Throughout my professional career, I have been in a position to talk to business owners and managers about the distinctive aspects of their companies. First as a commercial banker, I was focused on the overall prospects of the company’s industry and the role that company played in the sector. Of course, my immediate attention was directed to the risks the company was encountering, or might experience over the next few years.

Second as a business valuation consultant, I have been examining many of the same issues that I encountered as a banker. My thinking shifted from “Can the company service its debt?” to “What is the company worth?” The work can be extremely challenging, especially since the client is typically looking for a low or a high number. Our job is to provide the objective value; the value that is not biased to the view of the buyer or the seller. While we are often provided information from only one side, we must understand the entire economic, regulatory and legal context in which our valuation is to be utilized.

I am the newest member of The Griffing Group, and I have been impressed by the relative ease with which the group works together to solve complex problems. Unlike many valuation companies where each senior person has a large number of young associates doing the bulk of the work, The Griffing Group takes the view that the client hires the veteran valuation professional and expects him to use that experience as he builds his understanding of the assignment at hand. We feel this gives the client the assurance that the engagement will be handled competently, and that his or her concerns and questions will be answered promptly and professionally. Finally, since many of our valuation reports are scrutinized by outside parties, we make sure that the conclusions of value are supported by strong evidence and carefully chosen methods.