Consulting Services

Think MarshBerry. Think Forward.

Turn to MarshBerry to help your firm increase organic growth, profit, and value through all stages of ownership.

Perpetuation

Helping you amplify value creation to make your years of hard work, commitment, and success mean more to stakeholders.

At some point every firm faces the decision between perpetuating leadership, relationships, and ownership internally or selling their business. Determining your path forward goes beyond the standard quantitative financial analysis. MarshBerry Advisors really get to know you, your culture, your goals, and your objectives – your firms DNA.  

Perpetuation Solutions

  • Minority Capital Partner
  • Majority Capital Partner
  • iCAP (Integrated Continuity Alignment Plan includes and ESOP)
  • Formation of a National Firm
  • External Sale
  • Internal After-Tax Perpetuation

MarshBerry believes successful perpetuation is a continual process without a beginning or an end. It is an ongoing discipline to continuously build and maintain an operating environment that can enable the seamless transition when the time comes. 

Contact us for more information about MarshBerry Perpetuation Solutions. 

Planning | Debt Capital | Equity Capital

VALUATIONS

There is an art, and science to determining the value of an agency. MarshBerry’s considerable experience in mergers and acquisitions coupled with our proprietary database of client information enables us to give you the most accurate valuation. You get a “real world” approach to assessing the value of your agency based on current market indicators and trends in the industry.

With a keen understanding and knowledge of the industry, economic and profit indicators, along with sophisticated deal multiples you get the science of valuations. With MarshBerry’s market awareness and assessment of internal agency specific risk you get the art of valuations. You deserve a comprehensive valuation.

VALUATION SOLUTIONS

Detailed Conclusion of Value: In-depth detailed valuation for clients that must accommodate Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP), estate transactions or that are required to maintain compliance with government regulations.

Summary Conclusion of Value: Appropriate for Buy/Sell Agreements; stock transactions (details surrounding price per share for internal perpetuation purposes); Loan/banking; Creation of agency improvement plans; litigation support.

Contact us to learn more about the value of your firm.

Business Valuation | External Market Valuation | Fairness Opinion

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Set the course that inspires commitment and enables success.

Having a strategic plan is important to creating a shared vision for financial, operational, and staffing goals. What sets MarshBerry’s process above others is it goes beyond simply creating the plan. It charts a course for where and how to get there with key objectives, short- and long-term action plans and implementations schedules that are focused, relevant, aligned, and actionable. 

MarshBerry Advisors works with you to build a comprehensive roadmap for growth with specific expertise in the insurance brokerage industry. Knowing the business dynamics, what will work for you and your business, along with the data to back up the advice, helps set the stage for your teams’ commitment to achieving results.

EXAMPLES OF STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENTS

  • Revenue and Expense inputs
  • Benchmarking statistics
  • Growth projections
  • Profit
  • Financial Stability
  • Service & Support Productivity
  • Producer Performance
  • Perpetuation
  • Age of Staff 
  • Culture
  • Implementation Schedule
  • Accountability Map

Contact us for more information about how MarshBerry’s Strategic Planning Services can help you achieve your goals. 

Strategic Planning | Board Advisory | Connect Network | Strategic Options

DUE DILIGENCE

Going beyond the verification of financial information to maximize value.

MarshBerry’s Advisers are well-versed in the key areas of due diligence review. Clients experience a comprehensive process that expands beyond the verification of financial information, to the identification of risks and issues to be addressed in the definitive agreement, and the identification of focus areas during the integration process.

With specific expertise in bank operations, credit unions, third party administrators (TPAs) and wholesale operations clients for decades, you get the benefit of seasoned professionals helping you achieve a successful M&A transaction. 

DUE DILIGIENCE CHECKLIST

  • Preparation
  • Off-site Review 
  • On-site Review
  • Revenue Analysis & Testing
  • Pro Forma Testing/Quality of Earnings
  • Balance Sheet Analysis
  • Key Risk Assessment

Contact us to learn more about maximizing the value of your firm.

Diagnostic Due Diligence | Confirmatory Due Diligence | Quality of Earnings

FINRA Broker Check

Hey guys, just wanted to give you kudos for a great program – very positive material. I had no idea what I was in for and I’m having fun and also learning a lot – that will help me become a better sales manager and also with future recruiting. I know our other agent participating is learning a lot and he is excited about his future increased production, so that’s encouraging – well worth the investment!

Private Client—AVP MO

The most valuable part of my MarshBerry training was my one on one calls. My consultant provided great insight and background that helped me prepare and properly evaluate my opportunities. As a seasoned sales professional, I truly appreciated their willingness to challenge my typical sales thought process which helped accelerate my learning curve. Selling insurance is like no other sale I’ve made and having a resource like MarshBerry was incredibly beneficial. I would recommend the MarshBerry program to any brokerages looking to properly onboard insurance professionals.

