Selling a business does not have to be complicated

Expert Mergers & Acquisitions guidance, built on trust, transparency and the ability to fulfill client expectations through ethical M&A strategies. No hidden fees or lengthy contracts - only ethical representation.

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Trusted Strategic Advisors

We Are Not Business Brokers

WHO ARE WE?

ECP Ventures is a Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm that provides strategic guidance to business owners in the Lower Middle Market (companies with annual revenues between $5 Million to $100 million).

As experienced financial professionals, we combine decades of corporate and private equity expertise to guide business owners through the complexities of selling or merging their companies.

Unlike brokers who simply "flip" companies, we perform as trusted advisors, committed to securing the best possible outcome for you and your company. Our approach is rooted in transparency, Christian values, integrity, and a relentless drive for results.

Whether you're a business owner looking to transition or a buyer seeking strategic growth, we're here to ensure your success. Explore our services to learn how we can help you succeed.

NUMBERS THAT COUNT

20 Years

of Fortune 500 Financial Experience

40 Years

of Mergers and Acquisitions experience and a proven track record of finding the best deals across industries for ethics driven buyers and sellers

150 Days

Definitive transaction process from start to closing the deal

500+ Buyers

Qualified and vetted by us in our Network

100% Success Based

Success based fees - we only get paid when we close your transaction successfully

10+ Industries

Expertise across healthcare, manufacturing, construction, technology, logistics, home services, industrial services and more

WHO WE SERVE

At ECP Ventures, we exclusively represent business sellers. Our fiduciary responsibility is solely to the business owners we serve, ensuring their best interests are protected throughout the entire sales process. We don’t play both sides—buyers who work with us gain access to high-quality companies without ever paying us fees.

This keeps our buying relationships transparent, ethical, and focused on finding the right match. Our relationship with buyers is built on trust and established credibility, with the long-term goal of selling them five companies over five years.

Our commitment to our sellers is to represent, serve, and protect them with the highest level of integrity and performance standards. Our goal is to strive to secure at least five strong offers that align with their financial goals and qualitative requirements.

Sellers we represent

Reach out to us today for a consultation and see how we can represent and support you and your business.

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Legacy Companies

We work with established legacy companies seeking a buyer who will honor their history and values. Our process ensures your company’s legacy remains intact throughout the transition.

HIGH GROWTH COMPANIES

For businesses looking to scale through mergers and acquisitions, we align you with buyers who can help accelerate growth while maintaining the core of what makes your business successful.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

We assist companies seeking strategic partnerships, ensuring you find the right buyer or partner to expand your market reach and achieve your growth objectives

Buyers we work with

Register and join our network of 500+ “First Look” buyers, and join our database to find the target companies you are seeking.

Synergistic Industry Buyers

Whether you're a market leader or disruptive challenger, we'll leverage our deep industry connections to identify complementary acquisition targets that strengthen your competitive edge. With our guidance, you can execute synergistic deals that propel your business to new heights.

Financial Buyers

As a private equity firm, family office, or financial investor, we'll source the most compelling acquisition opportunities to fuel your growth objectives. Our data-driven approach and transactional expertise ensure a seamless process from start to finish.

Private Equity BuyerS

As seasoned dealmakers, we'll leverage our vast network and analytical capabilities to pinpoint the ideal targets, working closely with you to structure transactions that maximize returns for your fund and investors.

Family Office Buyers

Building a diversified, high-performing portfolio requires a personalized, white-glove approach. We'll connect you with businesses that align with your family's vision and values, helping you make strategic acquisitions that stand the test of time.

Competitor Buyers

Looking to expand your market share or gain a clear competitive advantage? We'll identify targets that seamlessly integrate with your existing operations, ensuring a smooth consolidation process that strengthens your position in the industry.

High Net Worth Buyers

As a savvy individual investor, we'll meticulously screen and vett businesses that fit your investment strategy and risk profile, presenting you with options that have significant growth potential.

