Kreshmore Group

What Kreshmore Group does

Kreshmore Group is a privately held boutique advisory firm headquartered in Lemont, Illinois, with a secondary office in Naples, Florida. Founded in 2009 (originally as ABW Financial Services LLC, rebranded in 2011), the firm serves lower-middle-market ($5M-$50M) and mid-market ($50M-$500M) companies across the continental United States, with concentration in the Chicagoland and Midwest regions. Its service portfolio spans four core practice areas: Restructure and Turnarounds (cash management, creditor negotiations, CRO services, crisis management), M&A and Capital Markets (sell-side and buy-side advisory, debt structuring, real estate capital markets, quality of earnings), Strategic Advisory (fractional CFO/COO, financial modeling, growth preparation), and Sports Consulting (feasibility studies, economic impact analysis). Supporting sub-brands include KFEG (Kreshmore Field Exam Group) for banking field audits and KG Gaming for sports venue advisory.

The firm generates revenue primarily through professional services fees — success-based M&A advisory, engagement-based restructuring and CRO fees, hourly or monthly retainers for strategic advisory, and project-based fees for valuation reports (with differentiated pricing between 30-40 page informational reports and 65-100+ page certified appraisals). Customer acquisition is relationship-driven, relying on active membership in six industry associations (ACG, TMA, MBBI, Axial, ABI, AM&AA), Business Wire press releases, professional referrals, and direct outreach by a senior team composed largely of former business owners. Securities transactions are executed through an affiliated registered broker-dealer, StillPoint Capital, with which certain Kreshmore members are registered representatives.

The firm's technology footprint is limited to standard third-party SaaS — Citrix ShareFile for secure client document exchange and Clustdoc for structured valuation data collection — with no proprietary AI/ML systems, no proprietary models, and no disclosed technology platform. Differentiation rests entirely on senior practitioner expertise (175+ years combined experience), industry relationships, and a 91% transaction close rate on $800MM+ in aggregate transactions completed since inception.

Name

Kreshmore Group

Legal name

Kreshmore Group

Website

https://kreshmore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kreshmore Group is a privately held boutique advisory firm serving lower-middle and mid-market companies with restructuring, M&A, capital markets, strategic advisory, and sports consulting services across the United States from offices in Lemont, IL and Naples, FL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restructuring and M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

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

Divestitures, Carve-Outs & Spin-Off Advisory (FSAEAGAL), Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory (FSAEAIAD), Restructuring & Turnaround Advisory (BPAHADAD), Insolvency & Turnaround Advisory (SME/Mid-Market Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAK)

Keywords

• M&A advisory
• Restructuring and turnaround
• Capital markets advisory
• Business valuation services
• Middle market consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lemont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Services: Sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory services including deal sourcing, due diligence, valuation, and transaction closing. Revenue generated through success fees, retainers, and transaction-based compensation for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
2. Restructuring and Turnaround Services: Corporate restructuring, workout services, creditor negotiations, and crisis management. Revenue from engagement fees, CRO services, and restructuring execution compensation.
3. Strategic Advisory: Fractional C-suite leadership, financial modeling, growth preparation, and process optimization services. Billed through hourly consulting fees, monthly retainers, or project-based engagements.
4. Real Estate Capital Markets: Debt procurement, refinancing, construction financing, and joint-venture consulting for real estate transactions. Revenue from loan origination fees, arrangement fees, and capital markets advisory retainers.
5. Business Valuation Services: Certified and informational business valuation reports. Revenue from valuation report fees differentiated by report type (informational 30-40 pages vs certified 65+ pages).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kreshmore Group is a boutique advisory firm that provides restructuring, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital markets, strategic advisory, and business valuation services to lower-middle and mid-market companies ($5M–$500M) primarily across the continental United States. Its core engagements include creditor workouts, sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, debt and equity capital structuring, real estate capital markets, fractional CFO/COO services, and field exam audits for lenders. Revenue is earned through transaction success fees, engagement and retainer fees, valuation report fees, and capital arrangement fees.

Product overview

Kreshmore Group is a Chicagoland-based restructuring and M&A advisory firm offering a unified service portfolio centered on four core advisory practices: Restructure and Turnarounds (financial distress resolution, creditor negotiations, crisis management), M&A and Capital Markets (buy-side/sell-side advisory, debt structuring, real estate capital markets), Strategic Advisory (fractional C-suite, financial modeling, growth optimization), and Sports Consulting (feasibility studies, economic impact analysis). The firm supplements its advisory services with client-facing digital tools including a Client Portal powered by Citrix ShareFile for secure document exchange, and a Business Valuation Portal for structured data collection. Supporting modules include the Kreshmore Field Exam Group (KFEG) for banking field audits and Business Valuation Services for certified/appraisal reports. Together, these offerings provide end-to-end support from distressed situations through transaction completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KFEG (Kreshmore Field Exam Group): Field exams and field audits for lending institutions, including pre-funding field exams, collateral exams, monthly/quarterly field exams, and workout field audits.
• KG Gaming

