About Vanla Group | Lower-Middle Market M&A Advisory

Why We Exist

Most business owners spend 20-30 years building something significant. When it's time to consider an exit, the advisory options available to them often meant a public listing and a cold outreach to unqualified buyers, or trying to go it alone.

Vanla Group was built to offer a third option. Quiet. Structured. Aligned. We work with a small number of engagements at a time so every client gets real attention. And we only get paid when you close.

"We get paid when you get paid."

Confidentiality First

We protect your reputation and your leverage at every stage of the process. NDAs before anything. Discretion throughout.

Aligned Incentives

We get paid when you get paid. Our success fee structure means we have every reason to close at the highest possible price.

No Surprises

We run a disciplined process. Every buyer is pre-qualified and every introduction starts with an NDA. No surprises, no exposure, no exceptions.

The Team

Experienced advisors. No interns pitching your business to unqualified buyers.

Paul Cheetham

CEO

Lower-middle market M&A specialist with a track record of closing complex transactions across manufacturing, home services, and professional services. Paul founded Vanla Group to give business owners access to institutional-quality advisory without the institutional price tag.

Nik Avendano

Operations Director

Responsible for systems, pipeline management, and ensuring every engagement runs on time and on structure. Nik oversees the operational infrastructure that makes confidential deal management possible at scale.

David Tracy

M&A Advisor

Brings deep experience in deal sourcing, valuation analysis, and buyer-seller introductions across multiple verticals. David focuses on identifying off-market opportunities and qualifying buyer demand.

Kevin Gonzales

M&A Advisor

Specializes in seller preparation and positioning. Kevin works directly with business owners from initial discovery through letter of intent, ensuring they understand their options and enter negotiations from a position of strength.

Voya Cheatham

HR and PR Director

Manages people operations and brand communications for Vanla Group. Voya ensures the team scales without losing the responsiveness and confidentiality standards that define every client engagement.

Brenda

Executive Operations Manager

The operational backbone of the firm. Brenda coordinates scheduling, communications, and process execution across every active engagement to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Built for Business Owners Who Deserve More.