By Don Bravaldo

A key element in successful dealmaking is connecting individuals with mutual interests and aspirations. Although these relationships are often forged around a conference table or restaurant booth, we’ve discovered an alternative—fly fishing, a sport I’ve pursued with passion since I was a boy.

Throughout the year, BCA invites select groups of clients, prospects and trusted professional partners—wealth managers, bankers, lawyers, CPAs along with our own BCA team members—to join me for a fly-fishing experience at a stunning site in North Georgia. These outings are memorable and thoroughly enjoyable. I love seeing people discover the magic of fly fishing and lose themselves in nature.  I’ve also come to realize that bringing in a fish has quite a bit in common with bringing in a deal. 

Much like a great deal, a fish rises to a fly only after lots of planning, patience and skillful execution. It’s also true that in both fishing and M&A, an expert guide can make all the difference in achieving the desired result. Even as a fairly advanced fly fisherman, I’m much better with a guide, especially in unfamiliar waters or when chasing new species. The same could be said for buying or selling a significant business asset.

Make no mistake. Bravaldo Capital Advisors has not abandoned our core mission as a boutique provider of M&A and corporate finance advisory services for lower middle market companies! As always, our priority is dealmaking and achieving the best possible valuation and terms possible for our seller clients. But we also enjoy spending time with clients and partners and introducing them to others who share their common interests. Fun and camaraderie are always part of the adventure. As they learn to select a fly, cast, repeat and wait patiently for a strike, participants discover mutual pursuits and experiences, not all related to business. 

Michael Gossling, president of DoMyOwn.com, has joined us for several outings. In 2019, Michael partnered with BCA to sell his DIY online pest control business to a Fortune 500 company. Says Michael, “The fly-fishing trip is a wonderful opportunity to get away from the office and enjoy God’s beauty. I’ve met some great people. Don and the guides instruct us, and they make it easy to catch on!”

Over cocktails at the end of the day, there’s a shared sense of achievement, as well as plenty of good-natured trash talk about who caught the big one! There’s also a sense of connection, as newly minted fly-fishers and pros alike make plans to continue conversations begun on a sparkling river in North Georgia.

Want to know more? I’d love to talk—about fly fishing, community or helping you achieve your M&A and corporate finance goals! Find me here at dbravaldo@bc-advisors.com.