Testimonials

“It was critically important that we remained focused on our business during the transition period. There is no way that could have happened without the expert team AmbroseAdvisors brought to the table. From accountants, legal, banking, and everything else, the team was top notch. AmbroseAdvisors made it possible to stay focused on our business during the transition period. Every process of the transaction was handled with competency and care. We could not be happier with the performance of AmbroseAdvisors.”

“AmbroseAdvisors ran the process for two of the biggest financial events in our 20-year history as a company. These guys have the answers and their approach is no-nonsense, egalitarian and always data-driven. We continue to rely on their expertise.”

“We had the opportunity to be introduced to the Ambrose team through a very well regarded prestigious Financial Advisory firm. We talked to approximately three firms plus an incumbent firm we had previously engaged that had successfully sold our first company. After thoroughly vetting the newcomers against the incumbent we selected AmbroseAdvisors to be our Partners throughout the sale of our second company. They took a significant amount of time and effort to learn our industry, collaborate with us and then aggressively marketed our company. The Ambrose Principals ran a very organized process, vetted and weeded out a number of potential buyers throughout the process so that we could stay focused on growing our business, an important part of their strategy to ensure the business didn’t suffer during the sale process. Upon our final selection of a buyer, The Ambrose Principals diligently negotiated the maximum value for our business and did not back down during intense negotiations on our behalf. Selling a company can be a very stressful and emotional time for the sellers, Ambrose really helped to ensure it was minimized for us. We would highly recommend engaging AmbroseAdvisors when considering the best sale options for your company and employees.”

“AmbroseAdvisors is one of our most valued business partners. For well over a decade, the Ambrose principals have been integral in virtually all of our financial dealings; buy-side transactions, sell-side transactions, debt placements and ESOP plan administration. Ambrose’s desire and ability to gain an intimate understanding of our competitive landscape, strategies and operations have made them an indispensable part of our planning and execution. Simply put, they are the best in their field.”

“Our executive team interviewed several investment banks to help advise us on our individual and company financial goals in regard to using the ESOP structure to help achieve them all.   After a full year of study and interviews; we decided upon a partial sale of our business to an ESOP as well as utilizing the expertise of the Ambrose team to help us make it happen.  We selected the Ambrose Principals to represent us in this transaction because they had significant capital markets, M&A and ESOP experience which we found unique for a boutique investment bank to possess all of these skillsets.  The Ambrose Principals did a great job assembling a team of professionals (specialized ESOP attorneys, ESOP trustees, etc), quarterbacking and successfully closing our ESOP transaction and helping to place the capital to provide our selling shareholder with upfront cash.  They also assisted us with the roll-out meetings after the closing. The Ambrose Principals took the time to listen to our goals and objectives and put together a customized transaction that met most, but addressed all, of those goals and objectives.  We continue to partner with Ambrose who acts as our third party administrator and we like that because they are always available for questions and are helping us to administer the plan that we created with them a couple of years ago when the transaction closed. We would recommend Ambrose to any business owner considering a sale or liquidity transaction and will be relying upon them when we transition to a 100% ESOP in the future.”

“Working with the Ambrose principals was nothing less than exceptional. Their approach in helping me understand the ESOP transaction process from start to finish took the pressures off me and my family. They helped ensure the deal was structured properly and they gave me no pressure of closing a deal just to get paid. They truly cared about the success of the deal short term and long, that is why we are also using them as our third-party administrators indefinitely. Great honest caring people!!”

“I had the pleasure of working with both Michael and Phillip as well as their team.  From the start Michael and Phillip flew out to meet with me to discuss the different components of an ESOP transaction.  They educated me on the process and proved to me just how educated they were in this field.  I worked closely with Phillip over the next few months.  He made the process seamless and helped walk me through many of the steps to get the transaction done.  The entire Ambrose team was very professional and knowledgeable.  They were able to take something very complex and make it easy for me the business owner.  In the end we completed the transaction which has now turned all of the employees of our company into business owners.  I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.  Eventhough the process is over I am pleased that the Ambrose team continued their involvement with the transition.  I feel like Phillip started out as my advisor and ended being my friend.  I would highly recommend Ambrose to any business owner looking for liquidity, to empower their employees and to move their company to the next level.”

“After spending years building our business we were lucky to find Ambrose Principals when it came time to sell.  An ESOP transaction was the perfect process for us, but without Ambrose we never would have been able to make it happen.  Their professionalism and support through the entire transaction, and continuing with their Third-Party Administrator services, allowed us to effectively transfer ownership of the company to our employees without interfering with our business operations.  Subsequent to the transaction closing, we retained Ambrose to help us refinance our debt and they were able to place financing that lowered our cost, bettered our terms and exceeded our expectations. I would not hesitate to recommend them to any business owner looking for an exit strategy or looking to place financing!”

