Teija Heikkilä knows all too well the challenges and rewards of being a pet care business owner.
Long before she founded PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory, (https://www.petvetsales.com/ ), a premier brokerage and advisory firm for the pet care industry, in 2007, Heikkilä was a former owner and operator of full-service pet care facilities for 18 years.
Her deep-rooted passion for the pet care industry and first-hand knowledge from the pet care business owner's perspective led Heikkilä to recognize a significant gap in the market for specialized brokerage services in the pet care sector.
"Unlike the veterinary space, the pet care industry lacked specialty brokers, leaving sellers to rely on 'generic' brokers or even worse, residential real estate agents. This realization motivated me to obtain the proper licensing and education to continue serving the industry I was so passionate about," said Heikkilä, the founder, CEO, and principal broker of PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory.
Her vision was clear: to provide pet care business owners with the expertise and personalized service they deserve when structuring a confidential sale. Over the years, PET|VET M&A has adapted to market conditions and now facilitates transactions primarily with private equity firms active in the pet care space.
She is a highly accredited professional having been awarded Certified M&A Professional (CM&AP) and Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary (M&AMI) designations along with being a Licensed Real Estate Broker in more than twenty states.
Based in Grand Junction, Colorado, PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory is unique in its industry as it is exclusively focused on the selling and advising of pet resorts and veterinary practices.
Following its unprecedented year with more than $70 million in client business sales, PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory has maintained its impressive momentum this year increasing its total transactions to more than 200 and sales volume exceeding $466 million.
This specialization and industry expertise have enabled PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory to deliver an impressive 96 percent closing rate on its deals, securing a 20% higher transaction value than those managed by FSBO and generic brokers.
PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory also recently completed a three-asset sale in Savannah, GA with buyer group Best Friends Pet Care (Mosaic Capital Partners). The assets include Hipster Hound (2 locations) and BARKS Dog Daycare.
"Building upon the momentum of an exceptional year in 2023, where PET|VET shattered records and surpassed existing multipliers, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our clients for their continued trust in us with the most important financial decision of their lives," Heikkilä added.
Heikkilä's expertise is not only recognized by her clients but also by industry peers. She is a featured speaker at the Barkleigh Pet Boarding and Daycare Expo West, (https://www.petboardingexpowest.com/), held in May in Las Vegas, NV.
In addition to Heikkilä, the company's growth is supported by an experienced team, including Katrina Stein, transaction manager, and Katy Buckaloo, M&A transaction coordinator. Stein, who holds the Certified M&A Professional (CM&AP) certification, has dedicated her career to small businesses and excels in financial analysis, business valuation, and managing transactions to successful closings. Buckaloo brings a well-rounded approach, handling essential tasks such as due diligence, issue resolution, and research to ensure a successful sale. The core deal team is supported by four assistants.
Clients of PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory consistently praise the firm's expertise and guidance throughout the sales process.
Stephen Quisenberry, owner of Wagbnb in Lubbock, TX, shared, "Working with Teija and her team at PET|VET was the best experience I have ever had with consultants. They found the absolute best buyer for my business, and orchestrated the entire process with constant communication, attention to detail, and ease. I would never recommend attempting this process without them. I cannot recommend them enough!"
Nick and Tonya Rintye, owners of The Hipster Hound in Savannah, GA, added, "Thankfully, Teija and her team, walked us through everything and answered all of our questions. With that information and what we know about our business, we were able to identify an accurate range of the value of what we built."
Grant and Marci Garl, owners of Fit N Furry in Petaluma CA, reflected on their experience, saying, "Teija and her ace team, Katy and Katrina, helped us create a business portfolio of financial metrics, business operations description, staff profiles, and photos to take our business to market. Within weeks, we had numerous offers, all beyond our expectations!"
The global pet care market is projected to grow to $368.88 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.92% during the forecast period, according to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights
Heikkilä remains confident about the pet care industry's potential for the rest of 2024 and beyond: "As the pet care industry is attracting a growing influx of private equity firms, we anticipate sustained sales growth throughout the remainder of the year. For any business owner in the pet industry contemplating an exit in 2024 or 2025, we strongly encourage initiating that dialogue now by reaching out to us for a confidential consultation."
PET|VET M&A, Sales & Advisory is also starting to reap the benefits from its recently launched targeted marketing mailer campaign to highlight its recent client successes and services it offers companies in the pet care industry.
"Overall, it has been a positive experience. We have received contacts from multiple assets that we have been able to move forward with listing," said Heikkilä.
Looking ahead, the company plans to appear at the Superzoo trade show in Las Vegas, NV, on August 14-16, 2024, further solidifying its presence in the industry.
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