Devesh Sharma
Managing Director @Act Capital Advisors
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WORK HISTORY
Managing Director @Act Capital Advisors
Dallas, TX, US
I spend 12 months adding $1M-$2M in EBITDA and targeting synergy buyers—then run a process that protects that value through close.For 25 years as SVP of M&A at Bosch and Commercial Metals, I engineered 100+ acquisitions worth $3B+ by identifying weaknesses in manufacturing and service companies, then using those weaknesses to justify paying 20-40% less.Owner dependency? 20-30% discount. Margin volatility? 15-20% discount. Messy financials? Another 10-15% discount.When my friend David lost $15M because he didn\'t understand these weaknesses were defining his valuation, I switched sides.What I DoI work with $2M+ EBITDA manufacturing and service companies 12 months before they sell to eliminate every weakness buyers discount:Phase 1: Value Engineering (12 months)Add $1M-$2M in EBITDA through margin optimizationBuild management teams eliminating the 20-30% owner dependency discountGet sell-side quality of earnings preventing post-LOI retradesStabilize operations removing volatility and concentration riskPhase 2: Competitive ProcessQuiet auction creating multiple biddersLOI structures with clear working capital definitionsControlled diligence with clean books89% close rate vs. 60-70% industry averageResults→ $90M stalled deal → $275M close after repositioning→ 30-40% higher exits (eliminating discounts, not negotiating harder)→ 89% close rate (clean preparation = predictable outcomes)→ Focus: Manufacturing, distribution, home services, business servicesWho This Is For$2M+ EBITDA manufacturing/service owners who have 12-18 months and refuse to leave $50M-$200M on the table because they didn\'t understand their weaknesses were defining their valuation.The DifferenceMost M&A advisors show up 90 days before close. I show up 12 months early and eliminate the reasons buyers discount you—then create competition so they pay what clean, de-risked businesses command.Let\'s discuss which weaknesses are reducing your valuation.
EDUCATION
MIT Sloan School of Management
Executive Education, Driving Strategic Innovation
ESSEC Business School
Executive Education
Harvard Business School
Executive Education, Negotiation and Decision Making
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Bachelor's degree, Math & Physics
IMD
Executive Program, Top Management Dilemmas
SKILLS
ABOUT DEVESH SHARMA
Most M&A deals fail not because of the business, but because of the process. For sellers, it\'s leaving money on the table. For buyers, it\'s sifting through endless noise to find a quality asset.At getdealflow.ai, I fix both sides of the equation.As a veteran operator and M&A strategist, I\'ve engineered over 100 acquisitions worth $3B+. I know exactly what multi-billion-dollar conglomerates look for, and I bring that Fortune 500 rigor to the lower middle market ($5M–$10M EBITDA).For Business Owners (Sellers): I identify and eliminate the hidden operational weaknesses that buyers use to discount your valuation. I don\'t just advise — I maximize your enterprise value. Case in point: I recently took a company with a stalled $90M deal and orchestrated a $240M close. You built your business. I make sure you get what it\'s truly worth.For Acquirers (Buyers): We eliminate auctions, noise, and wasted time. Through proprietary, off-market origination, we deliver 30–45 qualified seller introductions every 90 days at a ~12% conversion efficiency — compared to the traditional 1% industry average. You get direct access to serious owners, ready to transact.My 25-year career spans SVP of M&A at Bosch ($90B revenue), SVP of Strategy at CMC ($9B revenue), and a decade as a Private Equity Operating Partner managing $300M in AUM with 30%+ IRRs. Let\'s connect.
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