“AmbroseAdvisors were recommended to us by colleagues.  We had very little exposure with the succession planning process and ESOP option to keep our company and brand thriving in the future.  We also wanted to reward our team who has worked hard to build our reputation.  We had a few conversations regarding the process that were quite overwhelming for our small company of 30 employees but Michael, Phillip and the team consistently devoted their time to answer our questions and to make sure we were aligned throughout the process.  They provided a document that explains the entire process in phases that we still use as a reference.  We completed the transaction 6 months later with confidence that we did the right thing for us as sellers and our team for continued success.  Marcus has also been with us from the beginning to help us organize our board of directors, assisting with our new tax status and helping us to stay aligned and keep growing.  He is our guide as we move forward as our management takes the reins for the future.  Thank you AmbroseAdvisors.”

“Our company first engaged with Ambrose to structure our ESOP transaction and later engaged them for administration of our ESOP on an early basis – so two very different engagements but one consistent level of outstanding service! We could not be happier with the level of professional quality they provide year in and year out. Their team remains engaged and committed to seeing our projects through whether it was for the initial transaction, yearly administration or on-going plan amendments. The Ambrose team always delivers for us and we remain a committed happy client.”

“We chose Michael Harden and AmbroseAdvisors to help us overcome the many challenges of establishing an ESOP. His team understood our comfort level and exceeded our expectations in all aspects of the transaction. They were complements to the rest of our advisor team and made the interaction between the parties appear seamless. I have recommended Michael and his team many times to anyone who is thinking about succession planning.”

“Ambrose is a soup to nuts organization that advised us from early concept of the ESOP formation, through the transaction’s completion and ultimately into administration of our plan. Ambrose brings knowledgeable advisors and capable staff at all levels. I have heard horror stories about poorly thought out and executed ESOP formations, which was not the case with our transaction. I am really happy that we found Ambrose who came highly recommended by our banker. We have a complicated organization with many legal entities that span the globe. Ambrose saw the transaction and post transaction through without a hitch. Thanks to Ambrose, our Company will live happily ever after.”

“Experience, Expertise and Responsiveness. These are the three words that describe our engagement with Ambrose Principals. They are thought leaders in the ESOP space, have a wealth of experience and relationships they bring to the transaction and most importantly, they are then when you need them. I highly recommend Ambrose to any business owner considering an ESOP transaction.”

“AmbroseAdvisors was exceptionally knowledgeable and responsive to our needs and challenges as we worked through the ESOP process. We encountered some unique difficulties but with their steady guidance and expertise, they helped us navigate through these difficulties to a successful closing. Furthermore, they continue to guide us post-closing to ensure that we are in full compliance with all regulatory requirements, as well as enabling us to adequately counsel our management and employees so they fully understand and appreciate the benefits of the ESOP. I give them my unqualified recommendation to any company seeking an expert advisor for an ESOP.”

“Ambrose is the one-stop full service firm for ESOP professionals. They successfully and smoothly guided us through a 100% ESOP transaction within a 90 day period. From start to finish, they provided us with investment banking & financial advice, legal counsel, transaction structure, and ESOP buyout transaction services. They continue to support us with excellent third-party administration. We’ve referred them to some of our key clients and other partners, and they performed with repeated success. Bottomline: they have the character and competency to get it done right!”

“We Closed on our ESOP buyout transaction with AmbroseAdvisors leading the way as the financial advisor/investment banker for our company of 1,500 employees here in the Southern California region. Throughout the process, Ambrose was by our side answering all of our questions, working with us to lead due diligence and negotiations on our behalf with the Trustee and its financial and legal advisors to ensure our transaction was closed using the industry’s best practices employed by AmbroseAdvisors. We highly recommend Ambrose because as a valued business partner they have continued to stay by our side before and after the close of transaction. Service is everything and Ambrose demonstrates that each and every day!”

“Peace of mind…that’s what you get when you partner with AmbroseAdvisors to act as your investment banker/financial advisor. They are an invaluable source of technical guidance when it comes to strategic planning and the ESOP transaction through to compliance, reporting and fiduciary matters, which allows us to focus on our core business.”

“An ESOP can be an exciting opportunity for the right company, offering an attractive exit strategy for founders while highly motivating employees and next-generation leaders. We interviewed a number of groups to manage our ESOP transaction and ended up choosing AmbroseAdvisors since they offered an experienced team of ESOP investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and administrators to ensure that the transition is done properly. Our ESOP transaction was closed without complications. I recommend AmbroseAdvisors without reservations.”

“AmbroseAdvisors is what I consider one of our most important business advisors. From helping us with the review of private equity opportunities, to our eventual, ‘last minute’, end of year ESOP transaction. They have been with us the entire journey. It isn’t just their skilled team of analysts and associates, but the one-on-one direct participation of the Ambrose Principals. The Ambrose Principals take great pride in sharing their vast capital markets, M&A and ESOP knowledge and experience, and make themselves available for our company’s leadership education. We have been working with them for over three years now as our third party administrator, and their coordination, communication, and leadership of the process, and results, make it a worry-free process for the employee-owners of our Company.”

