The Cornerstone International Alliance is the world’s only global M&A alliance focused exclusively on the lower middle market.

We have vetted and combined resources of some of the best independent M&A firms globally to deliver more experience, industry expertise and overall value to lower middle market businesses owners.

What are the chances that one of the few M&A firms in your city or town is the absolute best team for the job? We enable business owners to look beyond regional resource limits and truly work with the best of the best.

  • Global Reach
  • Varied Industry Expertise
  • 300+ Years of Experience
  • Access to Full Back Office With Dedicated Resources
  • Global Buyer Base
  • Ability to Transact Anywhere

Our Managing Director

Nick Olsen, Managing Director

When we connect, we expand our knowledge, gain access to fresh markets and opportunities, and build our ability to do more.

Nick Olsen is the Managing Director of Cornerstone International Alliance (CIA), the only global partnership of mergers & acquisitions (M&A) firms focused on the lower middle market.

He has worked with hundreds of M&A professionals and organizations from around the world to develop and grow a high-value network of firms who advise their clients on the largest financial transaction of their life…the sale of their company.

With over 19 years of business development and sales experience, Nick has earned the respect and confidence of his partners to guide them in leveling up their practices.  Nick’s work has helped some of the world’s best lower middle market firms, owners, and advisors, who have transacted on over 4,000 deals collectively.  With his guidance and support, his partners surpassed over $1.1 billion in total enterprise value in the past two years, and changed the lives of over 300 business owners.

As a master connector, he can help any M&A firm multiply their network and bring the world to their clients.

If you’re interested in joining the alliance, contact Nick at nolsen@cornerstoneia.com.

Scott Bushkie, Founder

“When I started in the industry over 19 years ago, I noticed that very few firms actually talked to each other or would share best practices other than a conference or two a year. Like several of the members of CIA, I wanted to take a leadership position in the industry to help educate and elevate the M&A community. I served as chairman of the International Business Brokers Association, as a board member for M&A Source, and founded the Wisconsin chapter of Midwest Business Broker & Intermediary Association. But still I thought we could do more. By collaborating with a smaller group of proven firms that connect on a regular basis, we could provide the very best results for each and every client.

Concurrently I saw a big issue with business owners considering the sale of their businesses. Most business owners really “didn’t know what they didn’t know” or how to tell if an M&A firm was quality or just talked a good game in an effort to get a large retainer with little chance of a successful sale. After all, they were most likely only going to choose an M&A advisor once in their life.

Little did they know how significant the consequences of choosing the wrong M&A firm would be. It could mean the difference between successfully selling their business, extending their legacy and living out their dreams or shutting it down and liquidating the physical assets for cents on the dollar, while watching their legacy evaporate after years of sacrifices and all their employees now out of work.

With the founding of CIA, we have engineered much of the risk out of the business sale process. Now, our clients can rest assured that they have the best team, strategies and resources available to them by accessing our aggregated, well vetted pool of M&A specialists – our success rate and experience speak for themselves!”

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Get In Touch with a Cornerstone International Alliance Partner to Confidentially Discuss Your Business Today