Born and raised in Florida, Robert Lugo grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. After obtaining degrees in both Finance and Accounting, he went on to earn his Master of Science Degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of South Florida. Throughout his career, Robert has been deeply involved in all aspects of a business from operations to finance, HR, and business development and has a record of leading organizations to unprecedented growth.
Joining our team of Tampa business brokers in May of 2022, Robert came to his Viking career older than most and not a business owner. This has proven to be uniquely valuable. Robert’s highly diverse career and broad spectrum of senior leadership experience has tied him into nearly every facet of business operations. This affords a highly unique perspective and allows Robert to recognize corporate operational impacts and financial barriers, seamlessly assisting his clients in the sale or purchase of their business.
On top of all of his business acumen and expertise, working in M&A is personal for him. You see, Robert’s parents owned a pre-school that served the Tampa Bay area for decades, and they exited for a good amount; but, they didn’t use a business broker. Robert recalls, “The buyer approached them, and they used a tax attorney and a bookkeeper, but they did not use a business broker. And, there’s not a better way to say it: they got screwed on taxes. They got double taxed, and they lost a LOT of money to the IRS… I saw what that did to my parents. So, I work hand-in-hand with my client’s tax professional to make sure they get to keep as much of their hard earned money as possible.”
With such a broad range of experience, Robert is well-equipped to serve business owners in any sector, but it’s worth noting that he brings a particular expertise regarding businesses in healthcare. Personally and professionally, Robert has been involved in the healthcare sector for the past 25 years and has a wealth of experience and insight to offer business clients in this market. He contributed a great deal to our recent article about key considerations when selling a healthcare business, and there is more to come from him on that topic as well.
Why Viking Is Here
The Viking business advisors in Tampa, FL, like all of our advisors across the Southeast, are tenured personnel who are here for the long haul. We have no interest in rushing our clients through a sale or purchase. Working with our clients long-term means our understanding of their business continues to grow as a client and their business grows — even after a business changes hands to a new buyer.
We offer to stay involved and continue to value the company for the new owner, to track their progress, and to offer suggestions on how to increase their future value as they continue growing the business. Because of this longevity, we have developed a strong referral base and have many recurring buying and selling clients.
Viking’s Tampa business brokers serve clients with a whole team approach; each client has a dedicated business advisor, analyst team, and marketing team providing support. We understand that it often takes different ideas and perspectives to ensure the best result for our clients, and our team approach allows us to effectively accomplish each step of the selling process.
If you are considering business advisors in Tampa, FL, or anywhere across the Southeast, we would love to talk. Contact us today for a confidential, no-cost consultation or business valuation, and let’s see how we can help – that’s why we’re here.