ATALYST

What ATALYST does

ATALYST Financial Group is a private, founder-owned financial advisory firm founded in 2010 and headquartered across San Francisco, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The firm operates three integrated service lines: Transaction Advisory (capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and in-court and out-of-court restructuring), Financial Leadership (CFO and CRO services launched in 2021), and Real Estate Solutions (mortgage banking, private lending, brokerage, and property management). It targets middle-market companies, real estate developers, homebuilders, family offices, and institutional investors, executing engagements through a hands-on, senior-led model.

The firm is led by Founder and Managing Partner John Gilchrist, a California CPA and licensed Broker Officer, and President/COO Jackie DeLaney, who joined in 2012 with 35-plus years of commercial real estate finance experience. Core technology consists of a proprietary lender database covering hundreds of commercial real estate transactions and an affiliated project tracking system, both accessed through the firm's partnership with U.S. Realty Capital. Private securities placement is delivered through John Gilchrist's registered-representative affiliation with Growth Capital Services, a FINRA and SIPC member broker-dealer. The firm holds NMLS ID 369363, California BRE license #01980073, and Nevada DRE license #181750.

ATALYST generates revenue through transaction-based fees (M&A advisory, capital raising, mortgage and construction loan placement) and, more recently, retainer-based CFO and CRO engagements. Pricing is custom and quote-based, tied to deal size and complexity, with multi-year engagement cadences. Go-to-market is relationship-driven direct advisory supported by content marketing, professional networking, industry publications, and earned media. Disclosed cumulative transaction value exceeds $1.6 billion across deals ranging from $1 million to $410 million, spanning customers in residential development, homebuilding, banking, hospitality, sports management, and e-commerce.

Name

ATALYST

Legal name

ATALYST Financial Group

Website

https://atalyst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ATALYST Financial Group is a private financial advisory firm serving middle-market companies and real estate developers through three service lines: transaction advisory (capital raising, M&A, restructuring), CFO/CRO services, and real estate solutions including mortgage banking, private lending, brokerage, and property management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Loan Brokers (6163), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Debt Advisory & Financing Advisory (FSAEAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Real Estate Capital Markets Advisory (Debt/Equity Placement, Refinancing) (BPAJANAE), Real Estate Investment Advisory (Acquisitions/Dispositions, Capital Allocation) (BPAJANAA), Direct Lending — Asset-Based Lending (ABL) (FSAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Financial advisory services
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Capital raising advisory
• Commercial real estate lending
• Restructuring advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transaction Advisory Fees: The firm earns fees for providing advisory services on capital raising, M&A transactions, and restructuring engagements. These are typically success-based fees tied to transaction completion.
2. Mortgage Banking & Brokerage: Arranging mortgage loans for commercial properties and construction loans for development projects. Fees are earned through placement of loans with institutional relationships and capital sources.
3. Private Securities Placement: Private securities placement services offered through John Gilchrist as a registered representative of Growth Capital Services, a licensed broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC.
4. Real Estate Brokerage & Property Management: Comprehensive real estate transaction services including asset acquisition, sales, and leasing. Property management services for industrial, retail, and office properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ATALYST Financial Group is a financial advisory firm that delivers three core service lines: Transaction Advisory (capital raising, M&A, and restructuring), Financial Leadership (CFO and CRO services), and Real Estate Solutions (mortgage banking, private lending, brokerage, and property management). The firm serves middle-market companies, real estate developers, homebuilders, and institutional owners through hands-on advisory engagements executed by a senior team. Revenue is generated through transaction-based advisory fees, mortgage banking commissions, and retained financial leadership contracts.