Private Client

Thank you so much for the superior training last week. I have to say, it was the best I have ever experienced. I’m sure it was mostly you, but I can’t help but think that my 20 years of right and wrong sales approaches and previous sales training, and other experiences prepared me to hear what you had to share last week. I think it all came together really well when I listened to your approach. I truly enjoyed it!

Private Client—Commercial Producer, Fresno, CA

Our partnership with MarshBerry and specifically the Organic Growth/Sales Management department has really transformed the way we help our producers succeed and in turn the agency has grown. It has been a joint effort by both teams working towards a very intense and specific goal. You all gave us the resources/scripts/planning tools/one on ones/manager feedback which helped us grow and also retain them. We were in a very unique situation competing with National Brokers and in my opinion, we are winning. I’m happy to be referral sources because I believe our partnership works.

Private Client—President, Miami, FL
Private Client

The advice we got through the transaction was invaluable. MarshBerry was by our side the entire time. They know our people, our culture, they’ve been to our office. MarshBerry also played a key role in our arriving to the decision to sell and who to sell to. When we first engaged with MarshBerry, we said, ‘We don’t want the whole world coming in here. You know us. Culture is very, very important. Bring us who you think would be a cultural fit.’ They boiled it down to seven firms.

Private Client
Private Client

They are honest as the day is long, they give complete information and make it easy to analyze. The team is great. I trust them.

Private Client
Private Client

MarshBerry had deeper insight into the market than we did. They had expertise at negotiating value and they sourced qualified buyers. The timeline on the process was right and they prepped us well for conversations.

Private Client
Private Client

They have a keen knowledge and deep insight into the insurance market space. They understand core value drivers and translate that well to future buyers.

Private Client
Private Client

The benefit of working with MarshBerry is absolutely, the consultative style. It shows up because most investment bankers don’t have due diligence teams. MarshBerry does and it deepens their understanding of the value.

Private Client
Private Client

They have deep technical expertise that enables them to make observations about what operations are really driving the numbers, they are really good at that.

Private Client
Private Client

MarshBerry is very substantial, they have a very consultative style, and they are knowledgeable. There is sizzle and substance to them. Not many of their competitors understand the business as well as MarshBerry does.

Private Client

Contact the Advisory Team

MarshBerry’s team of advisors are thought leaders and experts in the insurance brokerage and financial services industries. As a client, your firm benefits from their combined hands-on experience and professional designations in finance, accounting and economics. No matter what your needs are, they have the understanding to craft a personalized solution.

Contact Us

Phil Trem
President, Financial Advisory
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Christopher Darst
Managing Director
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Sarah Lucas
Managing Director
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Eric Hallinan
Director
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Rob Hamilton
Director
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View the Team
Phil Trem
President, Financial Advisory
440.392.6547
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Finra Broker CheckLinkedIn Profile

As President of MarshBerry's Financial Advisory Division, Phil brings extensive knowledge in merger & acquisition (M&A) advisory and operations, specifically in the business and technology arenas and is a trusted partner for buyers and sellers who depend on his proficiency at deal negotiation, due diligence, deal execution and integration planning. His experience encompasses the full life cycle of an M&A transaction for independently-owned insurance agents & brokers, specialty distributors, wealth management advisors, retirement planning specialists, private equity firms, banks & credit unions and insurance carriers.

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Christopher Darst
Managing Director
949.234.9648
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Christopher Darst joined MarshBerry in 1998 as a Financial Analyst responsible for the preparation of business valuation reports, perpetuation plans, and general consulting projects. In 2001, he moved to California to help launch the Dana Point office. With increased experience and responsibility, Chris expanded his responsibilities to include merger and acquisition ("M&A") work for various MarshBerry clients.

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Sarah Lucas
Managing Director
616.723.8375
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Sarah Lucas joined Marsh, Berry & Co., Inc. (“MarshBerry”) in 2006 as a Financial Analyst. She was promoted to Consultant in 2009, Senior Consultant in 2011, Vice President in 2013, and Senior Vice President in 2018. Sarah is a key contributor to the merger & acquisition and consulting practices of MarshBerry. Her primary responsibilities include merger and acquisition valuation and analysis, due diligence, document review, deal negotiation, integration planning and intangible asset valuation. Sarah is also the Due Diligence Practice Leader for MarshBerry.

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Eric Hallinan
Director
949.234.9652
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Eric Hallinan joined MarshBerry in 2011, bringing with him significant experience in insurance firm operations, finance, and technology. He is a trusted partner for buyers and sellers who depend on his proficiency at deal negotiation, due diligence, deal execution and integration planning. His involvement covers the full gamut of a merger & acquisition ("M&A") transaction, and he works hard to provide clients with a seamless, comprehensive experience.

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Rob Hamilton
Director
616.723.8373
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Rob Hamilton joined Marsh, Berry & Co., Inc. (MarshBerry) in 2002 as a Consultant. He was promoted to senior consultant in 2005 and vice president in 2007. Rob is a key contributor to the merger and acquisition and consulting practices at MarshBerry. His primary responsibilities include merger and acquisition valuation and analysis, due diligence, deal negotiation and integration planning.

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