Nationally Recognized Financial Expert & Founder of Candor Advisors; M&A & Transaction Advisory Leader; Podcast Host
Kirk Michie Biography
Kirk Michie is a nationally recognized financial expert and the founder and managing partner of Candor Advisors, a boutique transaction advisory firm dedicated exclusively to founder-led businesses. For more than 30 years, Michie has worked with entrepreneurs, closely held business owners, and high-net-worth families to achieve their strategic planning, liquidity, investment, and legacy objectives.
Michie's career began on the operations floor of Merrill Lynch, where he entered the industry after initially being rejected for lacking sales experience and ultimately became a top quintile producer. He later served as a partner at a middle-market private equity firm in Los Angeles, gaining experience in mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and the associated capital, strategic, partnership, and operational elements of those activities. Michie also served as an advisor at AB Bernstein before founding Candor Advisors to support entrepreneurs navigating the sale of their businesses.
Michie is recognized for developing a unique approach for private company founders seeking to sell their businesses, focusing on identifying the underlying motivations for a sale and crafting tailored transaction strategies. These strategies may include developing a successor, facilitating an internal sale to employees or management, or structuring an external sale to a strategic or financial buyer. With a track record of participating in more than 60 mergers and acquisitions transactions totaling over $1 billion, and separately raising capital exceeding $1 billion throughout his career, Michie has guided founders to outcomes that address both financial and legacy considerations. Notable transactions include serving as sole financial advisor to the founders of Luxx Lighting in their $215 million sale to ScottsMiracle-Gro Company and to the founders of Dosatron International in their $105 million sale to Ingersoll Rand.
Michie brings expertise in transaction advisory services, mergers and acquisitions for founder-owned private companies, corporate and family office governance, capital raising, private equity, corporate strategy, and succession planning. His firm's philosophy is encapsulated in the concept: if a founder is moving toward the sale of their business and considering doing it alone, they should remember that their buyer is a "Full Time Predator" and they are "Part Time Prey." This candid, founder-focused perspective has led Michie to provide weekly insights to more than 20,000 private company founders and to establish the Candor Advisors National Network, a curated group of more than 50 professional service providers and deal professionals, including investment banks, corporate and M&A lawyers, transactional tax experts, and other advisors.
Michie has been a frequent speaker and panelist at Association for Corporate Growth events, Vistage and Entrepreneurs Organization panels, ECHELON Capital's Deals & Dealmakers Summits, and Tiburon Strategic Advisors CEO Summits, where he was a member of the Financial Advisors Roundtable. He also hosts the "Insights by Candor Advisors" podcast, offering advice and insights about selling a business to guide founders to better outcomes, and has appeared as a guest on programs including "Business Innovators Radio" and "Beyond 8 Figures." As a keynote speaker, his topics span business, consulting, economics, and finance, making him a resource for entrepreneurs at every stage of their ownership journey.
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Kirk Michie Speaking Topics
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Selling Your Business: Full Time Predators & Part Time Prey
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Discovering The “Why” Behind Your Desire to Sell
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How do I book Kirk Michie to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kirk Michie for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kirk Michie, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kirk Michie or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Kirk Michie
Speaking fees for Kirk Michie, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kirk Michie are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kirk Michie, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Kirk Michie speak about?
Kirk Michie is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Business Consulting, Business Leadership, Disruptive Thinking, Economy, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Thought Leadership -
Where does Kirk Michie travel from?
Kirk Michie generally travels from Carlsbad, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Kirk Michie’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kirk Michie for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kirk Michie for your next private or corporate function. -
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Kirk Michie is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Selling Your Business: Full Time Predators & Part Time Prey, Discovering The “Why” Behind Your Desire to Sell and 6 Secrets To Selling Your Business . The estimated speaking fee range to book Kirk Michie for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Kirk Michie generally travels from Carlsbad, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cyan Banister, Jane Fraser, Nitin Nohria, Robert Eccles and Todd Buchholz. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kirk Michie for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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