Products and services

• Restructure and Turnarounds Financial distress resolution service for lower-middle and mid-market companies providing cash and liquidity management, CRO services, creditor negotiations, takeovers, business plan evaluation and development, creditor workouts, crisis management, cost reduction analysis and implementation, management assessments, and financial systems and controls.
• M&A and Capital Markets Comprehensive mergers and acquisitions advisory practice covering sell-side and buy-side representation, debt structuring and procurement, bridge and rescue capital, growth capital, recapitalizations, real estate capital markets, quality of earnings, and due diligence for lower-middle and mid-market companies.
• Strategic Advisory Strategic advisory practice providing fractional CFO/COO leadership, ready-time controller services, financial modeling and analysis, debt and capitalization monitoring, pre-workout services, growth clean-up, process optimization, feasibility projects, and business plan development for scaling companies.
• Sports Consulting Advisory service for professional and amateur sports organizations, sports clubs, and municipalities covering feasibility and economic impact reports (including TERNU/TERN methodology), sports programming and implementation, and go-to-market strategy and distribution channeling.
• Business Valuation Services Certified and informational business valuation reports prepared by NACVA-certified valuators for M&A, succession planning, and IRS-related reporting. Two report tiers are offered: an Informational/Broker Opinion of Value Report (30-40 pages, 2-5 business day turnaround) and a Certified Business Valuation Report (65-100 pages, 4-week or less turnaround with executive summary).
• Kreshmore Field Exam Group (KFEG) Field examination and audit services for lending institutions, providing pre-funding field exams, collateral exams, monthly/quarterly field exams, and workout field audits with veteran attention to detail.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% transaction close rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACG (Association for Corporate Growth)coreOthersActive member of ACG Chicago Chapter. ACG is the global community for M&A dealmakers and business leaders focused on driving growth. Provides unique access and unparalleled opportunities through local, regional & national events, publications and specialty networks.
• TMA (Turnaround Management Association)coreOthersActive member with almost 10,000 members in 53 chapters worldwide, including 33 North American chapters. Members include turnaround practitioners, attorneys, accountants, advisors, liquidators, consultants, academic, government employees, and members of the judiciary.
• MBBI (Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries)coreOthersActive member. A curated network of industry leaders who connect, collaborate, and are catalysts for the buying, funding, and selling of small and medium-sized businesses.
• Axial NetworkscoreOthersActive member. Axial runs a private network that helps middle market companies and advisors find the right buyers and investors. Connects members through an online platform, intimate events, curated introductions, and deal-oriented matching engine. KG was ranked Top 25 M&A Advisor on Axial platform in Q2 2023.
• ABI (American Bankruptcy Institute)minorOthersActive member of American Bankruptcy Institute, supporting the bankruptcy and restructuring professional community.
• AM&AA (Alliance of M&A Advisors)minorOthersActive member of Alliance of M&A Advisors, a professional organization for M&A advisors and intermediaries.
• FIFE Commercial Real EstateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with FIFE Commercial Real Estate on the Hammett Steel cross-border sale to Steelcon Fabrication, demonstrating collaboration on specific transactions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Conway MacKenzie (a Riveron company): Larger restructuring and financial advisory firm now part of Riveron. Competes with Kreshmore's turnaround practice and offers broader services (forensic, valuation, litigation), but serves similar mid-market distressed clients.
• Kaufman Rossin: Full-service advisory and CPA firm offering M&A, restructuring, and valuation services to mid-market companies. Competes with Kreshmore's Strategic Advisory and Business Valuation practices while offering broader accounting/tax capabilities.
• B. Riley Financial (Advisory Services): Public-company restructuring and M&A advisory with deep reach in distressed middle-market mandates. Competes with Kreshmore's Restructure & Turnaround and M&A practices at larger mandate sizes, but offers wider capital-markets capabilities.

Direct peers

• Gulfstar Group: Middle-market M&A advisory serving private business owners across sell-side, buy-side, and recapitalizations. Comparable transaction-size band and practice model (senior-led mandates, success-fee economics) put it in direct competition with Kreshmore for the same client cohort.
• Generational Equity: Direct peer offering sell-side M&A advisory for lower-middle-market companies. Operates a similar deal-team model, comparable transaction-size focus, and overlapping referral channels via Axial and ACG—making it Kreshmore's most direct head-to-head competitor.
• Calder Capital: Boutique lower-middle-market M&A advisory with a senior-partner-led model. Overlaps directly with Kreshmore on transaction size, sell-side focus, and reliance on ACG/TMA-style referral channels.
• Cornerstone Business Services: Middle-market M&A and business brokerage firm. Overlaps with Kreshmore on transaction size, sell-side advisory, and reliance on industry-association deal flow in the lower-middle market.
• Morgan & Westfield: Lower-middle-market M&A advisory and business brokerage with comparable transaction size and sell-side orientation. Overlaps with Kreshmore on owner-led exits in the $5M-$50M band.
• SSG Capital Advisors: Specializes in M&A advisory for distressed, restructuring, and special-situations middle-market deals—directly aligned with Kreshmore's Restructure & Turnaround practice and overlapping on mandate type and client profile.
• VR Mergers & Acquisitions: Boutique lower-middle-market M&A advisor with a similar transaction-size focus and relationship-driven origination model, directly comparable to Kreshmore's sell-side and buy-side practices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Kreshmore Group