Our Testimonials

I had contacted Larry five years ago to get the information as to what I would need to do in the future to make my business a good purchase for a future buyer. So over the last five years I had been implementing things we had discussed and even though I thought I would be in business for at least another 10 years, circumstances changed for me personally and I felt I had done a good job following Larry’s advice. I contacted him and he sold my business literally in one day! He was amazing to work with and over the few months it took to actually close on the deal him and his team were exceptional and I appreciated him so much for all of his knowledge and insight. I would highly recommend Larry and his group at Lake Country!

Connie L Hillmann

I would like to say Larry was very knowledgeable on selling a business , the time frame was extraordanery 60 days from start to finish. I was always kept informed thru the process.

John Petushek

Partnering with Lake Country Advisors was a great experience when selling our business. Michael Szmanda and the L.C. Advisors crew took responsibility for vetting potential buyers allowing me to continue the daily operations of the company. Very knowledgeable, efficient with great communication throughout the entire complicated process.

Bottom line: The Employees, Buyer, Broker, Seller and all other parties involved benefited from a very positive transaction orchestrated by Lake Country Advisors.

Automation Fabricator Seller

You and Michael were great throughout our sale. All is well and again, we “thank you”.
You had a huge part in changing our lives. We will always fondly remember you and Michael.
Happy sailing Spencer~

Auto Service Seller

Larry, I would like to more than thank you for getting my company sold. It became clear to me, given the circumstances (dropping market and extended time), getting the sale done was about a commitment to me and not just a sales commission. Your perseverance and steady process was a rare benefit. To those who may choose to work with you in the future, I can only say, “he knows his business and cares beyond dollars about his clients”.

Greg - Business Owner

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Lake Country Advisors

4.8

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Carley Cornelius

We spoke to Corinne Fales about selling our business which is a huge step for us. Out of the companies we talked to locally and nationwide it was obvious Corinne, and the team were the experts we were seeking to help us prepare our exit strategy. She helped us create a plan to maximize value in the coming years. Highly recommend.

Kuba Soltysiak

I worked with Steve Dykstra and Jim Wendorff on purchasing a business. They were great to work with - professional, responsive, knew the market, and knew how to get over various hurdles we encountered. Highly recommend them.

Scott Johnson

This is our second time working with Michael. We will return if the opportunity arises. He is personable, professional, competent and timely. Highest possible recommendation.

Dee O'Reilly

I have worked with Michael Szmanda at Lake Country Advisors (formerly known as VR Lakes Business Group, Inc.) for several years now and have found him to be very courteous, professional and knowledgeable. He is very prompt with his responses and explains things in a very easy to understand manner. He is a pleasure to work with and I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs advise on mergers and acquisitions, selling their business or business valuations.

Estate Sales Plus

We used Lakes Business Group, Michael Szmanda, to perform a business valuation for our company. He was very attentive and responsive always maintaining a very professional manner. He reviewed all the material we provided and called with very good questions and a questionnaire that helped him understand how our business operated and the financial details involved. Michael provided us with a very detail report shoqinf us the range of values for our business. I would highly recommend Michael and Lakes Business Group.

Boyd McEwen

Our experience with Lakes business Group and especially Steve Aubrey was exceptional. Steve was very knowledgeable of our unique manufacturing business and contributed several ideas on how to reach out to potential buyers.With Steve’s help we were able to successfully find the most suitable match that led to a smooth transition.

Dianne Crowley

This was our first experience in the arena of buying a business, and we are so grateful that we chose Lakes Business Group to help us through the process. Steve Aubrey was always accessible, well-regarded, knowledgeable, and prompt, and helped us all keep a sense of humor as we navigated through all the steps of the purchase. Whether you are a novice or seasoned buyer, I would highly recommend this company and Steve!

Community Transportation Services

I want to personally thank Lakes Business Group and especially Steve Aubrey in both helping and guiding me in the purchase of my first business. Being new to this, and while this business was fairly small, I had no idea of the many requirements and complexity in purchasing a business. Both Steve and Lakes Business Group walked me through the whole process, helped me get the financing needed, and ensured we successfully closed on time! I highly recommend them!

Gary Duckwyler

It was a pleasure doing business with Mike Szmanda. It was a great experience and the service was both professional and outstanding. I would do business again in the future and surely recommend him.

Debbie Becker

I had a great experience selling my business with Lakes Business Group. Michael Szmanda was extremely professional and accessible to me throughout the entire process. He explained everything thoroughly and provided objective guidance when considering different sales scenarios. I would definitely recommend him if you are planning to sell your business!

John Graber

I could not have been more satisfied with the service I received from Michael Zmanda. Throughout the valuation process, he clearly communicated every detail of what needed to be done, and then executed every step in a very timely manner. 5 stars, and a thumbs up.

Debbie Wiedenfeld

We were very pleased with the way Larry Heck handled the sale of our business. From the very beginning, when Larry met with us to learn more about the business, right up to closing, Larry was organized, professional and a pleasure to work with!

Christina Gray

As a new business buyer, I heavily relied on the broker team with Lakes Business Group to help me navigate a very complex process. I'd never recommend buying or selling without a partner like them by your side. They keep your best interest in mind and truly act as your advocate from start-to-finish with total transparency, collaboration and communication. If you're considering business ownership, start with a conversation as their approach focuses on education and arming you with information to make your own decision as opposed to any hard selling. You won't be disappointed!

Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind words, Christina. It was a pleasure working with you!

David S.

I was under the impression that a business valuation would take many weeks and cost a lot of money. Michael Szmanda completed mine in just a few days, and for a very reasonable fee. I highly recommend Lakes Business Group.

Justin Thompson

I highly recommend Lakes Business Group! I recently acquired a business that was represented by Steve Aubrey and cannot say enough good things about the experience. Steve was always professional, highly responsive, and very straight forward in all aspects of the business he presented.

Dan Hoefs

I've been very pleased with VR Lakes Business Group Inc. and Michael Szmanda. He has been responsive, thorough, and very helpful. Not only do I continue to use them but I also recommend them to my clients.

Petra Dekan

We would highly recommend Lake Business Group to anyone who is serious about selling their business. After being in business for 29 years, we finally made the decision to find a reputable company to sell our company. Andrew Falci and Dan Williamson from Lakes Business Group had buyers waiting to talk to us within a week! They sold our business and we couldn’t be happier going forward to the next chapter in our life.

Response from the owner: Thank you, Petra! It was a pleasure working with you! We wish you continued success in the next chapter of your lives!

Brittany Hinca

VR Business Brokers were great to work with. They are experienced and very professional. Overall, I had a very positive experience in working with them.

Curtis Hinca

I have had the pleasure of working with Nicole at Lakes Business Group and she has made it her goal to make the entire process of buying (and selling) businesses easy to understand and stress free. I cannot tell you how hard it is to find honest, hardworking people these days and everyone at Lakes Business Group has exceeded my expectations.

jay theisen

This is the 2nd small business I have purchased in the last year and the first time I worked with VR Lakes. Michael and Andrew were great to work with and very professional at their business. Their follow-up was great and they paid very close attention to every detail, I highly recommend using them to sell or buy a business.

Julie Hahnemann

We worked with Michael Szmanda at VR-Lakes Business Group to sell our Transportation Company in early 2014. Michael worked carefully with us to validate the value of our business. He cultivated suitable buyers in a much shorter time period than we had anticipated and produced an accepted offer within months. Michael guided the transaction through due diligence, helped the buyer with financing and worked with the attorneys to make sure we stayed on track so we could close the sale. Great representation, I’d be glad to refer business owners to him when it is their time to sell.”Todd Hahnemann

Kevin Carroll

Professional, thorough and courteous service! Doing business with Michael Smanda at Lakes Business Group was a pleasure as Michael made the process simple and easy. One thing that impressed me was the attention that Michael gave to me after he completed my valuation. I had several questions afterwards that he addressed via phone call and and email. I highly recommend Michael Smanda @ Lakes!

John Legath

Our organization recently purchased an add-on business to complement our existing holdings. We worked with Michael Szmanda at Lakes Business Group on this transaction. We found that Michael is very knowledgeable and professional. He helped to manage all components of the transaction to ensure we met our closing date as time was of the essence. We would absolutely do business with Michael and Lakes Business Group in the future, and look forward to our next acquisition.

Jeff Weyer

Overall very positive experience with VR Lakes. Working with Michael Szmanda was a pleasure. He was very professional and thorough in handling all aspects of the sale of my small business. We agreed upon a fair asking price for my business and were able to obtain that price. Would recommend them to anyone looking to sell a business.

Bruce Persch

I am president of Milwaukee Title and recently participated in a sale of a privately held company in Wisconsin in which Michael Szmanda (VR Lake Business Sales) was the broker.This was my first transaction with Michael Szmanda it was professional and was closed without a problem.I would highly recommend Michael and VR Lake Business Sales.

J.P. Fernandes

Working with Michael Szmanda was a pleasure. He knows how to close deals, handles clients very well and knows how to value a company. He is a consummate professional and I have no hesitation recommending him for your business needs.

Sean Eaton

Bought a business in 2008 with their help and it couldn't have been better! I highly recommend their service! I wasn't hunting for a particular business, I just knew that I had to be my own boss. After the first meeting I had some ideas and started doing my due diligence. A month and a half later I was running my own business! Every step was made very easy with their help. I'm always keeping an eye out on their site for my next business!

Haley Landsman

The VR CEO has expansive experience buying and selling businesses and has built a diverse team that is able to serve individual company needs. They are professional and truly care about your individual needs. Check them out if you are looking to buy or sell a business!

Natalie Walters

I have worked with the folks at VR Lakes Business Group for years now. I'm consistently impressed with their level of professionalism, their knowledge of the markets, and their ability to get the deal done. They are the area experts on looking outside of the traditional box and getting a deal done. I can direct a business owner (or future owner) to VR Lakes Business Group with full confidence in them and their abilities.

Andy White

Had a great experience working with Tim and his team at VR. They all blew me away with their insight not only in buying and selling businesses but also in my specific industry. They also didn't waste my time with unqualified buyers who just wanted to kick the tires but instead had a huge network or serious investors. I've already recommended them to two fellow business owners.

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Key Financial Metrics Buyers Look for Before Acquiring a Business

How to Structure a Business Sale: Asset vs. Stock Transactions Explained