Hi, I am Melissa Gragg, President of Bridge Valuation Partners in St. Louis, Missouri. I started this blog to share information about how to value a company, how to buy or sell a business and general valuation information. Let me give you some background on my experience and how I work with business owners and attorneys to determine the value of a business or litigation case.
After earning my Masters in Finance from Saint Louis University I worked in the investment banking world as part of team assisting in the buying and selling of businesses. I searched for market transactions in order to determine the market value of a business, developed written material summarizing the operations of the company for sale, researched buyers for the company and then maintained relationships with venture capital firms in order to understand their buying parameters.
The most important part of my job was working with the business owner and preparing them for the emotional aspects of selling their company as well as the strategic complications. Selling a company is a process and preparing for the changes and challenges ahead is a big part of the deal.
After a few years I went to work for a regional accounting firm in the business valuation and litigation support department. I worked with business owners to transfer shares of the company to their children and grandchildren in the form of gifting. In order to gift shares of stock to another person, a business valuation must be prepared. This report aids in the preparation of the gift tax return and establishes the value of the shares at the time of the gift.
I also have extensive experience when valuation concepts are entwined in a litigation as well, whether lost profits, lost wages or separation of marital assets. I work with attorneys to help them understand the value of a lawsuit and develop financial models to support the calculation in court. I have testified in deposition and trial as well. My experience has also lead me to conduct fraud investigations for a variety of government entities and private companies.
I stepped away from valuations for several years to help my family start a business in the health care arena and in 2011 started my own valuation and litigation support firm.
Now I have the experience of being an entrepreneur and business owner which allows me to understand the responsibility and professional drive the position requires. I relate to business owners and can assist them in the different stages of development, valuation and eventual sale.
I work with business owners, merger & acquisition professionals, accounting firms as well as other valuation providers and have an extensive network of experts who serve as my “partners”. I look forward to helping others understand how to value a company.
Valuation Appraiser - How to Value a Company 