generated from our meetings made it feel like they were an absolutely integral part of the team. I would highly recommend utilizing ClearPath as a local resource in your business for any financial, merger and acquisition, or general consulting needs."
- Donn J. Reinin, President, The Clear Choice Group, Inc.
"ClearPath has proven to be adept at handling the most complex transactions as well as recognizing the simplicity of others. Throughout our relationship, the ClearPath team consistently provided an impressive understanding of all aspects of small business and proved to possess the knowledge and understanding to provide useful advice and practical solutions. Chris also provides access to a large network of experts and professionals that compliment his services. In addition to, and in many ways more important than, his unquestionable knowledge of business and finance, Chris has proven to be an extremely ethical and trustworthy business associate. I feel extremely confident in recommending ClearPath services."
- Rich Esposito, Chief Executive Officer, ELH Enterprises, Inc.
"I am very appreciative of ClearPath's M&A advisory services. I could not have accomplished the acquisition of Direct Connect without you. We started with a seller that was inflexible on terms and wanted to close in a couple weeks, and ended with an arrangement that worked to my benefit as well as to that of the seller.... I got a better price and terms...and could not have mollified them and kept them engaged had it not been for ClearPath's expert guidance, direct involvement and counsel..."
- Ken Garnett, CEO, Direct Connect
"We are very pleased with the work that ClearPath has done for us. Our company has had some very challenging projects with very short time frames. ClearPath has always come through and saved the day for us. We have a very large shareholder that is a public company, thus reporting accurately and on time has been critical and demanding. The ClearPath staff has helped to not only get the job done, but provided important and valuable suggestions for how we can improve and streamline the process. That's truly "value add" and very unique in today's business climate. We have also benefited greatly from the personal skills with financial planning, business modeling, and solid business thinking. Thanks for being our partner and a key component of continued growth and success."
- Peter Geddis, President & CEO, IP Global Voice - Member Alliance of CEOs
"I am sincerely grateful for the professional assistance and personal care ClearPath has provided my company over the past two years. With businesses now evolving in an untraditional way, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on management to make quicker decisions, faster turns, and ultimately be willing to change direction on a dime. The advisors at ClearPath have enabled us to do just that. Please pass this along to perspective new clients as an endorsement that your company has made at least one company very, very happy and more profitable."
- Alan F. Hale, President, Hale Communications Group, Inc.
"Your input and work really created excitement from our team. We have a clear path now to our upcoming project, have decided on goals and deadlines to accomplish these tasks so we can execute the ideas we discussed today. I could not have asked for a better outcome. Thank you for your valuable input. We all felt you really came through and added value to our management team."
- Greg Wiener, CEO, S&G Specialty Fasteners, Inc.