By Edgar Vargas-Castaneda, Director of Transaction Advisory Services

At some point, the conversation changes.

For some owners, it’s about protecting what they’ve built, understanding what the business is worth, preparing for an eventual exit, or evaluating whether now is the right time to sell. For others, it’s about growth: acquiring a competitor, integrating a supplier, or using M&A to accelerate a strategy that organic growth alone can’t achieve.

Maybe you’ve done a deal or two before — small acquisitions, opportunistic purchases. Now you’re ready to get serious. You want a disciplined process, not just a handshake and a hope. You want to know what you’re actually buying, what it’s worth, and how to capture the value after close.

Whichever side of the table you’re on, the environment has gotten more demanding. Buyers are more sophisticated. Sellers are better prepared. Diligence is faster, deeper, and less forgiving. The gap between a well-executed transaction and a messy one shows up in valuation, deal terms, and whether the deal closes at all.

That’s why abip is investing in a dedicated Transaction Advisory Services practice — to make sure our clients are never at a disadvantage, whether they’re buying or selling.

A Bit About My Perspective

My job is to make sure you’re never surprised — and never at a disadvantage.

That means preparing you before the other side shows up, not scrambling once they’re in the data room. It means telling you what I actually think, even when it’s not what you want to hear. And it means staying close to the details, because deals don’t fall apart over big issues — they fall apart over the small things no one caught.

I’ve been on both sides of the table. I’ve advised on transactions at EY-Parthenon and led acquisitions at TransPerfect, evaluating companies across a wide range of sizes, industries, and complexity. That experience taught me what buyers look for, where they push, and how to position a business so it holds up under scrutiny.

But credentials only matter if they translate into judgment you can trust. My commitment is simple: I’ll treat your transaction with the seriousness it deserves, and I’ll make sure you understand every decision along the way.

What is Transaction Advisory Services?

TAS encompasses the full spectrum of financial and strategic support throughout a deal’s lifecycle. It’s not just about producing reports — it’s about guiding clients through the transaction process, anticipating issues before they derail a deal, and ensuring our clients are positioned to achieve their objectives.

What’s different now?

abip has long delivered excellent transaction accounting support. What changes with a dedicated TAS practice is our ability to move from reactive to proactive— from producing deliverables when asked to advising clients throughout the entire deal process. We can now serve as true partners to deal teams, bringing institutional-caliber transaction experience to lower mid-market and mid-market clients who often lack access to this level of support.

Expanded Capabilities

Beyond valuation and QoE reports, abip can now offer:

• • Exit readiness assessments – helping owners prepare their businesses for sale 12–24 months before going to market
  • Sell-side advisory support – managing the seller’s financial workstream throughout a transaction
  • Buy-side due diligence – delivering deeper analysis for acquirers, PE sponsors, and lenders
  • Post-close integration support – helping buyers capture deal value after closing

Let’s Connect

If you’re considering a transaction — whether buying, selling, or just exploring options — I’d welcome the conversation. In future newsletters, I’ll dive deeper into each of these service areas and share practical insights from the deal world.