This fast-growing investment and business brokerage firm nearly tripled revenue since 2021

Prospere Companies, a private investment firm that offers business brokerage services, has grown from the $8-9 million range in 2021 to a projected $24 million this year and is profitable. Albert and Jessica Fialkovich, co-founders of the 75-person firm in Dallas, Texas, began working with Scaling Up Certified Coach Jennifer Berkowitz at R&J Advisory Group in 2021. “She was a spark and brought systems and processes,” says Albert.

They had founded the business in 2013 after an unhappy experience selling a business through a broker. “We thought there had to be a better way to do it,” he says. Beyond offering basic business brokerage services and investment banking for deals up to $50 million, Prospere Companies does growth consulting and offers commercial real estate mergers and acquisition services. Its brands and divisions include Transworld Business Advisors, Transworld M&A Advisors, Exit Factors and Transworld Commercial Real Estate.

“Our purpose is to create opportunities for prosperity,” Albert says. “We take the same care with a small business, like a pizza parlor, that is someone’s dream as when we’re transacting on a $20 million technology business. Those are the American dream–just different versions of it.”

When they sought coaching, the firm was trying to implement another operating system for scale-ups, but they were not seeing the results they wanted. After reading my book Scaling Up: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits 2.0, the duo decided to give Scaling Up a try. They were familiar with the Scaling Up platform as members of Entrepreneurs’ Organization. “It was just a better fit for the business,” Albert says. 

Here is how they positioned the company for growth. 

Have the right people do the right things right

In working with Berkowitz, Albert realized he needed to shift his attention from dealmaking, one of his strengths, to running the business. Although it took about a year to get accustomed to the change, he was surprised to find that with the right systems in place, “I’m good at it and actually enjoying it.” 

As the company scaled, the couple promoted rising stars from within, building a core leadership team of six people who are now running the business. “We’re all rowing in the right direction, and we get more done in a month than we used to do in a year,” he says. 

Prioritize Core Values

As Prospere Company scaled, it clarified and placed more emphasis on its Core Values: 1. Listen First. 2 Lead with compassion, 3. Manage expectations, 4. Own your growth and 5. Be A Pro. “You have to get very clear on what’s important,” says Albert.

The company relied on those values to shape the questions it asked in recruiting and to make decisions about promoting, retention, hiring and letting people go. The company also invested in internal training to make sure the team was aligned. “We got really clear on our values and upgraded our team to make sure we have the right people doing the right things,” says Fialkovich.

Set an ambitious BHAG

One reason Prospere Company has scaled so rapidly is that it acquired six companies last year. That has helped to expand its geographic footprint. In addition to Texas, it has offices in Colorado, where the firm started, and Nevada.

As part of its plan to grow the firm, the leadership team also set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of doing $1 billion per year in client transactions at the firm. The firm earns fees and commission from the transactions.

To keep the company growing, it monitors 60 to 70 metrics every week, paying particular attention to conversion rates. That number has increased by 30% this past year. “That’s the biggest lever we can pull,” says Albert. Closing deals is also essential because revenue only comes in when the company closes a deal. To date it has closed about 1,200 and expects to close 300 this year. 

Keep cash flowing

With the business humming, revenue increased steadily. The company has made it onto the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies five times. Prospere Companies is now looking to buy and operate businesses as part of its portfolio via its latest undertaking, Prospere Family Office. “We’re going to buy good, cash-flowing businesses that we like and create a perpetual machine of businesses that we invest in,” he says. 

With the Scaling Up platform in place, Prospere Companies now has the systems and structures it needs to continue growing in a way that reflects its values. “You need to operate as the business you’re becoming, not the business you are,” says Albert.