OUR SERVICES

Mergers and Acquisitions

Accelerating your business legacy with 5+ qualified offers in 150 days through our exclusive seller-focused approach.

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Strategic Advisory Services

Maximizing your company's value and market position today to secure premium offers tomorrow.

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Due Diligence and Negotiation

Transforming complex transactions into clear victories through meticulous execution and expert deal advocacy.

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OUR APPROACH

ECP Ventures stands out by offering a highly personalized and ethical approach to M&A. We don’t charge upfront fees and we only get paid when we deliver results. Our deep commitment to legacy preservation sets us apart, ensuring that your company’s values remain intact throughout the transaction process. With a network of over 500 qualified buyers, we connect sellers with buyers who align with their vision, not just their financial goals.

OUR EDGE

Our 150 days 10-stage process minimizes risk and maximizes results.

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OUR PROCESS

Your Journey Through Our 150-Day 10-Stage Transaction Process

At ECP Ventures, selling your business is not just a transaction—it’s a pivotal moment in your journey. We firmly believe that we can sell any high quality company in 150 days. Our definitive streamlined 10-stage process ensures you're guided with expertise, empathy, and unwavering dedication.

OUR TEAM

Cliff Gardner and Eric Wilhelm, founders of ECP Ventures, bring decades of experience from working with multi-billion-dollar companies. Transitioning to the Lower Middle Market (LMM) — companies valued between $5M and $100M — was eye-opening.

They were astounded by the unethical practices they encountered, including brokers charging upfront fees and undervaluing businesses for a quick sale. Additionally, they saw buyers exploiting sellers by acquiring businesses for far less than their true worth with unsolicited LOI’s.

Even more alarming was the widespread tax evasion among many business owners. At ECP Ventures, integrity is paramount.

As a Christian firm, we offer business owners a trustworthy, high-integrity option for their transactions.

Our mission is simple:

To serve and uplift others with ethical, transparent and results-driven M&A advisory services.

Cliff Gardner

A distinguished CPA graduate from the University of Northern Iowa (top three US accounting program), Cliff launched an impressive career that rocketed from Staff Accountant to EVP and Division CFO for Fortune 500 companies.

His expertise spans Mergers & Acquisitions, Industry Rollups, Financial & Operational Management, and SEC Reporting. He has successfully led transactions from both buy and sell sides, including an IPO.His remarkable career highlights include providing financial direction for the world's largest open heart surgery company (50,000 surgeries annually) as CFO, as well as performing as a full NASCAR partner and MLB and Collegiate Products licensee.

On the entrepreneurial front he co-founded the auto industry's most extensive OEM auto parts eCommerce platform ever created with 165 million parts applications on a single site. He personally conducted an offering and sold his auto parts platform to AutoNation, America's largest auto dealer group.

Today, Cliff enjoys channeling his Fortune 500 expertise into leveling the playing field for the benefit of small and mid-sized business owners during crucial sales transactions.

His Christian faith drives his philanthropic venture, Praying As One (www.prayingasone.com), which distributes unique 12" handheld crosses. He also founded FansAlign (www.fansalign.com), aiming to unite one million MLB fans into a powerful collective voice.

A dedicated family man, Cliff shares his life with his wife and five children, including a daughter at Google, a son at AppFolio, and three "bonus" children from his second marriage. His passion for baseball runs deep - he holds season tickets for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers, and his baseball essay "Extreme Passion" earned a place in Cooperstown's Hall of Fame.

Eric Wilhelm

A Biola University graduate with an Accounting degree and Biblical Studies minor, Eric launched his career by passing the CPA exam and joining Deloitte, a prestigious "Big 4" firm. His trajectory soared from Staff Auditor to Controller to Vice President of Finance, specializing in private equity portfolio companies across medical, dental, optical, automotive, and commercial construction sectors.

