Aaron Thom

Aaron Thom is an experienced entrepreneur and business advisor who has built, operated, and exited multiple businesses in the real estate and business brokerage sectors. He holds an MBA from St. Thomas University and an undergraduate degree in Economics and Management from Hamline University, both based in Minnesota.

Thom began his career at Morgan Stanley as an investment advisor, holding Series 3, 7, 63, and 65 licenses. In this role, he worked with high-net-worth families on investment management strategies with a focus on alternative investments. This early exposure to private markets and sophisticated investors laid the foundation for his transition into business brokerage and M&A advisory.

From 2012 to 2019, Thom was an integral partner at True North/Sunbelt Midwest, a lower middle-market investment bank consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally. During his tenure, the firm transacted approximately 100 deals annually. Over this period, Thom personally participated in over 400 transactions across diverse industries including manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, technology, service, construction, food & beverage, retail, healthcare, eCommerce, transportation, and waste management. His deal experience spans a wide valuation range from $1 million to $55 million, with typical transactions falling between $2 million and $10 million.

In 2013, while still affiliated with Sunbelt Midwest, Thom founded Peak Development, a technology-driven business development firm designed to solve a critical challenge in the business brokerage industry: connecting motivated business owners with qualified brokers. Peak's "omni-channel approach" generated qualified leads and live meetings for business brokerages across North America. The Peak Formula successfully sourced deals in nearly every U.S. state and Canada. By 2019, the platform had facilitated over $1 billion in transaction introductions. In January 2020, True North Advisors (led by Brian Slipka) acquired Peak Development to integrate its lead-generation capabilities with Sunbelt Business Advisors and the broader Business Broker Investment Corporation (BBIC) network.

Following the sale of Peak Development, Thom transitioned to California Business Advisors, Inc., where he currently serves as President and Broker of Record. In this role, he continues to advise clients on business transactions, valuations, and exit strategies, drawing on his extensive experience facilitating hundreds of deals. He remains an active member of the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), having joined in March 2021, and is a recipient of the IBBA Chairman's Circle Award. Thom is a frequent speaker at national IBBA conferences and has contributed to the organization's training programs on topics including deal sourcing, client engagement, and business development. He was a panel speaker at the 2024 Annual CABB (California Association of Business Brokers) Conference.

Aaron Thom's investment and advisory approach centers on lower middle-market businesses, particularly those in transition. His philosophy emphasizes partnering with family-owned, founder-run, and closely-held businesses seeking liquidity, succession planning, or growth capital. With decades of experience across hundreds of transactions, Thom specializes in identifying businesses with strong fundamentals but limited access to traditional capital markets or M&A representation.

Core Sectors:

Investment/Advisory Approach:

Thom's approach prioritizes speed, transparency, and aligning incentives between buyers and sellers. He values businesses with defensible market positions, recurring revenue, and strong management teams. His background in both public and private markets allows him to offer sophisticated financial guidance typically unavailable to small and mid-sized business owners.

• Manufacturing (specialty and contract)
• Wholesale & Distribution
• Technology & Software
• Business Services
• Construction & Trades
• Food & Beverage
• Retail & eCommerce
• Healthcare Services
• Transportation & Logistics
• Waste Management
• Deal Size: Primarily $2M-$10M (core range), with capability up to $55M
• Stage: Seed round (angel investments); Growth equity and acquisition capital (M&A advisory)
• Geographic Focus: National (U.S. and Canada)
• Value Proposition: Combines angel investing with business brokerage expertise; provides business owners with strategic guidance on valuation, deal structuring, buyer identification, and transaction execution
• Unique Capability: Proprietary lead generation and business development systems (via Peak Development platform) that connect buyers and sellers more efficiently than traditional brokerage models

Important: The contact information provided in the source file ([hidden], +1 612-238-1467) suggests an affiliation with Sunbelt Midwest in Minneapolis, MN. However, public records as of 2020+ indicate Aaron Thom is currently President of California Business Advisors, Inc. in La Jolla, CA, following his departure from Sunbelt Midwest around 2019 and the 2020 sale of Peak Development. The Sunbelt Midwest website team page does not currently list Aaron Thom among active team members. It is possible the source file reflects historical contact information or there may be multiple individuals named Aaron Thom in the business brokerage industry. Additional verification may be needed to confirm current affiliation and contact details.