Jeffrey Potts
Business Name: Gold Country Advisors, Inc.
Certifications/accreditations: Certified Business Intermediary (CBI); Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Business Structure: S Corp.
Year Founded: 2003
Services Offered: Merger & Acquisition/Business Brokerage firm. Represents business owners
that want to sell/exit their business for a premium. Preliminary valuation services prior to selling.
Business Category
o Mergers and Acquisitions
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 604 Sutter Street, Suite 110, Folsom, CA 95630
Office: 916-673-9778
Mobile: 916-803-6670
Email Address: jeff@goldcountryadvisors.com
Website: www.goldcountryadvisors.com
Social Media
- LinkedIn: Jeffrey Potts
Geographic Region Served
- Sacramento Region
- Northern California
- Western US
- National
Industry Sectors Served
- Agriculture/Viticulture
- Bioscience
- Construction
- Energy
- Food and Beverage
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Professional Services
- Real Estate
- Retail
Insights
What led you to do the work you do? My first job out of college was as a newspaper reporter. As a business writer for USA TODAY, I got interested in stories about business. My interest in business led to further business education (MBA), which resulted in landing a job with a national merger/acquisition firm. I loved telling the stories of how companies
started and thrived under their founders, and enjoyed even more the process of selling a business. It has been a perfect fit for me.
Describe your ideal client: My ideal client is the owner(s) of a family-owned business who founded it and has grown it to a point where he/she either no longer has the resources, energy or both to continue to run it. The owner wishes to sell the company to a strategic buyer for a premium. Typically, the business should be profitable, growing, and have annual revenue of $5 million to $50 million, although there are some outlying exceptions.
What situation or circumstances might lead a prospective client to your services? An owner who is older, does not have family members interested in taking over, and wishes to retire. Other prospects include owners who have grown the business to the point where they no longer have the resources, energy, and/or expertise to continue to take the business to the next level and prefer to take the risks of ownership off their shoulders.
What’s the best way for colleagues to refer prospective clients to you? The best way to introduce my firm is through either a conference call (preferred) or email introduction with the prospect. The decision to consider selling a business is a very important one and it’s always critical that any discussion among the client and his/her trusted advisors is held in strictest of confidence. Confidentiality throughout the sales process is always paramount.
How does a typical engagement begin? It begins with a general discussion of the business, and an understanding of the clients goals. We discuss potential buyers of the business and who among them could benefit the most from an acquisition. Those individuals and/or companies that can benefit the most are the most likely to pay a premium price for the business.
What services might a typical engagement include? We provide a preliminary valuation of the business to give the client a valuation range so that they clearly understand the value of the business before embarking on a sale. If they proceed with hiring us to sell the business, we put together a highly compelling presentation on the business, market the business to all logical buyers, and drive a competitive process to sell the business for the highest price.
What might you be doing if you hadn’t pursued this career? I would likely have either remained in journalism and become an editor by now or would be the head of marketing for a consumer products company – I am not sure which! I have also always thought that I would make an excellent psychologist because I am an excellent listener and truly enjoy and appreciate working with people!
What about your work gives you greatest satisfaction? By far I get the greatest satisfaction seeing these companies get sold to another company. In doing so, the owner gets compensated handsomely for his/her
many years of sweat equity in his business. At the same time, many jobs are saved when the business is sold.
In most cases it’s a win/win for everyone. It’s a long journey (8 to 12 months) to sell a business, but the outcome is well worth it!
What might your colleagues be surprised to learn about you? I spin vinyl records on my old school, high-end stereo system powered by Russian-made vacuum tubes. I love to listen to music of all kinds – from classic rock and blues to jazz, reggae, country, and folk. There is nothing that relaxes me more than a good glass of wine and listening to my stereo system.
What do you enjoy doing most when you’re not serving your clients? I enjoy riding my bike on the American River near my office in old town Folsom, golfing with good friends, and spending quality time whenever possible with my two daughters, Sierra, 23 and Brittany, 21. They are quite simply the best two creatures that have ever happened to me!!