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Jake Luerkens, Finance Expert in Dallas, TX, United States
Jake Luerkens

Finance Expert in Dallas, TX, United States

Member since March 31, 2022
Jake is a finance and strategy consultant with experience in investment banking, private equity, and corporate development at the VP level. He is an expert in financial modeling, debt and equity capital raising, M&A with 15+ transactions executed, operations, and strategy. Jake has extensive experience working with companies of varying sizes, from early-stage startups to large multinationals, across many industries such as consumer, manufacturing, industrial services, and technology.
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Case studies

Software Expertise

Other Expertise

Employment

  • President

    2021 - PRESENT
    JWL Consulting
    • Operated as an independent consultant advising startups through critical company milestones such as capital raising, transaction structuring and execution, financial modeling, cash flow forecasting, and new market entry.
    • Supported clients with various critical initiatives, including ongoing FP&A support and maintenance of internal operating models, raising rounds of equity and debt capital, M&A support and execution, and other finance-related workstreams.
    • Oversaw all sales and marketing initiatives, including client outreach, CRM maintenance, and social media marketing.
    Focus areas: Fundraising, Seed Fundraising, Private Capital Markets, Startups, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Cash Flow Modeling, 13-week Cash Flow, Financing, Finance, Market Sizing, Financial Modeling, Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Three-statement Modeling, M&A Modeling, Due Diligence, Rollup, Deal Analysis, Pitch Decks, Venture Capital, Business Models, Exit Strategy, Models, Food & Beverage, Operations, CAPEX Budgeting & Inventory Management, Break-even Analysis, Revenue Projections, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, CFO, Cap Tables, Fundraising Consultant, Startup Funding

  • Vice President of Corporate Development

    2020 - 2021
    Stryve
    • Led cross-functional strategic initiatives across operations, finance, capital raising, sales and channel strategy, and in-store marketing for a fast-growing, vertically integrated CPG brand.
    • Developed and implemented process improvement initiatives throughout the organization and served as a leader to various team members across all departments.
    • Maintained the company’s multi-factor operating model for use by the board of directors and potential financing sources and provided detailed cash flow forecasting for use by the executive management team.
    • Acquired Kalahari Biltong, the #2 biltong brand in the U.S. at the time, and helped support the integration of Kalahari into the broader Stryve platform.
    • Pursued various capital raise initiatives, including a series C round of equity and business combination with a SPAC, and ultimately closed SPAC transaction on July 20, 2021, at a $170 million enterprise value.
    Focus areas: Corporate Development, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Venture Funding, Venture Debt, Capitalization Tables, SPACs, Public Filings, Budgeting, Cash Flow Modeling, 13-week Cash Flow, Projected Cash Flow, Demand Planning, CPG, eCommerce, Consumer Branding, Financial Modeling, Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Three-statement Modeling, M&A Modeling, Due Diligence, Rollup, Deal Analysis, Pitch Decks, Venture Capital, Business Models, Startups, Exit Strategy, Models, Food & Beverage, Operations, CAPEX Budgeting & Inventory Management, Break-even Analysis, Revenue Projections, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, CFO, Cap Tables, Fundraising Consultant, Startup Funding

  • Private Equity Investor

    2018 - 2020
    Pfingsten Partners
    • Led and supported all aspects of deal execution, including sourcing, screening, financial modeling, on-site and third-party due diligence, legal documentation, and structuring of debt and equity financing.
    • Executed nine total transactions, including two new platform investments, four add-on acquisitions, two divestitures, and one recapitalization.
    • Built detailed financial models to analyze the expected investment returns and financial impact of key operational initiatives; synthesized and presented findings to the investment committee.
    • Supported ongoing operations of several portfolio companies, assisted management teams with strategy, financial analysis, and budgeting, and participated in the quarterly board of directors meetings.
    • Constructed comprehensive operating models for each company acquired and worked closely with portfolio company CFOs to ensure internal and external reporting requirements were met.
    • Assisted in business development and other marketing efforts through managing relationships with investment bankers and other intermediaries.
    Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Capital Markets, Debt Raises, Equity Capital, Growth Equity, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Budgeting, Strategy, Board meetings, Buy-side, M&A (Buy-side), Buyouts, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Leveraged Buyout Modeling, Capitalization Tables, Private Equity, M&A (Sell-side), Financial Modeling, Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Three-statement Modeling, M&A Modeling, Due Diligence, Rollup, Deal Analysis, Pitch Decks, Venture Capital, Business Models, Exit Strategy, Models, Operations, CAPEX Budgeting & Inventory Management, Revenue Projections, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Cap Tables, Fundraising Consultant, Startup Funding

  • Investment Banker

    2016 - 2018
    Lincoln International
    • Participated in all aspects of the execution of nine sell-side M&A processes.
    • Prepared marketing materials, identified and contacted potential investors, and facilitated due diligence efforts between executive management teams, potential investors, and third-party accountants, attorneys, and other service providers.
    • Performed various valuation exercises, including leveraged buyout, discounted cash flow, sum-of-the-parts, and trading comparables analyses.
    • Constructed merger models to analyze synergy opportunities.
    • Researched macroeconomic and industry-specific trends and maintained databases of relevant market statistics to inform valuation guidance provided to clients.
    Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Capital Markets, M&A (Sell-side), Sell-side, Financial Modeling, Revenue & Expense Projections, Forecasting, Three-statement Modeling, M&A Modeling, Due Diligence, Deal Analysis, Business Models, Exit Strategy, Models, CAPEX Budgeting & Inventory Management, Revenue Projections, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Cap Tables

Education

  • Bachelor's Degree in Finance and Economics
    2012 - 2016
    University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA, USA

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