Unlock your business's potential: value, optimize, sell.
Hi I'm Colette Kemp and here's a little about me and why I started this business, SureStep Business Advisors...
I began my career in the private yachting industry as a stewardess, where I developed a strong foundation in service excellence, operational systems, and maintaining the highest standards of client care.
Later, I co-founded and led an engineering firm that scaled to approximately 50 employees, along with a comparable number of subcontractors. As an owner-operator, I found that my strengths in organization and operational oversight were well suited to the demands of managing people, systems, and complexity simultaneously. The business experienced rapid growth, with our technicians deployed across the United States and Puerto Rico.
After exiting that business, I pursued the acquisition of another, launching a small business investment venture and actively reviewing potential deals. Through this process, I gained valuable insight into how small businesses operate behind the scenes. What stood out most was how often businesses that looked promising on the surface lacked the financial transparency or operational structure necessary to support a successful sale.
Around that time, a personal tragedy changed the course of my journey. My dad had recently closed his own business to retire, and not long after, his wife took her own life due to a post-retirement perceived loss of identity and depression. That moment made me step back and reconsider the kind of work I wanted to do and how I could best serve other small business owners.
From this experience, I learned many business owners walk away from something they’ve poured their lives into, not because they want to, but because they bury themselves in the day-to-day and don’t prepare. One day, they turn around and realize it's time to retire.
I started SureStep Business Advisors to help owners know the value of their businesses and get prepared so they can sell easily when the time is right, with less stress and more control over the outcome.
I’ve helped business owners understand what their business is worth and prepare for sale in a way that attracts their "ideal" buyers. I’ve handled the full process, from valuation to close.
I’m thoughtful about who I work with on the sale of a business. Around 80% of small businesses that go to market don’t sell. If I’m going to represent someone, I want to be sure we’re setting them up for success, not chasing the wrong outcome and wasting valuable time.
When you work with SureStep Business advisors I will be your guide to make sure you know what to expect every step of the way. Selling a business can be incredibily stressful but if we do the work upfront to get ready and know what you want and don't want when you sell your company, you can retire with peace of mind.
