What Capstone Strategic does

Capstone Strategic, Inc. is a private M&A advisory and consulting firm founded in 1995 by David Braun and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia. The firm is structured around a single, end-to-end external-growth proposition for middle-market companies, delivered through five integrated service lines: the proprietary "Roadmap to Acquisitions" methodology, Strategic Consultation, Market Research, Valuation, and Divestiture advisory. Capstone differentiates from generalist consultants and transaction-oriented investment banks by owning the full M&A lifecycle — from strategic rationale and demand-driven target identification through due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and 100-day integration planning — with particular depth in privately-held, not-for-sale transactions. Supporting the advisory practice is an educational ecosystem comprising the M&A U certification webinar series, M&A Minute and M&A Express video programs, and David Braun's published book "Successful Acquisitions: A Proven Plan for Strategic Growth."

The firm operates on a project-based professional services revenue model with quote-based, tailored engagement fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, reaching C-suite and board-level executives of middle-market companies, Fortune 500 corporations, and family-owned businesses through direct outreach, thought-leadership content, industry conferences, and — especially within the credit union and CUSO vertical — a deep referral network anchored by managing partner John Dearing. The firm reports 300+ clients served, $2 billion+ in cumulative transactions completed, engagement across 30+ countries and 100+ industries, and a leadership team of 11–50 employees holding CFA and CVA credentials with prior tenure at ING, UniCredit, ABN AMRO, and other financial institutions. Most recent strategic activity includes a 2026 30th-anniversary brand refresh, an April 2026 partnership with UK-based boostCX to enter the UK customer experience market, and prior international expansion into Malaysia, France, and Japan.

Name

Capstone Strategic

Legal name

Capstone Strategic, Inc.

Website

https://capstonestrategic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capstone Strategic is a private M&A advisory firm founded in 1995 that helps middle-market companies execute external growth through acquisitions, divestitures, valuation, and strategic consultation, with particular depth in the credit union and CUSO ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB), Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH), Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

Keywords

• Mergers and acquisitions advisory
• M&A consulting
• Strategic growth advisory
• Business valuation services
• Middle market advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory and Consulting Services: Professional services revenue generated through advisory engagements for middle market companies seeking external growth through acquisitions, divestitures, strategic consultations, market research, and valuation services. engagements are typically project-based or retainer arrangements tailored to client needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Capstone Strategic is a private M&A advisory firm that helps middle-market companies grow externally through acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic alliances. The firm offers end-to-end advisory services organized around its proprietary Roadmap to Acquisitions℠ methodology, covering strategic rationale development, demand-driven target identification, due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and structured 100-day integration planning. Additional services include strategic consultation, customized market research, multi-dimensional company valuation, and divestiture support.

Product overview

Capstone Strategic is an M&A advisory and consulting firm (not a software platform) offering a suite of advisory services organized around its proprietary Roadmap to Acquisitions℠ methodology. The core service portfolio comprises five integrated advisory offerings: Roadmap to Acquisitions℠ (the firm's proprietary end-to-end M&A process), Strategic Consultation, Market Research, Valuation, and Divestiture. Supporting the core advisory practice, the firm offers educational products including the M&A U™ Webinar Program (12-month CPE-accredited webinar series with certification), M&A Minute (short-form video content), and M&A Express Videos (topic-specific video series by CEO David Braun), as well as the published book 'Successful Acquisitions: A Proven Plan for Strategic Growth.' The firm has also recently undergone a brand refresh (2026) marking its 30th anniversary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M&A U™: Educational webinar program providing M&A certification and CPE credits for professionals.
• M&A Minute
• M&A Express
• Roadmap to Acquisitions℠

