Continue your legacy

sell your small business to a committed professional who wants to continue growing what you have built.

Approach

My sole focus is finding, buying and running an established Bay-Area small business.More than 72% of small business owners don't have an exit plan, despite more than 29% looking to leave their business within five years and over half (54%) looking to leave in the next decade. LinkThese experienced individuals are understandably looking to retire and be compensated for their years of hard work.I am a young motivated professional looking to "pick up the baton" and provide an exit plan for the right small business owner.The goal: the owner gets compensation for their hard work and the free time to enjoy the fruits of their labor with the benefit of knowing their business, and their employees, are in the hands of someone that is deeply invested in continuing and growing that small business.

what am i looking for?

I'm looking for an established and profitable small business.- I am not looking to acquire a business that was in decline prior to the pandemic in hopes of turning it around.
- I am not looking to acquire a speculative fast-growing business in hopes of it becoming the "next big thing."
- I am not interested in acquiring a restaurant or law practice.My focus is to keep it simple, find a profitable business and build off of the strong foundation the original owner created.I am open to hearing about any opportunity but the main criteria I am looking for in a business are:
- Established - ideally with a track record of more than five years
- Annual revenue in excess of $500,000
- Historical growth and/or stable revenues
- Resilient - The business has weathered recessions or significant industry changes in the past
- Recurring revenue streams, but not reliant on one or two customers for the majority of revenue

who do i want to work with?

I'm looking to buy a business from someone who meets two key criteria:1. Someone that actually wants to sell their business. I do not want to be the reason you sell. I don't want to force that choice on anyone.
2. Someone with the right "fit" - where we have a shared mutual appreciation and respect.Having run my own small business, I know you pour your heart and soul in to it.I am looking for experienced owners that want to retire and reduce their day-to-day involvement and don't have a succession plan. For example, older owners who have children, none of whom are interested or capable of taking over the family business.While we may not be working closely for years, we'll have to work closely to negotiate and close the purchase of your business, and I'll have to lean on you for a significant amount of time after the acquisition to learn the ropes. Because of these realities it's important we have a solid working relationship.I've shared more details about myself in the About section, overall, I'm a dedicated husband and father who wants to build a better life for his family through running and growing a successful small business.The people I've worked with in the past will tell you:
- I do what I say I am going to do
- I have high expectations but would never ask anyone to do anything I'm unwilling to do myself
- I care deeply about the people I work with and try to bring positive energy and laughter to the workplace

why work with me?

If you own and run a successful small business you probably get calls and emails all the time from people looking to acquire the business. Those people might be agents, private equity firms, or companies looking to make strategic acquisitions. What they want to do with your business might not be clear.
- After acquisition are they going to fire half your employees because now they're redundant?
- Are they going to put so much debt on the company, that they risk its very existence?
- Are they going to treat your employees well?
- Are they going to harm your reputation and the firm's by doing things that you do not agree with after you leave?With me, my intentions are clear.I'm a hard worker who grew up in a blue-collar family and I want to run and grow a small business to build a better future for myself, my family and the staff I work with.That's it.

what else should you know?

You're busy, I don't want to waste your time.Here are some quick bullet points that might help you decide if you want to work with me or not.Here are reason why you would want to work with me:
- You want the next owner to care about your business as much as you do.
- You want someone who isn't looking to acquire your business as a part of a larger strategy that may result in mass layoffs, or scrapping large parts of the business you built.
- You want an owner-operator to continue your legacy, building off of what you've worked so hard to create.Here are the reasons why you would not want to work with me:
- Money is your main focus. I will pay a fair price for your business but if you want to get every last penny out of your business when you sell it, you probably want to take a look at a private equity firm or a strategic acquirer.
- You want to keep running your business even after selling it. I'm looking to acquire a business and take over all aspects of its operations. While we are likely to work closely for six to 24-months post-acquisition, I need someone who wants to actually sell and separate from their business.

About

My name is Mike Ivancie. I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. My father is a retired firefighter who spent his entire career with the Portland fire department. My mother ran a community center that provided meals to the elderly in the local community.I was the first person in my family to complete a graduate degree. I received a law degree from the University of Arizona and have a license to practice law in the state of California. After graduating, I went to work for Department of Homeland Security as a Staff Attorney. After four years, and realizing government bureaucracy wasn't a good fit for me, I left DHS to start my own law practice. I grew my practice over four years and realized I loved running a business much more than practicing law.To pursue that passion further, I enrolled in the Evening & Weekend MBA program at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. I've since received my MBA after working full-time during the day and attending classes in the evening, while helping out at home with my young son.During my time in business school, I transitioned to a marketing and partnerships role with a growing technology firm, where I had the opportunity to develop skills that I believe will be helpful in running a small business.I have a deep curiosity and passion for learning. I know that running a small business will provide me the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally.

Mike Pictured above with his wife and son.

Contact Me

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