Mike Derus

Peggy Scheeler has been in sales for 30 years and marketing businesses at Opportunities in Business for over 20, having joined Opportunities in Business in 1990. Peggy is deeply entrenched and highly knowledgeable in the Minneapolis/St. Paul business marketplace. Peggy has sold over 275 businesses, including 50 liquor stores, 30 accounting and tax practices, 65 service organizations and 30 manufacturing companies. Peggy’s client business is driven largely by referrals due to her long standing relationships and experience with buyers, sellers and financing organizations. Some of the high-profile organizations working directly with Peggy are Ameriprise Financial, Wells Fargo and MGM Liquor.

Bill Kraemer brings a unique skill set to the business broker arena. As a former business owner himself, Bill understands what it takes to develop, build and successfully sell a business for maximum value. He has the unparalleled ability to indentify individual strengths and align buyers with the proper businesses. His passion, experience and honest approach give him the ability to relate to business owners and their enterprises. Bill has over 26 years experience in the Minneapolis/St. Paul marketplace and has established a reputation as a trusted business advisor to clients and businesses alike. He specializes in buy/sell transactions spanning across manufacturing, distribution, franchises and service industries. Bill lives in Apple Valley with his wife of 27 years, Susan and their two children – Lauren and Nick. Bill loves spending time with family and friends and is an avid outdoorsman.

With 17 years in the financial sector as a commercial lender in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, Mike brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Prior to joining OIB, Mike graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a degree in Business Administration and subsequently honed his skills in commercial real estate and specialized lending, including SBA and New Markets Tax Credits. As a small business owner himself, Mike has firsthand experience in what it takes to build and grow a business. Mike is passionate about guiding clients through the process of selling their businesses and helping prospective buyers find the right opportunities. His extensive experience serving thousands of commercial clients across a wide range of industries and business segments equips Mike with a unique understanding of the financial nuances and challenges that business owners face.

Jim Evavold has over 25 years experience in Business Ownership and Business Brokerage. He has owned and operated a number of small businesses here in the Twin Cities prior to becoming a Business Broker with Opportunities in Business. The breadth of his experience has served Jim well as a Broker; he has participated in the sale and purchase of a wide variety of businesses from various industries including manufacturing, wholesale/distribution, retail, food & beverage, technology, service businesses and franchises. Jim attributes his success to his extensive experience in sales and marketing, the ability to analyze financial statements and his awareness of how important confidentiality is when handling sensitive and confidential information. Sellers and Buyers have told Jim they were very happy with his professional and confidential approach to handling all aspects of a business sale - negotiations, buyer qualification, document preparation and marketing strategies. A few of Jim's marketing strategies include creating a professional and confidential marketing package of the business; advertising locally and nationally on several websites and database marketing for potential strategic acquisitions. Jim also has experience working with landlords (leases) and sales of commercial property. Jim has worked with many banks in the Twin Cities including Wells Fargo, US Bank, Achor Bank, Associated, Stearns, Bremer and M&I. Jim will list businesses in the Twin Cities Metro area as well as greater Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Here are a few examples of what Jim's clients have said: “Jim, we want to thank you for the great job you did helping us sell Frontiersman Sports. We appreciate the way you made yourself available, by phone and in person. You listened to our wants and needs and made the process of selling go very smoothly.” Doug and Betty Ramstad Owners of the Frontiersman Sports Gun Shop in St. Louis Park “Jim, we would like to thank you for all your support and hard work in helping us sell our business. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from start to finish. Your professionalism and attitude was appreciated.” Terry and Corona Wolfe, Owners of Lifesaver Fire Protection located in Plymouth MN “Jim Evavold did a great job on handling the Sale of our Business. I would recommend him highly”. Richard Kohn, Owner of MAS Racing Products, St. Paul MN