About Us
We are a small boutique consulting practice located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We specialize in assessing business opportunities and advising clients along their path to raising capital or selling their businesses. Our team brings vast experience and knowledge to assist you in making your business plan as compelling as it can be. Over the course of our careers we have read and analyzed thousands of business plans and financial statements, and have put countless clients in front of investors.
We believe the principal objective of a business plan is to generate interest, either in the form of a meeting or conference call, from potential investors. Our goal is to provide you with an Honest Assessment Review of your business plan, identify its core strengths and weaknesses, offer guidance and suggestions, focus your efforts properly, and assist you in creating a document that will not dissuade potential investors.
Biographies
Our consultants average more than 20 years of experience in financial services and consulting. During that time they have been involved in dozens of transactions worth more than $200 million.
Paul D. Kaump, CFA
President & Managing Partner
Mr. Kaump is the Founder, President and Managing Partner of Biz Plan Review. He has more than 24 years of investment and financial experience, including: 6 years of experience within the defined benefit marketing arm of American Express Asset Management Group; 10 years as a sell-side equity analyst; 6 years as a portfolio manager overseeing assets of $800 million; and experience as a Senior Treasury Analyst within Best Buy.
During his tenure as a sell-side equity analyst, Mr. Kaump followed a myriad of industries including: banks & thrifts, consumer products, entertainment software, specialty retail, and technology software & services. In 2002, he was recognized as the #1 Earnings Estimator in North America for Software by NASDAQ/Starmine; he was ranked #3 in 2003. His tenure as a senior equity analyst was spent at Dain, Rauscher, Wessels; Dougherty & Company LLC; Lantern Investments; and Northland Securities. Most recently, he was a portfolio manager at Merrill Lynch overseeing the investment and direction of more than $800 million in assets.
Mr. Kaump received a B.S. in Economics from the University of Minnesota, and an M.B.A. (Finance) from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. In addition, he is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and holds multiple securities licenses.
About Our Logo
Our logo design was conceived and created by a professional graphics designer and artist based in Minneapolis. It was one of 21 unique concepts we were presented with. After a prolonged debate, we chose a design that combines a high degree of symbolism with a contemporary and abstract flair.
On either side of the letter “i” are what appear to be fountain pens; in modern lexicon they are stylus. Viewed differently, they resemble beams of light emanating from a beacon, evoking the concept of guidance. Incorporating the descender of the letter “P”, the elements appear as hands of a clock or compass, symbols of time and direction. The two stylus pointing to the letter “i” reinforces the idea of thoroughness, “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.” The use of multiple fonts supports the notion that oftentimes there may be more than one way of presenting ideas; an essential lesson for business owners and investors alike.
