Why Choose Concord?

The team at Concord Financial Advisors has over 100 years of combined corporate finance and debt advisory experience. Our proven process saves our clients significant time and money by procuring the most appropriate financing structure. Our personal relationships with 300+ diversified capital providers in Chicago and throughout the U.S. cover the entire market and spectrum of prospective lenders. We negotiate the most favorable terms from lenders who understand the complexities of each client’s business. Typically, our fees are simply part of the net savings throughout the process, versus a net cost to our clients.

FAQs About Concord Financial Advisors, LLC

Q: Why should we hire Concord Financial Advisors when we have a CFO/Controller?

A: Today’s credit environment is more challenging than ever. The Concord team has over 100 years of combined corporate finance experience, and we have deep, long-term relationships with hundreds of capital providers throughout the U.S. We know the key decision-makers and can access them to obtain credit feedback much quicker than our clients can. We have instant credibility with lenders and have closed over 95% of our retained assignments since 2001. We know how to structure your transaction to fit lenders’ credit criteria and how to tell your story in language lenders understand.

 

Q: We have several bankers calling on us and we have already received term sheets. Why do we need Concord?

A: Identifying lenders and sourcing proposals, while important, is only part of the process. Our relationships with the decision-makers at each lending institution gives our clients certain benefits, such as efficient and quick proposal qualification. Additionally, we typically source multiple proposals from a variety of lenders. We will save you a significant amount of time and money as we negotiate every detail of your transaction and ensure that your savings are maximized – savings that typically far exceed any fee paid to Concord Financial Advisors. We manage every step of the process, communicating with lenders, coordinating due diligence and negotiating comprehensive deal points. This allows you to focus on running your business rather than on the complexities of financing it.

 

Q: What lenders do you typically use?

A: The vast majority of Concord’s transactions have closed with traditional banks or finance company lenders under attractive structures with very competitive rates and fees. We’ve only had a few deals that required non-traditional terms (due to distressed financial performance).

 

Q: How does your process work and when will our deal close?

A: Our proven model is comprised of an assessment of the company and Concord Financial Advisors’ due diligence (free of charge, typically 1-2 weeks).

Upon being engaged, Concord Financial Advisors:

  • Writes Executive Summary / CIM (Confidential Information Memorandum)
  • Disseminates information to lenders/answers lender questions
  • Screens lenders to determine which are qualified and genuinely interested
  • Introduces lenders to client
  • Sources and reviews proposals / term sheets from lenders
  • After a 30-45 day “screening process”, Concord / client chooses lender(s) and initiates lender due diligence and closing process.

 

Q: How do you get paid?

A: Concord Financial Advisors uses a “Success Fee” model: We get paid the majority of our compensation upon closing your deal. However, we typically receive a nominal monthly fee, much of which is credited to the success fee upon closing the transaction. We have the flexibility to work with our clients to structure fee arrangements that work for everyone. Concord has the most competitive fees in the industry for the level of service and expertise that we provide.

 

Q: How do we know if you’re the right financial firm for us? We’ve had bad experiences before & are hesitant to hire any advisors again.

A: The best “spokespeople” for our financial firm and advisory services are our clientele. We strongly encourage you to review the testimonials on our home page and talk to our references.