Vaden LeBlanc specializes in the sale and acquisition of essential, recurring-revenue Healthcare and Business Services companies - businesses defined by predictable cash flow, durable demand, and scalable operations.
*Vaden LeBlanc is a team affiliated with Hedgestone Business Advisors, North America's #1 M&A Firm; #1 Fastest Growing Firm according to BizBuySell.
We advise operators, founders, and shareholders on the confidential sale, acquisition, and succession of essential-services companies. The businesses that matter most are rarely the ones that shout.
Sell-side and buy-side advisory for provider groups, healthcare support services, and healthcare products & distribution - including home health & hospice, behavioral health, urgent care, multi-site physician practices, ambulatory surgery, imaging, laboratory services, RCM, staffing, pharmacy, DME, and healthcare technology.
Sell-side and buy-side advisory for technology & IT services, professional services, commercial services, and business process outsourcing - including MSPs, cybersecurity, SaaS, accounting, insurance, staffing, facilities management, security, and payment processing.
FOUNDER & CEO
The businesses that endure are the ones the world quietly can't do without.
— Samuel Vaden
Samuel leads the firm's advisory work in the sale and acquisition of essential-services companies across Healthcare and Business Services. Over the course of 16+ years, he has advised on $1B+ in transactions, serving founders, operators, and shareholders of recurring-revenue businesses with $1M–$20M+ EBITDA.
His clients operate in fragmented, active-M&A markets with strong retention, regulatory barriers, and high interest from private equity, family offices, strategic acquirers, and search funds - conducted quietly and with discretion.
Managing Director - Healthcare Division
Joan Tapere serves as Managing Director of the Healthcare Division, where she helps advise healthcare business owners, operators, and investors on strategic mergers, acquisitions, and business transitions.
With more than 12 years of experience across the healthcare continuum, Joan brings deep industry knowledge and a practical understanding of the operational, financial, and regulatory factors that drive successful transactions. Her background spans a diverse range of healthcare sectors, including home healthcare, senior living and assisted living communities, medical billing and revenue cycle management, and healthcare staffing.
Managing Director - Business Services Division
Brian Dunn serves as Managing Director of the Business Services Division, advising owners, operators, and investors on mergers, acquisitions, and business transitions across the professional and essential business services sector.
With more than 22 years of experience, Brian's background spans private equity leadership, Wall Street investment banking, family office consulting, and global e-commerce M&A - a combination that gives clients institutional-grade execution paired with an owner's perspective on value, timing, and structure.
Board Member
Scott Rix serves as a Board Member of Vaden LeBlanc, bringing more than 30 years of executive leadership, strategic consulting, and business development experience across healthcare, industrial manufacturing, and business services. He has held senior leadership roles with Danaher Corporation, Hollaender Manufacturing, Dapra Corporation, and Southern Payroll & Bookkeeping, driving revenue growth, operational excellence, and market expansion.
Scott's background in global medical sales, manufacturing, and executive consulting provides valuable insight into the opportunities and challenges facing middle-market businesses. As a Board Member, he helps business owners maximize enterprise value, execute growth strategies, and successfully navigate mergers, acquisitions, and business transitions.
Board Member
George Wilson serves as a Board Member of Vaden LeBlanc and is the Chief Executive Officer of Southern Payroll & Bookkeeping, where he helps small and middle-market businesses improve operational efficiency through payroll, HR, accounting, and workforce management solutions.
With executive leadership experience at Southern Payroll & Bookkeeping, Paychex, Ceridian, and Reliance Human Capital Management, George has advised hundreds of organizations on business process optimization, human capital strategy, and scalable growth initiatives. His expertise in operational excellence and organizational performance enables business owners to strengthen profitability and build long-term value.
As a Board Member, George brings practical insight into the operational and financial drivers that position companies for growth, successful transitions, and maximizing enterprise value.
Cornerstone guides on selling, valuing, and acquiring essential-services businesses - written for owners considering an exit in the next one to five years, and for the investors and strategics evaluating them.
Current trends, active buyers, valuation drivers, and the path from LOI to closing.
EBITDA, multiples, and the variables that separate a good business from a premium asset.
The work that compounds value is done long before a banker is engaged.
Platforms, add-ons, recapitalizations, and life after the closing table.
The variables buyers reward — and the ones they discount.
Active buyers, consolidation trends, and where the multiples are going.
The subsectors where recurring revenue, retention, and security demand converge.
Discipline in sourcing, diligence, and integration for acquirers with a thesis.
The avoidable errors that compress valuation and derail transactions.
Two buyer types, two very different transactions.
Sell-side mandates, buy-side searches, and considered introductions are welcomed. Correspondence is reviewed personally and held in confidence.