Brian Smith

1501 Commerce Dr,
Elgin, Illinois 60123 (View Map)

About the Company

Our founder began his career as an accountant but did not enjoy public accounting. After a short term at a big 6 accounting firm, he started Business Accounting Solutions in 1988, which he later sold to Cornerstone Consulting Group. Recognizing the need many small businesses had for sound management advice, Brian went on to start Individual Advantages, LLC, which was later rebranded to IA Business Advisors in 2015, as a think tank to develop customized, yet affordable, business solutions driven by our focus on people, process, and technology.

Our client base has always varied, ranging from large fortune 500, to small and medium sized community based businesses. When the Great Recession hit in 2008, we began to work with businesses in trouble due to the economic decline who struggled to afford consulting services and an ability to be represented through the business sale, succession or merger & acquisition process. Recognizing this, Brian began offering on-demand consulting services, through which businesses hindered by a strained economic environment and a restricted budget could consult with our company on an hourly basis for a lower more economical fee. This service became so popular that we have continued it to this day.

During the business sales, succession, mergers and acquisitions process, companies often forget about their foundation: people and process. These are the two things that need the most attention during this huge transition, and the IA Business Advisors team are proficient in focusing on your foundation to better represent you and your organization to keep you organized through whichever transition process you may be going through. Our unique BizVision process pinpoints the metrics, processes, and people that will be the driving force behind the success of your business sale, succession, merger or acquisition.

IA Business Advisors business business brokerage, success, merger and acquisition services was born out of our founder’s experience on a mergers and acquisitions team for a large NASDAQ traded company in the 1990s. After helping several acquisitions of small businesses around the world, our founder learned the importance of balance in the marketing, negotiation and due diligence process – balancing the focus on metrics, as well as policy, procedure, people, process, and technology. We have been involved in hundreds of business sales, successions, merger and acquisition projects since our conception in 1996.