About the firm
Built by operators. Held to the standard of stewards.
Our story
Stanton Reeve was founded by entrepreneurs who have sat in the owner's chair. Between us we have built, run and grown companies in healthcare, insurance distribution and consumer finance, with real payrolls and real risk.
We've been on both sides of the table. We know how it feels to receive a term sheet you don't fully trust, to wonder whether a banker is working for you or the deal, and to realize too late which terms mattered. We built this firm to be the advisor we wanted then.
How independence shapes the work
We answer to one party: the client in front of us.
We do not sell products, place capital for our own book, or hold positions we would need to protect. We are paid for an outcome, not for activity. That single constraint decides how we prepare a business, what we recommend, and when we tell a client not to transact.
Nothing attached to the advice.
No products to sell, no capital we need to place, no position we have to defend. If the right answer is a smaller deal, a later deal, or no deal at all, that is the answer you get.
One partner, accountable.
The partner who scopes your engagement runs it, answers the hard questions, and stays reachable through diligence, negotiation and after close.
A conclusion, not a process.
Every engagement is scoped toward a decision — a price, a partner, a plan. We would rather give you an answer you can act on than a process that keeps us on retainer.
What we believe
The client's interest comes first, every time.
We are independent and paid to get the outcome right, not just to get a deal done.
Senior people do the work.
We tell clients what their business is worth and what it needs, even when it is unwelcome.
Discretion is non-negotiable.
Our clients' plans stay theirs.
Long relationships beat single transactions.
Many of our best engagements begin years before a deal.
What to expect
From first conversation to close, the same people stay with you.
01
A confidential conversation
You tell us where the business stands and what you are weighing. We ask hard questions and say plainly whether we can add something worth paying for. Nothing leaves the room.
02
A candid read on readiness
We look at the financials, the contracts and the story a buyer or lender would see, then tell you what holds up, what will not, and what is worth fixing before anyone is approached.
03
A clear proposal
Scope, sequence and the partner who will run it, set out in writing before we begin. You know what the engagement involves before you commit to anything.
04
A disciplined process
Preparation, outreach and negotiation handled by the same people who took your first call. You hear from us when it matters, and always know where a deal stands.
05
Through close and after
We hold the line on terms, not just price — through diligence, documents and signing — and stay reachable long after the deal is done.
Questions owners ask
Is our conversation confidential?
Yes. You can speak with a partner before anything is committed to paper, and nothing leaves the room. Once an engagement begins we work under a written non-disclosure agreement, and information goes only to the parties you approve, when you approve it.
How are engagements structured and paid?
Scope, sequence and fees are agreed in writing before we begin, based on the work the engagement requires. We set out plainly what it costs and when each payment falls due, and tell you if the scope changes.
How do you decide which engagements to take?
We take on work we believe we can move. If we cannot add something worth paying for, we say so on the first call — and point you elsewhere if we can.
How will I know where a deal stands?
The partner running your engagement stays your contact. You get written updates on a rhythm agreed at the start, and a call when something changes rather than a note at the next scheduled meeting.
Can we talk before we are ready to act?
Most first conversations are with owners still years from a decision. Preparing early is usually the difference between negotiating from strength and reacting to an offer.
Every engagement begins with a confidential conversation.
Speak with a Partner