BizNavigators is an M&A advisory firm that helps business owners prepare for a successful sale while also guiding buyers toward healthy, profitable enterprises. As co-owner and CEO, Marla DiCarlo leads the firm’s work helping sellers maximize value and pairing businesses with the right buyers.
This two-pronged approach has allowed BizNavigators to experience tremendous success in matching businesses for sale with ideal buyers. The firm draws on more than 28 years of experience in strategic planning, financial projections, valuation, forecasting, and budgeting, informed by deep roots in the real estate and commercial development industries.
Business Challenges
BizNavigators already had a steady flow of inbound leads interested in their services. The firm’s biggest challenge was finding an efficient way to qualify those leads and determine whether they were a good fit.
Previously, following up through long phone calls was inefficient and time-consuming. It often took the BizNavigators team between two weeks and a month to determine whether a prospect’s requirements aligned with the firm’s services.
In addition, the firm recognized how difficult selling a business can be for owners. Many struggled to objectively see their company’s weaknesses or take action to correct them. With these challenges in mind, BizNavigators needed a platform that would allow the firm to efficiently qualify leads while also better preparing business owners for a successful exit.
Why The Value Builder System™?
With The Value Builder System™, Marla DiCarlo and her team at BizNavigators found a strong complement to their advisory process.
The firm first leveraged The Value Builder Questionnaire, a 13-minute assessment that provides business owners with a snapshot of how valuable their business is today. In the past, BizNavigators relied on time-consuming phone calls and interviews to qualify leads. With The Value Builder Questionnaire, the firm reduced the qualification period from 15-30 days to just 15-30 minutes. In addition to time savings, BizNavigators streamlined its qualifying process, resulting in a 30% increase in lead conversion, with up to 70% of prospects turning into clients.
With the questionnaire identifying specific areas of concern, the BizNavigators team can develop actionable plans focused on building value in each organization. By implementing The Value Builder System™ at the outset of new engagements, DiCarlo notes, “It gives us the opportunity to look like heroes because we’re giving them the opportunity to fix anything that’s wrong with their business.”
With each new BizNavigators client, the firm also uses the PREScore™ (Personal Readiness to Exit Score) assessment to determine whether business owners are emotionally and personally prepared to exit. “We are given the opportunity to talk about what to do after selling their business,” DiCarlo explains. “With owners whose identity is wrapped up in their business, we can have that conversation earlier in the sales process. It makes such a difference, and it’s something every advisor should go through with their client to prepare them emotionally.”
Through the PREScore™, BizNavigators establishes trust early and helps owners begin preparing for a successful exit well before a transaction occurs.
As an advisory firm that also works with buyers, BizNavigators is often uniquely positioned to pair the right buyer with the right seller. Because the firm helps businesses build value prior to listing, it has been able to generate multiple offers from buyers, ultimately driving higher sale prices.
“We use The Value Builder System™ to convey to buyers why certain businesses are exceptional and to clearly highlight strengths and weaknesses,” DiCarlo says. “That transparency helps us sell businesses more quickly and attract more qualified buyers.”
The team at BizNavigators also uses The Value Builder System™ as a tool to increase brand awareness and expand its professional network. When connecting with CPAs, attorneys, and wealth planners, the firm promotes The Value Builder Questionnaire as an easy entry point for referrals.
Holding the Certified Value Builder™ designation has further strengthened BizNavigators’ credibility and positioned the firm as a recognized thought leader in the value-building space.
Results
The Value Builder System™ has become a trusted, firm-wide tool at BizNavigators, supporting clients from initial qualification through the successful sale of their business.
With The Value Builder System™, BizNavigators maintains a steady flow of qualified leads and a far more efficient qualification process. In addition, by using the PREScore™, the firm is better equipped to prepare clients for a successful exit on a personal level.
As BizNavigators continues to grow, the firm and its team rely on The Value Builder System™ as a repeatable, scalable methodology that supports consistent results across engagements.
