Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Walters.
Hi Brian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Jamaica and attended primary and secondary school there; my father was the principal of the primary school that I attended, and my mother taught at the same school.
In 1978, my parents decided that for my three siblings and me to have the best chance at a more successful life, we needed to move to the US. That was an almost 4-year process that began with my mother leaving the family to move to New York and work for a family in exchange for them sponsoring her citizenship. That process ended in late 1981, and the entire family moved to the US- Houston to be specific- to be reunited with my mother in 1982.
I attended high school in Houston, went to college at the University of Texas and the University of Houston, and obtained 2 degrees – a BBA in HR Management and an MBA in Finance. I worked for the Eckerd Drug company for several years as a multi-unit manager and then eventually began to work for a management consulting/business valuations company where I traveled the country to perform consulting engagements.
In 2006, I decided to start my own company; while I initially had the thought of operating a management consulting and business valuations company, it became apparent very quickly that the valuations piece was much more sustainable, and so for the last ten years and likely for the rest of the time that I have this company, I have specialized in performing business valuations for clients facing a variety of circumstances.
Personally: I have a wife (Karen) and two sons (Kyle, 24, and Jaedyn, 15). And I am very involved in the sport of cricket, at multiple levels; in addition to being a member of 2 different committees with the national body, the more important of which is the Development Committee (where we introduce cricket to kids), I am also one of the on-air announcers for both the Houston Hurricanes and the Austin Athletics in the US Minor Cricket League.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a challenging but fruitful road.
Starting over in life as new immigrants in the US in 1982, with very little in the way of resources, taught my siblings and me to value everything that we have. It also taught us that there is a significant difference between a need and a want, and the two can never be conflated.
The best lesson in my story is that I learned that dedication and hard work will always allow you to get where you want to in life, and despite several obstacles- some that might even seem insurmountable- the goals that you set for yourself are achievable if you’re willing to sacrifice enough to achieve that goal.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a business valuation specialist performing valuations for clients who need to know what their businesses are worth.
Most of my valuations do not involve someone who is looking to buy or sell a business. The majority of my engagements fall into the following categories:
– A divorcing business owner who lives in a community property state. In those circumstances, a valuation has to be done because 1/2 of the value of the business goes to the spouse.
– A business owner who wants to buy out a partner or offer an interest in the business for sale to a potential partner.
– A business owner who is planning for the future and wants to know the value of a business today, so that if it’s not worth what he/she wants it to be, operational changes can be made to improve its value for when he/she is actually ready to sell it.
– A person who is in the midst of an estate planning strategy and is working with an estate planning attorney to form a Family Limited Partnership as part of that strategy.
My service offerings can be characterized as professional, competent, objective, and most importantly, fact-based; I allow the facts and dynamics of each case to drive the story of what the value of the business is, as needed.
And if need be, I am an experienced expert witness and can testify in court to defend my work as needed or to rebut the work of an improper valuation as needed.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am best supported by referrals for my business. Family law attorneys and estate planning attorneys are my best referrals.
Contact Info:
- Email: BWalters@BWAValuations.com
- Website: www.bwaValuations.com
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BWA_Consultants
