Why DKZ Exists
Crazy as it sounds, the M&A industry routinely mishandles and underserves businesses worth under $100m.
We've built, backed, sold, and advised businesses - and we've sat in enough deal rooms to know exactly where things go wrong.
Founders taken to market by brokers, accountants or advisors who talked a good game but were out of their depth.
Blanket outreach to buyers who'd never be a fit. No real reporting. No accountability.
Deals that fell apart not because the business wasn't good enough, but because the wrong people were running the process.
At this deal size, the gap between what founders are told they're getting and what's actually delivered is enormous.
Most only discover it mid-process, when the damage is done.
We built DKZ because we've been on your side of the table — and we knew it didn't have to work this way.
What We Believe
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Build like you'll never sell.
The best thing you can do for your business - and yourself - is build it with a buyer's lens. Not because you plan to sell, but because that's the framework that creates something genuinely brilliant: a business that doesn't depend on you, that has clean fundamentals, real value, and gives you actual freedom.
Build something you’re passionate about - because that's what makes the struggle of building a business worth it, and it's what produces something worth owning in the first place. Whether you ever sell or not, that's the business you want.
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Structure like you could.
Years before a sale ever crosses your mind, the decisions you're making are already shaping what you can achieve. How you structure ownership. How you manage your financials. How you reduce key-person risk and build a team that can run without you.
This is the domain of brilliant specialists - advisors, operators, and strategists who help you build with optionality. It's not where DKZ plays directly, but we know the right people. If you're more than a year out from market, we can make introductions that will transform what's possible for you.
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Be ready when you should.
When you decide it's time - or when that life-changing tap on the shoulder comes - this is where DKZ plays. The Pre-Market Briefing to make sure you understand exactly how the market will see your business before anyone else does. The exit process, run to the standard it deserves.
We'll also tell you honestly if the timing isn't right, or if going now would cost you. We'd rather lose a mandate than watch you go to market unprepared or unnecessarily leaving money on the table.
Why it matters who you choose.
You don't get a second chance to make a first impression on buyers.
The intermediary you choose shapes everything in your deal - their thoroughness, the process, the outcome, and whether you're told the truth along the way.
We start with the hard questions. Before strategy, before valuation, before buyers - we ask: why do you want to sell, and how do you know that’s the right move?
Sometimes our view is don’t sell yet, or don’t sell at all. We're comfortable saying that.
Most people in M&A can't afford to - and when an offer arrives, our job is to tell you whether it actually serves your goals, not to sell you the deal.
Aligned economics. Our retainers are modest and cover cost, not margin. We win when you complete the right deal - not when we get you to sign.
That means we're deliberately selective about who we work with, because we share the risk with you.
Built by founders - not brokers, bankers or accountants. We come from building, backing, and selling businesses - not from institutions.
That changes how we think about risk, timing, control, and what a good outcome actually looks like for the person in the room who spent years building it.
Independent by design. No quarterly revenue targets, no deal quotas, no pressure to fill a pipeline.
If we take you on, it's because we believe we can do exceptional work - not because we need the retainer.
Who We Are
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Niraj Shah
Managing Director
Niraj has spent over 2 decades around business, exits and acquisitions - employee at 2 exits; 5x founder across real estate, wellness & tech; investor or advisor to 50+ businesses; and buy-side entrepreneur.His approach is shaped by the perspective of an entrepreneur, not a career banker. He understands both the mechanics of transactions and the realities of building something worth selling.
At 30, Niraj survived a sudden, serious stroke. It reshaped how he thinks about time, energy, vitality, freedom and what actually matters.
He's particularly interested in health, wellness, longevity and human performance businesses - both as a consumer and the types of companies he loves to work with.
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Robert Taylor
Partner & Advisor
Robert brings over two decades of experience in securities trading, investment banking, and private equity, with roles at JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo Securities, and Bayview Asset Management.
In 2018 he founded Bray Ventures to support small and lower-middle market companies with M&A, strategy, and capital raising. Alongside this, he works closely with DKZ Equity on select M&A mandates.
Robert brings seasoned transaction expertise and broad distribution reach to every engagement. He holds an MBA from Wake Forest and a BA from UNC Chapel Hill.
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Mac Lackey
Strategic Advisor
Mac has started, scaled and successfully sold six of his own companies, each with seven or eight-figure exits. But beyond his business achievements, Mac deeply values the life entrepreneurship has allowed him to create.His ventures, including KYCK (acquired by NBC Sports), Mountain Khakis (acquired by Remington), and InternetSoccer Network (acquired by a division of News Corp), have been featured in notable media outlets such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, USA Today, and The New York Times.
