Verit Advisors
Verit Advisors is a Chicago-based boutique investment banking firm founded in 2009 that provides ESOP advisory, M&A, debt capital markets, valuation, and board advisory services to closely held middle-market companies across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Verit Advisors does
Verit Advisors is a Chicago-headquartered boutique investment banking firm founded in 2009 by Mary Josephs, providing specialized advisory services to closely held middle-market businesses across the United States. The firm operates a single integrated platform across five core service lines: ESOP Advisory (its flagship practice, reportedly serving over 500 companies over 30 years), Mergers & Acquisitions sell-side and buy-side advisory, Debt Capital Markets (debt placement, recapitalization, mezzanine, private placements), Transaction Opinions and Valuation Services (fairness, solvency, restricted-stock valuations), and Board Advisory Services. Underlying capabilities combine senior banker expertise with deep specialization in ESOP mechanics, including ERISA compliance, Section 1042 tax-deferred sales, and ESOP lifecycle management.
The firm's go-to-market is relationship-led and thought-leadership-driven, leveraging the founder's Forbes contributor platform, original research (Employee Ownership Monitor), ESOP Association/NCEO board positions, and conference speaking. The professional team — Managing Directors drawn from LaSalle/Bank of America, Bear Stearns, Jefferies, and Ernst & Young, supported by a Principal, senior associates, analysts, and senior advisors — delivers engagements via direct advisory relationships and a trusted-advisor referral network comprising attorneys, accountants, banks, BDCs, mezzanine funds, and family offices.
Revenue is generated through transaction-based professional fees (success fees on M&A, ESOP, and debt placement mandates, plus fairness opinion and board advisory fees), with pricing not publicly disclosed and negotiated per engagement. The firm is structured as a private LLC with no disclosed institutional capital, founder-owned, and serves a diversified client base spanning construction, industrial manufacturing, consumer products, healthcare, and professional services.
Verit Advisors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Verit Advisors
- Legal name
- Verit Advisors LLC
- Website
- https://verit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Verit Advisors is a Chicago-based boutique investment banking firm founded in 2009 that provides ESOP advisory, M&A, debt capital markets, valuation, and board advisory services to closely held middle-market companies across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Verit Advisors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Banking Advisory
- NAICS
- Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industry-Specialist / Sector-Focused M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAJ), Sell-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAA)
Keywords
Where Verit Advisors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Verit Advisors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Investment Banking / M&A Advisory Fees: Verit Advisors generates revenue through professional fees for advisory services including ESOP structuring and execution, mergers & acquisitions sell-side and buy-side advisory, debt capital markets placement, transaction opinions and valuation services, and board advisory services. Revenue is earned on a transaction basis (success fees) as is typical for investment banking boutiques.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Verit Advisors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Verit Advisors is a boutique investment banking firm that provides integrated advisory services to closely held middle-market businesses, with a flagship practice in Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) structuring and financing. The firm also delivers mergers and acquisitions advisory, debt capital markets placement, transaction opinions and valuation services, and board advisory services. With over 500 companies served in 30 years, Verit focuses on ownership transition, succession planning, and capital strategy for private companies across the United States.
Product overview
Verit Advisors is a Chicago-based investment banking boutique that provides specialized advisory services centered on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and ownership transition strategies for middle-market companies. The firm operates as a single, integrated advisory platform rather than a modular software product, offering five core service lines: ESOP Advisory (their flagship practice, representing over 500 companies in 30 years), Mergers & Acquisitions, Debt Capital Markets, Transaction Opinions & Valuation Services, and Board Advisory Services. These services are complemented by proprietary research offerings including the Employee Ownership Monitor and curated research links. The firm does not offer a software product but rather provides expert advisory services delivered by senior investment banking professionals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ESOP Advisory
Quantifiable outcome
- Leaders of ESOP companies report near-unanimous satisfaction with their employee ownership plan, with satisfaction increasing over time.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Verit Advisors
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Verit Advisors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Verit Advisors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- WTW (Willis Towers Watson)minorMary Josephs co-authored an article on executive compensation in employee-owned companies with WTW analysts Yana Plotkin and Don Delves.
- Polsinelli (ESOP Group)coreJake Cravens co-presented with Sean Power of Polsinelli's ESOP group at the ESOP Association Annual Conference on ESOP process overview from feasibility to closing.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Verit Advisors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Piper Sandler: Diversified middle-market investment bank with M&A advisory and capital markets services; overlaps with Verit's M&A and Debt Capital Markets practices across middle-market companies.
- Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a dedicated middle-market M&A practice and ESOP advisory capabilities; competes with Verit for larger middle-market M&A mandates while offering broader sector coverage and scale.
- Robert W. Baird: Diversified middle-market investment bank with M&A advisory, equity research, and capital markets services; competes with Verit for middle-market sell-side and buy-side mandates.
- Livingstone Partners: Global mid-market M&A advisory firm serving closely held and private-equity-owned companies; comparable in target client profile and middle-market deal size to Verit's M&A practice.
- Deloitte Corporate Finance: Middle-market M&A advisory practice within Deloitte's wider advisory platform; competes with Verit for middle-market sell-side and buy-side mandates, often at the upper end of the size range.
- Stout: Global investment bank and advisory firm with a dedicated middle-market M&A practice and valuation services — overlapping with Verit's M&A advisory and Transaction Opinions practices.
- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company: Middle-market investment bank providing M&A advisory and capital-raising services; competes with Verit for middle-market M&A mandates across similar industry verticals.
- FocalPoint Partners: Middle-market M&A advisory firm focused on founder-, family-, and entrepreneur-led businesses — directly comparable to Verit's closely held middle-market client base.
Direct peers
- Prairie Capital Advisors: Boutique investment banking firm specializing in ESOP advisory, valuations, and ownership transition for middle-market and private companies — overlapping directly with Verit's flagship practice area.
- Chartwell Financial Advisory: Independent ESOP-focused investment banking advisory firm providing sell-side, buy-side, and ESOP transaction advisory to middle-market companies — directly comparable to Verit's core ESOP advisory practice.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Verit Advisors social profiles
Digital presenceVerit Advisors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Verit Advisors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Verit Advisors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Verit Advisors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Verit Advisors
What does Verit Advisors do?
Verit Advisors is a boutique investment banking firm that provides integrated advisory services to closely held middle-market businesses, with a flagship practice in Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) structuring and financing. The firm also delivers mergers and acquisitions advisory, debt capital markets placement, transaction opinions and valuation services, and board advisory services. With over 500 companies served in 30 years, Verit focuses on ownership transition, succession planning, and capital strategy for private companies across the United States.
Is Verit Advisors a public or private company?
Verit Advisors is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Verit Advisors founded?
Verit Advisors was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Verit Advisors based?
Verit Advisors is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Verit Advisors make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Banking / M&A Advisory Fees.
Who are Verit Advisors's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Piper Sandler, Houlihan Lokey, Robert W. Baird, Livingstone Partners, Deloitte Corporate Finance, Stout, Brown Gibbons Lang & Company and FocalPoint Partners. Direct peers are Prairie Capital Advisors and Chartwell Financial Advisory.
Does Verit Advisors have an API?
No public API is recorded for Verit Advisors.
What industry is Verit Advisors in?
Verit Advisors's product category is Investment Banking Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAA, M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side), with a secondary code of FSAEAGAJ, Industry-Specialist / Sector-Focused M&A Advisory. Its NAICS code is 523 and its SIC code is 8742.