The Advisor
Hi, I'm Scott Heydt — I'll be your Captain... or your Co-Pilot if you prefer.
For the last 30 years, I've sat on every side of the deal table — not just advising on sales, but running the finance function through them. I was part of the finance leadership during LBi's €416M ($514M) acquisition by Publicis Groupe, and as CFO of VaynerMedia from 2012 to 2016, I helped build the company's financial and operational foundation as it scaled to $100M in revenue. I've also been the operating CFO steering companies through their own exits, the CFO leading a buyer's acquisition and integration, and the outside advisor guiding founders through a process I've lived from the inside — 17 companies taken through transaction, over $800M in combined deal value, across agencies, media, events, and technology.
Most M&A advisors have reviewed a lot of deals. I've helped build a company's financial foundation through hypergrowth, been part of a $514M acquisition by one of the largest holding companies in the industry, and know what actually matters when it's your company on the table.
Onward!
Scott Heydt, Founder/Captain
How I Work
Three decades, three disciplines.
The same instincts that built companies and closed deals from the inside now shape how I run a mandate for you.
Strategic Direction
Before you ever talk to a buyer, you need to know what your business is actually worth — and why. Three decades inside real P&Ls means I can build a valuation a buyer can't poke holes in, not just tell you what you want to hear.
Process & Control
Diligence is where deals die. I've built the data rooms, fielded the forensic accountant's questions, and closed the gaps — because I've been the CFO on both sides of that table, not just the advisor reviewing the file.
Managing Growth
I've been the buy-side CFO integrating an acquisition after the ink dried — so I know what a buyer is actually trying to protect, and how to structure a deal that holds up on day one, not just at signing.