The Founding of DQM

  DQM started from a familiar spark – personal experience followed by the natural thought: “There has to be a better way.”

For me, this meant finding a better way to partner with smaller businesses that often lack access to high-powered, traditional advisory services. This limitation became clear to me during my time as both a multi-company founder and working for large investment banks, private equity firms, and venture capital funds. 

In short, DQM was founded to be different – to be an equalizer for business owners who were often blocked off from accessing the help they needed (and, truthfully, to help safeguard irreplaceable moments with my wife and son by better balancing my professional and personal pursuits). 

Three previous businesses, three graduate degrees, two professional licenses, and one child later – plus over a decade in traditional advisory and investor roles–I set out to recreate the advisory firm, this time explicitly designing it for privately owned businesses. 

DQM’s goal is not to maximize fees or jockey for future business. We aim to be authentic and informal, with (hopefully) some fun scattered in while providing privately owned companies comfort and confidence during moments of growth and transformation. 

If you share our frustration with the current landscape and are intrigued by the notion that there may be a better way, we’d love to talk.

-Steve, Founder of DQM