Bankers Advocate Group Research
Advisory Approach
Bankers Advocate Group is a boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Jupiter, Florida. The firm specializes in designing and executing successful exit strategies for entrepreneurs and business owners with enterprise values between $5 million and $25 million. Their fundamental thesis is that business owners need practical, operationally-grounded advisors who understand the mechanics of running a company—not just dealmaking theory. This philosophy is evident in the founder's background: Chris Curtin, the firm's leader, is a Georgia Tech industrial management graduate who previously owned a manufacturing plant and founded an asset-based lender (BusinessCash.com specializing in factoring and trade financing). His hands-on operational experience informs every engagement.
Bankers Advocate positions itself as an alternative to larger, more institutional investment banks. Rather than running broad-based auction processes, they focus on targeted buyer searches and relationship-based deal execution. The firm manages both sell-side engagements (helping business owners find strategic or financial buyers) and buy-side searches (helping corporate and PE clients identify acquisition targets in the "hidden market").
Sector Focus
The firm has particular strength in service and light industrial businesses, including landscape and facility maintenance companies, commercial surveying, janitorial services, distribution and logistics, and specialized manufacturing. They also advise on transactions in cosmetics and specialty products distribution, direct mail and fulfillment services, and other owner-operated businesses. Their focus is intentional: these are businesses where operational expertise and industry relationships create meaningful advantages in valuation and buyer identification.
Their client engagements reveal a pattern of working with founder-owned, profitable businesses in regional or niche markets where the owner's expertise and client relationships are key assets. They explicitly target businesses where strategic buyers or financial sponsors value the owner's operational knowledge—either as part of the transaction management or as an opportunity for operational improvement post-acquisition.
Deal Track Record
Bankers Advocate has facilitated transactions across multiple sectors:
- Lonewood Plantation exclusive sale to Boy Scouts of America
- Florida Land Surveying Company (35-year-old firm with strong client relationships)
- Treasure Coast Commercial Landscape Company (14-year history, Martin County, FL)
- Direct Mail & Fulfillment Company (13-year-old firm with specialized database management and PCI-certified security capabilities)
- Exclusive US Distributor of Premium European Cosmetic Line (established 1984, consistent SDE performance)
The firm also maintains an active targeted business search practice, with recent client engagements including facility management company acquisitions, invoice factoring company searches (with ESOP structure), and landscape/janitorial add-on acquisitions throughout Florida.
Process & Fee Structure
Bankers Advocate runs lean, relationship-driven processes. They conduct comprehensive business valuations as part of their engagement—helping business owners understand their "walk-away value" before engaging with potential buyers. This grounds negotiations and prevents unrealistic expectations. For sell-side engagements, they conduct targeted buyer research, manage data rooms, and facilitate negotiations. Fee structures are negotiable and adjusted to deal size and complexity; their approach is flexible and oriented toward founder comfort rather than rigid formulas.
The firm's engagement model emphasizes exclusivity and management involvement. They typically require business owners to remain engaged in the process and often facilitate founder participation in buyer meetings and presentations.
Team & Credentials
Chris Curtin (Founder, Chief Operating Officer) is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and recognized expert in business valuations and M&A. He was named the 2002 recipient of the Turnaround Management Association's "Outstanding Individual Contribution" award and served as President of the TMA Florida Chapter. His prior experience includes senior roles at Bankers Mutual Capital Corporation (a factoring and PO funding company) and founding BusinessCash.com.
Nick Rodites serves as a Director and M&A Advisor specializing in intermediary services for SMB owners and their professional advisors. The firm operates offices in Jupiter, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Palm Beach (Florida) as well as Orlando (Florida) and Atlanta (Georgia).
Geographic Coverage
The firm primarily serves the Southeast, with concentrated activity in South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward, Dade counties) and Central Florida (Orlando area). They also have capability and relationships in Atlanta and indicated willingness to pursue transactions nationwide for specific buyer searches (particularly ESOP structures and invoice financing buyouts).
Competitive Positioning
Bankers Advocate differentiates through operational credibility and founder comfort. Unlike larger banks that run impersonal auctions, they operate as trusted advisors to business owners—many of whom are selling for the first time. Their value proposition centers on:
- Operationally-grounded advice from an advisor who has run multiple businesses
- Relationship-based buyer networks (PE firms, strategic acquirers, family offices)
- Valuation expertise that prevents sellers from leaving value on the table
- Flexibility on deal structure (traditional sales, recapitalizations, ESOP transfers, family buyouts)
- Discretion and confidentiality in process management
Not a Fit If
Bankers Advocate is not ideal for:
- Enterprise values above $25-30 million (they lack infrastructure for mega-deals)
- Sellers who want minimal personal involvement or anonymity (they require founder engagement)
- Highly competitive auction processes (they prefer targeted, relationship-based searches)
- Businesses in distressed situations requiring restructuring expertise (outside their core competency)
- Sellers unwilling to allow time for comprehensive buyer research and relationship development