Services

Corporate Finance

In today’s marketplace, corporate finance is increasingly complex and encompasses a much broader range of issues.  Both the role and responsibilities of the CFO have evolved over the past several years.  No longer limited to traditional functions, such as finance, accounting and treasury, the CFO is now charged with being more directly responsible for the company’s overall performance.  In addition, escalating regulations, shareholder scrutiny, and regulatory requirements have increased the risk profile of the CFO position.  We provide support to companies and CFOs in the following areas:

• Raising Capital – We work with our clients to tailor solutions to their specific capital needs, considering the current overall market environment and the industry dynamics.  We focus on the client’s strategic objectives, risk profile, and key value drivers to design unique financing strategies.  We then develop professional investor communication material to represent the company.  Our consultants have raised capital in multiple markets, including public and private equity, traditional bank debt, public and private debt, municipal bonds, equipment leasing, and mezzanine debt. 
• Treasury Management – Whether you need help designing and implementing cash management systems or you want to improve cash flow by better working capital management, we have the skillset and experience to achieve your objectives. 
• Investor Relations – We help clients understand and analyze their investor base and shape communication to better articulate the client’s strategy, historical performance, trends, and opportunities.  
• Operational Metrics – After gaining a thorough understanding of our client’s industry, business and results, we work with their operating team to identify, measure, and quantify the key performance measures that drive value.   We then work with our clients to implement procedures and measurement tools to give them the insight needed into their company’s performance that allows them to chart a course for continuous improvement.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Advice versus execution…Harlan Capital Advisors, LLC has hands-on experience in actually executing successful mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and joint ventures.  Throughout their careers, our consultants have been senior executives with several companies who have been on the front line developing the M&A strategy, identifying targets, negotiating with sellers and their advisors, and executing all aspects of the transaction.  While we are not “business brokers”, we can provide invaluable services in preparing business owners for the sale of their companies, working with acquirers throughout the entire process of buying a company, and navigating the unique path to a successful joint venture.  With the knowledge accumulated with direct responsibility for over several hundred M&A transactions, we can tailor our services to meet your specific needs and add value at each step along the process. 

Our mergers and acquisitions capabilities include:

• Business Due Diligence – This is often the most critical element of our services.  We work with our clients on the frontend to evaluate and determine the optimal target industry, market, and company.  Our analysis focuses on whether or not the proposed transaction supports the company’s strategic plan, the probability it will create long-term value, and outline the implications on all other aspects of the company, such as corporate culture, capital structure, investor reaction, and human capital. 
• Financial Accounting Due Diligence – Drawing on the experience of former Big Four CPAs and public company M&A professionals, we quickly evaluate a target company’s financial statements and results and prepare a quality of earnings report.  We understand that ultimately cash flow drives business valuation, so we help our clients sort through complicated accounting and tax issues and present a business evaluation of the financial statements.  Our Financial Accounting Due Diligence services include:
  • assessing the quality of earnings,
  • analyzing cash flow, including the impact of working capital and capital expenditure requirements,
  • reviewing the assets and liabilities,
  • evaluating management’s projections, and
  • gauging the quality of the finance and accounting staff.
• Operational Due Diligence – Understanding how the target business operates and comparing that to the acquirer can identify opportunities for synergies and areas of concern.  Whether it is assessing each step of a manufacturing facility, reviewing employee productivity measures, or evaluating a customer service department, we have consultants who have had direct responsibility for all aspects of operating a business on a day-to-day basis.  We can quickly identify problems and spot opportunities that can impact valuation. 
• Tax Due Diligence – Proper tax planning is another important element to any successful M&A transaction.  Whether we are asked to develop strategies to maximize future tax deductions or minimize taxes due on a sale, we have consultants who are experts in tax planning and structuring.
• Post-Merger Integration – An often overlooked topic, advance planning for the post-merger integration of an acquisition is vitally important to realizing the benefits identified in the business due diligence step of the M&A process.  Our consultants have integrated well over 100 acquisitions and are well versed in the necessary steps.  Whether it is integrating new employees, preparing operational plans, or taking on the legal and accounting functions of the target, we can help our clients identify what needs to happen, and develop a work plan to assist our clients in a successful integration and, ultimately, create long-term value.