Mac also served over six years on the Board of Directors for publicly traded LendingTree.
Client Work & Outcomes
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They never lost sight of getting us to the right decision for us, not just a done deal.
Niraj was a trusted advisor throughout our transaction; sharp on M&A expertise, always a step ahead, and just as focused on helping us think through our goals and future as he was on the deal itself. He never lost sight of getting us to the right decision for us, not just a done deal. I'd recommend him without hesitation to any founder considering an exit.
KATHY GERLACH,
CEO - Veridia Health -
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The advice was pragmatic, thoughtful and always focused on helping me make the right decisions to protect my interests.
Having Niraj involved in my business sale made a real difference. He identified important commercial considerations, explained the implications in plain English, and helped strengthen my position as I negotiated and finalised the sale. His advice was pragmatic, thoughtful and always focused on helping me make the right decisions to protect my interests - not simply on getting the deal over the line. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to any founder considering selling their business.
EMILY HARDING,
Founder - Differently Wellbeing -
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The sale of my business would not have been remotely as emotionally or financially rewarding...
Niraj is a consummate professional; he is knowledgable, insightful, and an absolute pleasure to work with. I cannot imagine that the sale of my business would have been remotely as emotionally or financially rewarding without Niraj's expertise and advisement. I cannot recommend him any more highly.
JASON B. FISCHER,
Founder - Sunshine Neurofeedback -
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Their input was pivotal during our acquisition.
Niraj’s input was pivotal during our acquisition of a near-£1m business, which we closed in just 7 weeks. A few voice notes and calls helped me stay focused on what really mattered. His advice about not jumping into numbers too early completely changed the dynamic and built huge trust with the seller. Every business owner should have someone like him in their corner.
TEJ GILL,
Owner & Director - Nijjer Accountants -
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A trusted sounding board, providing invaluable guidance.
Niraj is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the complex world of M&A.
Beyond his technical skill, he’s a superb coach throughout what can often be an arduous journey—acting as a trusted sounding board and providing invaluable guidance every step of the way.
I’ve found his input to be incredibly helpful, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.
GRAHAM LINDLEY,
Co-Founder - Guestflow AI -
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Lot of answers to questions you didn't know you needed to know 6 months ago.
Calling anyone with a decent business, considering a future exit, no matter how fuzzy or far off, this is a good conversation to have now.
Lot of answers to questions you didn't know you needed to know 6 months ago.
ASH PEMBERTON,
Founder & CEO - Overnight Design -
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...helping me step back, get strategic, and see the bigger picture was exactly what I needed.
Working with Niraj over the last 6 months was a real turning point for me. His ability to cut through the noise and help me step back, get strategic, and see the bigger picture was exactly what I needed.
His frameworks, insights, and calm presence helped me rethink my direction and build real optionality into the future of my business.
DAN LEVY,
Founder & CEO, Eat A Pitta -
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This kind of insight is valuable at any stage of a company’s journey, but the earlier you get it, the better.
Working with DKZ gave me a clear understanding of the areas of untapped value within my business. The process gave me a genuine buyer-informed perspective and helped clarify where the real opportunities are; identifying quick wins as well as what’s worth focusing on longer term.
This kind of insight is valuable at any stage of a company’s journey, but the earlier you get it, the better. It lets you plan with intention and make sure you’re building and tracking the metrics that matter to future buyers
SHIFRA COOK
Founder & CEO - Ayda -
![Melanie Balke, CEO]()
Working with DKZ saved us from making a very costly mistake.
We were looking at our first company acquisition. Whilst we had some solid knowledge, working with DKZ helped us really understand what we were looking at.
They helped us spot the potential pitfalls and where we needed to dig further.
On the surface, the company looked like a perfect fit. Once we had an expert helping us peel back the layers, we realised it was going to be quite difficult to implement day-to-day.
Working through it with DKZ likely saved us from making a very costly mistake.
MELANIE BALKE
CEO & Founder, The Email Marketers
DKZ Execution Network
The right people, matched to what you need, when you need it.
As an entrepreneur, you know the value of trusted connections.
This is our inner circle: people we'd trust with our own businesses and families.
From M&A-savvy accountants to lawyers who get deals done, wealth managers who put life before fees, and specialists across critical business areas, our goal is to build a best-in-class ecosystem for everything you might need.
Every expert is selected through our three-pillar framework, a process designed to ensure trust, competence, and executional excellence.
When you become our client, our network becomes your network.