Increasing Company Valuation with Brandon James

P&L: Priorities & Lifestyle

Brandon James serves as the Vice President for the Valuation Advisory team at Stout, a global investment bank and advisory firm that specializes in corporate finance, valuation, financial disputes, and investigations. Brandon has over ten years of experience providing service to publicly-traded and privately-owned companies on valuation-related matters—these include intangible assets, financial instruments, tax reporting, and mergers and acquisitions. From 2020, Brandon worked as the Vice President of Vantage Point Advisors until the organization joined Stout in 2022. He graduated summa cum laude from The University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Brandon joins me today to discuss the valuation process for businesses. He outlines the typical timeline of a valuation project and the top reasons businesses need to work with third-party appraisers to get a valuation. He explains the factors that drive value within an organization and the different approaches to valuation. Brandon also discusses how companies can increase their value and prepare for acquisition and underscores the benefits of getting a valuation even when a business owner is not planning to sell their company soon.

“Value drivers we typically look at are growth, profitability, cash flow, and risk. Within risk is another driver—size. Larger companies tend to transact for higher multiples.” - Brandon James

This week on Priorities Lifestyle:

• The Charter Financial Analyst credential and its exam’s pass rate

• Brandon’s valuation work at Stout

• Valuation and estate and succession planning

• Valuation discounts and estate tax valuation projects

• Why some industries have lower value than others

• What EBITDA is and its role in valuation

• Income and market valuation approach

• The transaction or Mergers & Acquisitions approach to valuation

• Cost- and asset-based approaches to valuation

• Preparing your company for an acquisition

• How company culture can drive value in a strategic sale

• What makes a good valuation process

• Stout’s valuation services

• The benefits of getting a valuation even when you’re not planning to sell soon

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Valuation is the present value of future cash flow.” - Rob Schulz

• “We live in our business with risks that are clear and present on a daily basis; forgetting them can be dangerous, especially when doing transactions.” - Rob Schulz

• “Prepare your company for acquisition proactively by increasing profitability and, on the risk side, putting systems in place that allow your business to function without interruption.” - Brandon James

Connect with Brandon James:

• Stout

• Stout on LinkedIn

• Stout on Twitter

• Brandon James on LinkedIn

• Email: [e-mail]

About Rob Schulz and P&L Priorities & Lifestyle Podcast

The P&L: Priorities & Lifestyle Podcast is a show for business owners. In each episode, host and financial planner Rob Schulz sits down with business owners and the professionals that serve them to talk about business building, life, money — and the all-important transition out of the business, which inevitably happens to everyone who has ever founded a company.

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*You’re listening to P&L: Priorities & Lifestyle with your host Rob Schulz. Rob is the Founder and President of Schulz Wealth. All opinions expressed by Rob and his guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Schulz Wealth. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions. Please refer to our website for more information: schulzwealth.com.