In a pivotal career moment, Eric became the second employee of a groundbreaking startup, where he immersed himself in every aspect of business building - from establishing back-office operations to product development and brand creation. This hands-on experience forged his deep appreciation for entrepreneurs and their relentless journey in building valuable businesses.

Today, Eric channels his extensive financial expertise into helping business owners navigate sales and acquisitions, driven by a passionate commitment to serve others. A devoted Christian, he lives in Flower Mound, TX, with his wife Jaclyn, where they raise their three children grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ's grace and mercy.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

"Cliff is nothing short of brilliant! At first, I was overwhelmed when we began talking with Cliff. I couldn’t believe how much information was being requested, how many reports, financial data and spreadsheets my partner and I had to create. I quickly learned that to keep Cliff happy, I was to keep using the same email thread when discussing a particular topic instead of starting a new email chain.

I learned to appreciate the fact that Cliff’s attention to detail precision was critical in the financial representation of our company. In fact, it was contagious. Over time, I began to enjoy his requests for information and looked forward to his emails and calls. Cliff recommended that when tasks became daunting, while also running the business full time, that we should knock out the hard things first and get them out of the way, then focus on the easier tasks.

I did that, and he was right. His advice was instrumental in the due diligence process. The team had us so prepared ahead of time that by the time we had reached due diligence, we had already done most of the work. The dedication, commitment, and loyalty demonstrated from the beginning of the acquisition process through closing not only made me feel like we were their only client, who we were not, but also made me feel like they had become a part of our company’s family. They couldn’t have found a better buyer for us."

Beth - Autism Group

As an owner of a national medical device company, I thought I was being prudent when I engaged a firm that advertised themselves as the “top business brokers in Indianapolis”. Eighteen months later I was very frustrated and discouraged by the lack of valid offers for my company. I was lamenting my plight to a friend of mine and he said “I know an M&A professional that can sell your company”.

I brought in Cliff Gardner and assigned him full and complete responsibility to sell my company. Given that I had signed a broker’s listing agreement with a tail (obligation to pay the broker their fees after the broker listing agreement expired and the broker failed to sell my company). I still had to pay the broker their contractual fee even though Cliff took over and conducted the entire sale on my behalf.

The immediate difference in focus, intensity and results was amazing after wasting 18 months with our broker not accomplishing anything. Cliff is a no nonsense driven professional who earns the respect of everyone involved in the transaction from our company employees to the buyers’ acquisition team.I can tell you that he had our best interests in focus throughout the entire process. He has a refuse to lose mentality.
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He told me the first time that I met him that he will always be the most informed and prepared person in the room. We sold to a large multi-national company and Cliff ensured that we were very strongly represented due to all of his Fortune 500 experience. He championed the value of our company rigorously and relentlessly while maintaining a professional decorum at all times.Cliff not only changed my ability to sell my company but he changed the rest of my life. I received a very fair price for my company and I now consider Cliff to be a great friend.

Ted - National Medical Device Company

To say it was an adventure being Cliff’s business partner would be a significant understatement. When Cliff says “let’s go” he has already moved forward. We decided that we would strive to build the largest OEM auto parts eCommerce platform ever created. The next thing I know Cliff is walking into dealerships where he does not know a single person and he is asking them to fund our parts eCommerce platform.

The next thing I know it is funded and he says “let’s go”. I took over and leased three billion data elements and built a comprehensive site with 165,000,000 parts applications.

Our sentinel moment was when Google scanned and approved 55,000,000 pages of our website with zero errors. We envisioned – funded – launched – perfected - operated this mammoth site with 39 brands of parts on it.

Then we came to the realization that it would be much more valuable if operated by a leading auto dealer group.

Cliff said “let’s sell it to one of the top five dealership groups in the US”. I didn’t even wait for the “let’s go” that time.

Cliff was relentless in his pursuit of a buyer. He walks in one day and says “I have our buyer…it is AutoNation, the largest dealership group in the US”. It was Cliff versus a 20-billion-dollar auto empire and I was confident that Cliff could pull this off. He did and little did either of us know at the time that this would become the genesis of Cliff helping other business owners sell their companies for a fair value.

