Jay Jung, founder and managing partner of Embarc Advisors, is doing the work he loves. His advisory firm sets itself apart by providing top-shelf corporate finance advisory to small and medium-sized businesses that are typically unable to access these services.
“Fortune 100 companies are privy to advisory firms that help them navigate the complexities of M&As and capital raises,” Jung explains. “Small companies face the very same challenges but lack the resources to get the assistance they need. I launched Embarc Advisors to fill a void in the small-to-medium-sized business sector.”
Jung discovered his passion after several high-profile roles in corporate finance. The experience he gained along the way is paying off, and others are taking notice. In fact, Axial — the largest online platform for buying, selling, advising, and financing private companies — recently ranked Embarc Advisors among the top 25 lower-middle market investment banks. Embarc Advisors claimed the number 9 spot, joining a prestigious list occupied by other powerhouse firms, including Focus Investment Banking, Woodbridge International, and Market Street Capital.
From small businesses to big banks
Jung’s background blends investment banking, consulting, and entrepreneurship. It is this combination of experiences that eventually inspired him to revise the typical M&A fee structure and make M&A advisory services available to everyone.
Right after college graduation, Jung co-founded a tech startup. “I learned to appreciate the challenges entrepreneurs face when launching a business from scratch. That business shut down, so I joined a billion-dollar company to see how experts operate. From the inside, I discovered even large companies struggle.”
Next, Jung took on a management consulting role at McKinsey & Company. As part of their corporate finance practice, he learned all he could about M&A and capital markets, ultimately leading him into the world of investment banking. With the goal of delving into corporate finance, Jung moved to Goldman Sachs where he was involved in multi-billion-dollar deals, including the sale of Yahoo! to Verizon and SanDisk to Western Digital.
Jay Jung takes his experience full circle
After six years at Goldman, Jung decided to return to the business sector. “I discovered I’m an entrepreneur at heart,” Jung says. “I left the world of finance and offered freelance M&A advisory services to several startups. That was when I discovered the impact that high-quality financial influence can have on businesses. When I worked in investment banking, the deals I advised on were featured on the covers of Wall Street Journal and Business Week, but in my mind, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as helping a startup or a home-grown entrepreneur.”
Since launching Embarc Advisors, Jung’s vision has not changed. The company’s mission is to deliver top-notch corporate finance services to every business, be they fresh startups, middle-market companies, or larger, publicly-traded organizations.
Making professional advisory services available to everyone
The Embarc Advisors team is composed of a seasoned group of corporate finance experts with backgrounds in investment banking, private equity, consulting, investment management, and strategic finance. Its members are in a unique position to provide 360-degree support across the full spectrum of corporate finance needs. During 2021, the company successfully closed multiple M&A transactions, executed capital raises from early-stage seed to $100M+ growth equity rounds, and supported the sustainable, profitable growth of companies as their strategic CFO teams.
Embarc Advisors could charge businesses a percentage of a deal’s total value as their transaction fee, which is standard practice in the M&A industry. Jung, however, opted to structure his fees on a consulting model where his team is paid by the hour, similar to a law firm.
“I decided this structure would be best for clients,” recalls Jung. “Sometimes, companies benefit by backing away from a deal rather than pushing forward. I always want to provide the advice that is in my client’s best interest, whether it results in a transaction or not.”
Jung enjoys bringing commitment and a personal touch to his work at Embarc. “When my experience enables a company to succeed, I know I’m in the right place,” he says. “Our unique approach allows us to leverage our expertise and deliver the advice our clients need. We don’t think of ourselves as brokers. Our goal is to embed ourselves into a company’s corporate development team and become an integral extension of their management team’s resources.”
Jung is honored to receive positive recognition from Axial and is proud of his team’s achievement. “Even through last year’s tough and uncertain economic times, Embarc Advisors remained true to its vision,” he says. “We supported our client’s efforts throughout the turbulent market and look forward to increased deal activity over the next several quarters. Opportunities always exist. It’s just a matter of honing in and finding them.”