“The transition to an employee-owned company is complex. From both buy and sell side considerations to the actual ongoing employee ownership component, there are dozens of variables to be considered. Frankly, I can’t imagine what our experience would have been like without the experts at AmbroseAdvisors advising us through the process. This isn’t a theoretical exercise for them — they’ve navigated dozens of businesses through this process, from the transaction itself to ongoing third-party administration post-closing. They are tried and true experts who understand the implications of every decision made along the way.”

“We highly recommend the Ambrose team of Michael Harden, Mark O’Keefe and Phillip Chou. They are all highly competent professionals who truly take customer service to heart. A few years ago, our company became the first acute care hospital system in the nation to make a 100% stock sale to an ESOP. Ambrose was exceptional arranging the process to select both lenders, trustees, and other professionals. And then they worked side by side with us to close a very complicated transaction. Process is extremely important in an ESOP transaction. Ambrose advised us all along the way to create an excellent record and an outstanding economic transaction. Salaries, wages, and benefits are the largest expense for a healthcare company. The ESOP has been an outstanding tool for employee attraction and retention. Years after the transaction closed, Ambrose is still helping us with third party administration (Marcus Piquet) and responding to issues as they arise. I’d would be pleased to speak with anyone interested in retaining Ambrose for their transaction.”

“Working with AmbroseAdvisors provided our Company with the knowledge and expertise to navigate the ESOP process in a timely and successful manner that kept us constantly informed and educated. They were always readily available to answer questions throughout the transaction and helped guide us through multiple scenarios. The original owners of our Company were very pleased with the transaction as the negotiated value was within the expected range and the transaction was completed on-time and within budget. Post transaction, we been working with the Ambrose Principals TPA team for the ongoing administration of the ESOP plan and we they have been attentive to our needs. Finally, we were very impressed with the Ambrose Team’s networking contacts and outstanding reputation in the ESOP community. We definitely made the right choice!”

“AmbroseAdvisors and one of its Principals, Michael Harden, were instrumental in advising us throughout the process and getting the ESOP transaction completed. They were with us every step of the way. I am a CPA and tax accountant and was executor of the estate of the former owner and Ambrose managed to get the ESOP done at the end of April. There is a lot of things required to be done well before the closing which means lots of work was being done during tax season which is my busiest time. The fact that they managed to close the transaction as planned at the end of April is a real testament to how easy they made the process. Ambrose continues to provide great service in assisting with the compliance issues as the companies TPA.”

“When our Company made the difficult decision to turn our company into an ESOP, we decided on using the services of AmbroseAdvisors for the transaction.  From day one it felt like a partnership.  The Ambrose team helped us understand the challenges as well as the advantages.  They took us through an in-depth interview process and challenged our “why” and made sure we were committed before continuing further.  Ambrose is a full-service team dedicated to the ESOP platform and making business better for all with great follow through.  Post transaction we continue to use Ambrose services to support and manage the complexities in the day to day of the ESOP.  We depend on AmbroseAdvisors for our ESOP success!  If you are considering an ESOP transaction, I highly recommend the partnership with AmbroseAdvisors.”

“Our 65-year old family business was looking for the right advisor to help us realize the best partners for our organization.  Ambrose was creative and thorough in their approach.  The process was run professionally and culminating with us finding a private equity partner whose principles matched those or our carefully built organization.”

“We have been very pleased with the professional services of AmbroseAdvisors.  Our ESOP transaction, which looked very complex to us at the beginning, was completed with ease and assurance.  Thanks to the Ambrose Principals’ seamless integration of appraisers, attorneys, CPA’s and administrators throughout our ESOP transaction, all of us are now enjoying the benefits of being 100% employee owners.”

“Mike and the whole Ambrose team were and are great to work with.  They were instrumental in us getting our deal across the finish line and were super easy to work with.  I appreciated their communications style and responsiveness for sure, and would recommend them to any friend.”

“Based on two recommendations from our business partners, we met AmbroseAdvisors with only a basic knowledge of ESOPs. Ambrose took time and patience to analyze the pros and cons of an ESOP transaction for our organization and our shareholders; and they presented and explained several different transaction structures for us to consider. During the time we set up our transaction, Ambrose showed their top notch expertise and in-depth knowledge that not only helped us to navigate the whole process smoothly, but also helped us facilitate introductions to reputable ESOP trustees, attorneys, lenders and other professionals via their immense network. Ambrose is really a one-stop solutions provider for a complicated transaction like an ESOP buyout transaction.  We are glad that we picked the right advisor to manage our ESOP deal and pleased with their reliable support after the transaction closing since we have also retained them to act as our third-party administrator of our ESOP. We strongly recommend AmbroseAdvisors to companies who are interested in exploring and possibly completing an ESOP buyout transaction.”

“Our relationship with the Ambrose team is approaching a decade in tenure and continues to be the highest value of all of our business relationships.  Their group of professionals delicately guided our company through our successful ESOP transaction culminating in 2011.  Their detailed approach was refreshing, honest and collaborative.  Since this time, we have made a calculated decision to not only maintain the relationship, but to enhance it through ongoing legal, third-party administrative, advisory, and other business consulting matters.  These services and the underlying relationships have been irreplaceable when navigating the business and financial matters of the 21^st century.”