FOCUS, founded in 1982 in Washington, DC, provides a range of investment bank services tailored to the needs of middle market businesses and their executives. Today we are a national firm serving clients from offices in major cities across the United States. We specialize in serving businesses with revenues or transaction sizes between $5 million and $300 million (our definition of middle-market), serving entrepreneurs, corporate owners, and various types of investors. FOCUS clients include large corporations and private equity firms who engage FOCUS for transactions in our size range.

We have achieved a very high close rate on accepted buy side, sell side and corporate finance mandates because of the unique resources, process, and the perspective that we bring to investment banking. FOCUS has developed a systematic, open, and proven transaction process. It is the driving force of our firm and distinguishes us from other investment banks serving the middle market.

With extensive investment banking transaction experience and a group of seasoned operating and financial executives, our firm provides a unique value proposition. We bring a strong operating perspective, a wealth of practical experience, and a unique research and transaction process to our middle market clients. Our deep and unique resources include seasoned Partners and Principals, our research staff, our internal database of national and international contacts, and operating and deal experience in a range of industry sectors.

This website provides an overview of the firm, our distinctive approach, our range of services, and a summary of sectors where we are active. You will find the latest information on recent transactions, biographies of our professional staff, an archive of newsletter articles, and a handy online form for subscribing to our monthly e-mail newsletter.

But a website is nothing more than an introduction. Of course, there is no substitute for a face-to-face conversation. Please call to set up a meeting if you would like to learn more. We encourage prospective clients to get to know us well in advance of any potential assignment.

For over 24 years, FOCUS has specialized in serving business with revenues or transaction sizes between $5 million and $300 million. We understand the qualitative differences between a $10 million transaction and a $300 million transaction, though the financial mechanics may be similar.

FOCUS provides a unique mix of investment banking and related services tailored to middle market companies. Our service offerings have been tailored to the strategic and operational needs of our clients, not to the retail brokerage or securities underwriting markets.

We are highly attuned to successful transaction completion. In fact, we won't accept an assignment that we believe has less than a 75 percent probability of success. Our financial success is dependent upon successful transaction completion, not on document preparation, "listing fees", or large upfront retainer fees.

All FOCUS Partners are seasoned operating executives and/or deal makers. As you review the biographies of our staff, you will find former CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and veteran middle market investment banking executives. Most have completed dozens of deals before they joined our firm.

Our substantial operating experience gives us deep insights into management issues, strategic planning considerations for acquisitions, divestitures, strategic partnering, capital raising, and post-transaction integration matters. Negotiating the transaction and completing the paperwork is only the beginning of a successful transaction. The firm also has been responsible for post-closing execution and integration.

FOCUS is highly attuned to the critical needs and business realities of middle market operating executives, corporate owners, strategic investors, and institutional financial investors. Our Partners have been in those roles. Our experience is much broader than that of the typical investment banking professional.

Advisors, investment bankers, and other intermediaries with only a financial engineering background cannot serve middle market clients nearly as well as FOCUS. In today's selective M&A environment, an effective intermediary needs our kind of experience to advise clients effectively.