The role of a senior advisor at FOCUS Investing Banking is to provide strategic advice and guidance to clients on various financial transactions. Senior advisors play a key role in client relationship management, strategic advisory, market research, networking, team collaboration and risk management. Senior advisors are seasoned professionals with extensive experience in a specific industry. They bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to the table, contributing to the success of the clients they serve.

John Slater can tell you one thing with certainty after more than four decades in investment banking: this business is about much, much more than balance sheets. It’s about knowing what’s important to each individual client and recognizing that any path through the field is going to be a highly personal and often emotional one for your clients. This holds doubly true for Mergers and Acquisitions, where clients may be selling a business they’ve invested a lifetime in building. 

“If I’m a client preparing to sell my business,” John says, “I’m asking, “Is this advisor confident in what they do? Do they know my industry?  Are they competent enough to properly tell the story of my business? Do they truly care?” 

With John, as with all of the Senior Advisors at FOCUS, the answer to these questions is a resounding Yes. 

“I’ve seen challenges faced by hundreds of business owners throughout my career and know M&A is a demanding, emotional process,” he says. “We offer a steady guiding hand through the process and help sellers understand that there are operational and personal aspects to acquisitions that go beyond financial metrics.” 

Prior to joining FOCUS, John built extensive experience through conducting more than $3 billion worth of transactions – more than 200 in all. His areas of expertise overlap with his passion: seeing the American manufacturing industry return to prominence and helping bring back the idea of “Made In America”. He’s keenly attuned to fields like precision manufacturing, computer and robotics-driven machining, distribution logistics, aerospace and defense, and medical device manufacturing. 

At FOCUS, in addition to his role as Senior Advisor, he served as head of the Capital Financing team and helped launch the Advanced Manufacturing team, a 15-member team of bankers and senior advisors who have helped conduct more than 50 transactions for FOCUS in the field. John was instrumental is helping the firm transition into industry focused teams. This change has helped FOCUS become a leading middle market investment bank today. 

Based in Memphis, TN, John holds an AB degree in Economics from Princeton University and a JD degree from the University of Virginia Law School. He spent nine years as a practicing attorney focusing on financial transactions, securities and tax issues before entering the investment banking field. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

Deal Experience and Success Stories: Could you highlight an achievement you’re especially proud to have been involved in?  

VFD Technologies was led by a highly successful group of experienced managers who had acquired three smaller metal manufacturers in eastern Pennsylvania. They reached out to us for help in locating their next acquisition, and, after extensive research and outreach, we identified Isimac Machine Company, a highly successful precision manufacturer near Reading. We assisted throughout the acquisition process and after a brief postponement caused by COVID the deal closed in the summer of 2020. VFD proceeded to leverage the Isimac acquisition to cement its position as a leading supplier of extreme high precision medical implants and devices. Leveraging that success, we arranged sale of the combined company to ARCH Medical Solutions in September 2021, more than tripling VFD’s value at the time of our engagement.   

How do you stay current regarding industry developments? 

Part of it comes back to being in constant contact with our clients and seeing what’s impacting their day-to-day operations. Following the most trusted publications and websites is of course a big part of it as well. I also pursue opportunities to speak at industry events and to participate in panel discussions. There’s nothing like preparing to get in front of an audience to drive me to keep up with industry trends. 

I would also say that every deal you help conduct is a chance to learn about the industry. Each one is a learning opportunity that helps inform what kinds of deals to pursue moving forward. Each one gives a bit of insight into the most immediate concerns and challenges facing buyers and sellers in the field. 

What advice do you give people who are considering joining the M&A field? 

Remember that this is a people-first profession. Sure, a deep understanding of finance and accounting is a critical skill, but at the end of the day negotiations are at least as much about psychology as they are about numbers. Clients have spent years building the businesses you’re now going to help them sell. In many cases, these are family-based organizations and there’s a lot of emotion in turning that over to someone else. Your clients need guidance and reassurance that what they’re doing is right for their business. My advice to take the time to truly listen to your clients and address their needs. 

For expert guidance in the advanced manufacturing sector, consider partnering with us! Our specialized knowledge and strategic insights can help elevate your business. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Senior Advisor role at FOCUS, please contact Kahla Cooper at [email protected].