Product overview

ATALYST Financial Group is a financial advisory firm offering three integrated service lines: Transaction Advisory (capital raising, M&A, restructuring), Financial Leadership (CFO & CRO services), and Real Estate Solutions (mortgage banking, private lending, brokerage, property management). The firm serves middle-market companies with tailored advisory services, combining hands-on expertise with deep industry insight to help clients navigate capital raising, strategic transactions, and financial operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capital Raising Advisory service helping businesses secure equity, debt, or hybrid financing through customized strategies, market knowledge, and investor relationships; covers preparation through closing. Targeted at middle-market companies seeking growth, scale, or restructuring capital.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory Comprehensive M&A advisory covering strategic planning, valuation, marketing, deal management, structuring, due diligence, and negotiations to enhance value and mitigate risk for middle-market buyers and sellers.
• Restructuring Advisory In-court and out-of-court restructuring services designed to enhance financial stability and operational efficiency through strategic turnaround initiatives. Targeted at financially distressed or transitional companies (e.g., 3Step Sports, Mystic Casino affiliates).
• CFO & CRO Services Outsourced financial leadership providing CFO and CRO expertise during transitional phases; includes finance team optimization, reporting practice strengthening, and best-in-class cash flow, forecasting, and planning strategies.
• Mortgage Banking Arrangement of mortgage loans for commercial properties and construction loans for development projects, placed through a network of more than 100 capital sources including life insurance companies, pension funds, mortgage REITs, CMBS investment banks, debt funds, commercial banks, and private funds. Serves developers, high net worth investors, family offices, and institutional real estate owners.
• Private Lending Arrangement of private money loans on commercial income-producing property and entitled land held for development, funded by individual investors as an alternative to bank financing. Designed for quick closings and special situations.
• Real Estate Brokerage Comprehensive real estate transaction services covering asset acquisition, sales, and leasing, tailored to investors, developers, family offices, and institutional owners. Includes documented transactions such as the Skye Canyon master-planned community lot sales to Lennar, Shea, Woodside, Toll Brothers, and Century Communities.
• Property Management Management of industrial, retail, and office properties, leveraging long-standing relationships with experts in tax, insurance, valuation, and real estate law.
• Private Securities Placement

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully closed transactions ranging from $1 million to $410 million
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• U.S. Realty CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATALYST is affiliated with U.S. Realty Capital, a national mortgage brokerage company with offices across the country. This affiliation affords access to market research, a proprietary lender database, and a project tracking system developed exclusively for members. The partnership provides access to hundreds of capital sources for commercial real estate loans.
• Olympia CompanieskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlympia Companies is the manager and developer of Skye Canyon, a master planned community in Las Vegas. ATALYST has a long-standing relationship with Olympia Companies, having brokered multiple large-scale transactions including the 2018 sale of 630 acres to Lennar, Shea Homes and Woodside Homes, and the 2020 sale of 400 acres to Century Communities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Benchmark International: M&A advisory firm focused on middle-market transactions across multiple sectors. Comparable in deal size range, middle-market client targeting, and transaction-based fee model.
• Lee & Associates: Privately held commercial real estate brokerage firm. Comparable in real estate brokerage, property management, and middle-market commercial property advisory, mirroring ATALYST's Real Estate Solutions service line.
• Northmarq: One of the largest privately held commercial real estate capital placement and investment sales firms. Directly comparable to ATALYST's mortgage banking, debt placement, and brokerage activity for commercial real estate clients.
• Stout: Middle-market advisory firm specializing in M&A, restructuring, valuation, and financial advisory. Directly comparable to ATALYST's Transaction Advisory practice in deal size band and middle-market client focus across both healthy and distressed situations.
• Generational Equity: Middle-market M&A advisory firm serving privately held businesses with sell-side and capital raising services. Closely matches ATALYST's middle-market Transaction Advisory focus and transaction-fee revenue model.
• Marcus & Millichap: National commercial real estate investment sales and financing brokerage. Comparable to ATALYST's real estate brokerage and mortgage banking services with similar investor/developer client base and transaction-fee model.
• Cascadia Capital: Independent middle-market investment bank providing M&A and capital raising advisory. Comparable in business model, mid-market deal size focus, and entrepreneur/sponsor client base served by ATALYST.

Others

• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with a market-leading middle-market M&A, capital markets, and restructuring advisory practice. Comparable as a scaled incumbent competing for many of the same middle-market M&A, capital raising, and restructuring mandates that ATALYST pursues.

Emerging players

• Burford Capital: Alternative finance firm specializing in commercial litigation finance and asset-based lending adjacent to ATALYST's Republic Business Credit partnership with Spiraledge. Comparable at the intersection of alternative lending and corporate finance advisory.

Broad incumbents

• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, capital markets, and property management. Comparable as a scaled incumbent competing in the same CRE capital placement and brokerage spaces where ATALYST operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atalyst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atalyst

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 ATALYST