There’s a conventional order of operations for selling a company: hire the investment bank, then bring in the lawyers to paper what the banker negotiates. Tim Belden, co-founder of Energy GPS, took the opposite approach — and explained why on Episode 267 of The Pro Serv Podcast with host Greg Alexander.
Energy GPS engaged John Lewis and Metz Lewis before selecting an investment bank. In the conversation, Tim describes what that sequencing made possible: John ran the bank selection process, made introductions to potential banking partners, and helped evaluate proposed fee structures against current market terms — work that happens before a sale process formally begins and that shapes everything that follows.
The discussion also turns to a question every owner faces when hiring transaction counsel: whether the lawyer across the table can function as a business advisor and not only a technician. Tim’s framing — that a founder needs both “counsel and counselor” — captures the distinction well, and the episode is a useful listen for any owner assembling an advisory team ahead of a sale.
Listen to Episode 267 — “Hire the Lawyer First: Building the Team That Gets Your Exit Done”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hire-the-lawyer-first-building-the-team-that-gets/id1531739593?i=1000780069697
To discuss timing and team assembly for a potential sale, contact John W. Lewis at jlewis@metzlewis.com or (412) 918-1122