Management, Operational and Process Improvement

No two companies or any two situations are identical.  That is why having a broad base of practical experience in managing companies through growth, challenging economic times, and macro changes uniquely positions Harlan Capital Advisors to address its clients’ issues with real world solutions, not textbook ideas.  We approach Management, Operational and Process Improvement assignments just like you would expect any experienced executive to address an issue or opportunity.  We evaluate the situation, design a solution, and implement specific steps – all within the overall framework of the client strategic plan.  Our consultants have employed this straightforward approach throughout their professional careers, resulting in tangible, quantifiable results. 

Our key areas of focus are:

• Marketing and Sales – We focus on revenue enhancement, price improvement, and gross margin expansion.  Evaluation of product mix, customer profitability, pricing strategies, competitive intelligence, and demand forecasts are essential to developing a solid marketing and sales platform. 
• Operating Cost Management – Before you can manage your operating cost structure, you have to understand and be able to accurately measure it.  We start at the bottom and build an optimal cost structure for each client’s business.  Only then can we compare that to actual performance and develop an actionable program to optimize our client’s operating cost model.
• Overhead Minimization – It costs money to run, manage, report, and grow a business.  We understand each element of our client’s overhead costs, and have operated businesses through the ups and downs of several business cycles.  This experience uniquely positions us to develop plans to minimize overhead, without sacrificing efficiency, information, or management depth. 
• Human Capital – In many companies, the cost of human capital is the single largest expenditure the company will make each year.  That is why having trained, professional consultants who are experts in human resources, executive compensation, benefits, talent management, training and development, and corporate culture position Harlan Capital Advisors to provide sound financial solutions that support our client’s long-term, human capital strategy.
• Corporate Governance - Proper management of any business, regardless of its size or structure, begins at the top.  Implementing and adhering to a consistent, well-defined corporate governance structure is critical to ensure the Board of Directors, or other governing body, is able to comply with their fiduciary duties, and operate efficiently and effectively; all while promoting open communication with senior management.  We advise Board of Directors and senior management on all aspects of corporate governance, including:
  • advising Directors on executive compensation and Proxy matters,
  • ensuring Director compliance with fiduciary duties,
  • designing Director education and development programs,
  • assisting with Board member recruiting and compensation matters,
  • reviewing director and officer insurance programs,
  • planning annual Board meeting calendars and meeting agendas,
  • preparing Board meeting materials, and
  • drafting Board minutes and resolutions.
• Legal Department Management – While it is an important component of the administration of any organization, the legal department is often an overlooked function until a problem arises.  With extensive experience in developing, structuring, and managing legal departments, our consultants can tailor a solution that fits for your organization’s size and complexity.  We believe the legal department should not only “handle the problems that arise”, but support the entire organization in executing its strategic plan, while minimizing and managing risk.

Strategic Planning

Strategy is often defined as “a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time.”  The success or failure of an organization is directly linked to the development and execution of its strategy.  Continuous communication of the strategy, developing buy-in throughout the organization, along with a fundamental understanding of each employee’s contribution to execution of the strategy is imperative in creating and driving long-term value for the organization, its employees, customers, the community and, most importantly, its owners.  More often than not, the “strategy” is not well-defined or understood by either management or employees.  As a result, it is easy to see why decisions, action plans, and day-to-day activities may not result in increased value. 

We help our clients understand strategy and the strategic planning process and guide their focus to the key elements of a sound plan.  Understanding your competitive environment, recognition of customer profitability, strict attention to your cost structure, proper evaluation of capital investment requirements are all key questions that must be addressed in the strategic planning process.  The result of this process should include a clear, concise and easily understood strategy and a road map to its successful implementation over the long-term.

Our Strategic Planning capabilities include:

• assisting in the development of the overall corporate strategic plan,
• developing long-term growth initiatives,
• evaluating and analyzing customers, and
• reviewing the cost structure and capital investment requirements.