Gary -Technology Partner on 165,000,000 Parts eCommerce Platform Build and Sale

I will never forget the first time I spoke to Cliff. I shared with him that we probably did not need his services because we were close to selling our company to a national healthcare company. Cliff’s first question was “why are you selling your company for less than half price?”

We had an offer for $2,400,000. Cliff offered (at no charge) to do a technical review and redline of the unsolicited LOI that we had at that time. We then submitted Cliff’s redline LOI to our prospective acquirer. The acquirer immediately increased their offer to $4,000,000.

We immediately saw the value of having a highly experienced Mergers and Acquisitions professional on our side. Cliff encouraged us to pass on the revised $4,000,000 offer and we did. We then engaged Cliff and Eric and they generated interest from 66 buyers.

We put our complete trust in Cliff and Eric and it changed our lives.

We ultimately agreed to terms with a high-quality healthcare company for $7,000,000. I am sharing this testimonial to help others understand that you want (and need) the highest quality Mergers and Acquisitions team on your side in order to achieve the maximum value for your company. Cliff and Eric also worked rigorously to negotiate great post-transaction positions for us with our acquirer. We could not have been more pleased.

Jose -Therapy Company Owner

I had the pleasure of working with Eric and Cliff at ECP Ventures during the sale of my business and I couldn't be happier with the results. Their guidance and support were instrumental in securing a successful outcome for our sale.

One of the things that impressed me most about Eric and Cliff was their ability to anticipate and address potential issues that could arise during the sale.

Performing due diligence in advance ensured that we were thoroughly prepared for the due diligence of the buyers. Their strategic thinking and analytical skills were critical in mitigating potential risks and ensuring a smooth and successful transaction.

Throughout the entire process, Cliff and Eric were always available to answer any questions or concerns that I had. Their communication skills were top-notch, and they were able to explain complex terms and concepts in a way that was easy to understand to us as business owners. They were patient, professional, and always put my needs first. Eric and Cliff were not just advisors to us during the sale process; we now consider them friends.

Joseph

I cannot express my gratitude enough for ECP Ventures’ outstanding advisory services during the sale of our healthcare company. Eric and Cliff always looked out for our best interests, providing expert guidance and support every step of the way.

Their attention to detail and strategic thinking was very impressive and I always felt confident that I was in good hands throughout the entire process.One of the most remarkable things about working with ECP Ventures was their ability to generate such substantial interest from the marketplace.

We ended up with 66 interested buyers for our business. Their expertise in marketing and negotiating allowed us to choose the best offer from a pool of qualified buyers, ultimately resulting in a sale price of nearly three times the offer we had received prior to engaging ECP Ventures.Through every stage of the process, Eric and Cliff kept us informed and updated, answering any questions we had and addressing any concerns.

Their professionalism and dedication were apparent from day one and we never once doubted that they were working tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome for us and our business.This experience has taught me just how critical it is to hire an M&A Advisor when selling a business. The nuances of such a transaction certainly require the expertise and guidance of professionals like Eric and Cliff, who can market the business effectively, navigate negotiations, and ensure that the seller's best interests are always at the forefront.

I highly recommend Eric and Cliff at ECP Ventures to anyone looking to sell their business. Their professionalism, expertise, and commitment to securing the best possible outcome are unmatched and I am grateful to have had them as our M&A Advisors.

Martin

Over the years I have worked with many business advisors for both Sellers and Buyers.

ECP Ventures is one of the best.

Recently I acquired a company, which was represented by ECP Ventures.

They thoroughly understood their client’s business, conducted a very effective marketing campaign, professionally advised their client during every step of the process, coordinated a detailed and efficient due diligence system, and managed a timely contract negotiation and closing process.

I believe much of the success of the acquisition was a result of ECP Ventures and I look forward to another deal with their involvement.

Buyer - Rick

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