Products and services

• Roadmap to Acquisitions℠ Capstone's proprietary end-to-end acquisition methodology for middle-market companies, covering strategic rationale, demand-driven target identification, due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and structured 100-day integration planning.
• Strategic Consultation Consulting engagement leveraging Capstone's M&A experience to help middle-market executives craft robust and actionable growth strategies, combining outside perspective with a deep understanding of each client's unique strategic situation.
• Market Research Customized primary and secondary market and company research supporting external growth decisions, including market dynamics analysis, trend identification, supply chain assessment, and demand-driven target identification.
• Valuation Multi-dimensional company valuation combining proprietary analytical tools with deep M&A transaction experience. Draws on methodologies including Discounted Cash Flow, Book Value, Capitalization Rate, Liquidation Value, Replacement Cost, Market Comps, and Current Market Value.
• Divestiture Advisory and consulting services for companies seeking to sell a business or division, including making the divestiture target attractive to buyers, identifying potential buyers, and negotiating the transaction while keeping the remaining business secure.
• M&A U™ Webinar Program Twelve-month annual webinar series covering M&A topics including strategic growth, valuation, taxes, due diligence, negotiation, and integration. Includes CPE credits (up to 12.5), on-demand recordings, and an M&A U™ certificate upon completion.
• Successful Acquisitions: A Proven Plan for Strategic Growth (Book) Book authored by David Braun (AMACOM, 2013) providing a practical plan of action for acquisitions based on first-hand experience, real-world examples, and Capstone's proprietary roadmap methodology for middle-market company growth.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 billion+ in completed transactions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• boostCXminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026UK-based Capstone Strategic Integration partnered with Canada-based boostCX to bring an advanced, execution-focused customer experience approach to the UK market. The collaboration combines Capstone's operational expertise with boostCX's established platform capability, enabling organizations to embed real-time, actionable customer insight into day-to-day operations rather than relying on passive feedback programmes. The approach targets sectors including automotive, financial services, legal, and healthcare where customer experience directly impacts operational performance and reputation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MarshBerry: Middle-market advisory firm specializing in financial services (insurance distribution and wealth management) M&A, growth, and succession consulting. Highly comparable to Capstone as a similarly-sized, sector-deep boutique advisory serving owner-led and intermediated clients with a recurring engagement model.
• Generational Group: U.S. middle-market M&A advisory firm focused on sell-side mandates for privately-held businesses in the $5M–$500M value range. Directly comparable to Capstone on client profile (private, often family-owned), transaction size band, and middle-market sell-side and succession focus.
• Wipfli: Top-20 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a Business Transition Group serving middle-market M&A and succession planning. Comparable in target market and service mix; Capstone's Brian Goodhart previously led Wipfli's Business Transition Group, evidencing direct talent and methodology overlap.
• Sun Mergers & Acquisitions: U.S. lower-middle-market M&A advisory firm focused on privately-held, often family-owned businesses seeking strategic sales or partnerships. Directly comparable to Capstone on transaction size band, client profile, and full-lifecycle advisory focus.
• Crowe LLP: Large U.S. accounting and advisory firm serving middle-market companies with M&A, valuation, and consulting practices. Comparable in middle-market client base and full-lifecycle M&A advisory offering, though substantially larger and broader than Capstone.

Broad incumbents

• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a market-leading middle-market M&A practice and a deep valuation services franchise. Competes with Capstone for middle-market mandates and on valuation, but operates at much larger scale across product, geography, and transaction size.
• Lincoln International: Global mid-market investment bank with dedicated M&A and valuation advisory practices serving private equity and corporate clients. Overlaps with Capstone's middle-market M&A advisory and valuation services, with materially greater international scale.
• Kroll (formerly Duff & Phelps): Global advisory firm with a leading valuation services practice and corporate finance / M&A capabilities. Directly comparable on valuation methodology depth and cross-border transaction advisory, but at far larger scale across industries and geographies.
• Conway MacKenzie: Middle-market financial advisory firm offering valuation, M&A, and restructuring services to distressed and growth-stage companies. Comparable in middle-market client base and integration of valuation and M&A advisory, with a stronger restructuring orientation.
• Stout: Global advisory firm specializing in valuation, financial disputes, and M&A for middle-market and large-cap clients. Overlaps directly with Capstone's valuation and M&A advisory services and its multi-methodology valuation toolkit (DCF, market comps, etc.).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLd_-xQCxiQDpkX6mrIzg-clZeNMGfjTIt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capstone-strategic
• Xx.com/GrowthEngineers
• Facebookfacebook.com/CapstoneStrategicInc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Capstone Strategic