Today we’d like to introduce you to David McCombie.
Hi David, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was born and raised in Miami to a Cuban mother and an American father. I grew up in West Kendall and attended Miami’s public schools. Through hard work and my dedication to excellence, I was lucky to receive scholarships to both the University of Miami and Harvard Law School. After briefly working on Wall Street, I returned to Miami with McKinsey & Company. I then launched my firm, McCombie Group, in 2010.
Entrepreneurship is in my blood… from selling homemade crafts door to door as an elementary student to raising the capital to make private equity investments. While I am a dealmaker, I consider myself first and foremost an entrepreneur and it’s from this perspective that I’m most gratified in helping other entrepreneurs succeed in their business goals.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The Japanese art of Kintsugi repairs broken ceramics using gold filling. It accentuates and celebrates the pottery’s “flaws.” While my journey has certainly involved a number of setbacks, I believe we are defined not by our challenges but by how we handle and overcome them.
There is no shame in failure. If I am not failing at something, it means I am not pushing the limits and stretching. My approach is simple: relentlessly pursue my vision until it becomes reality. Once I set a goal, I stop at nothing to see it through.
I started my business accidentally after losing my job during the Great Financial Crisis. While at the time it seemed like a setback, it put me on a path with dramatically better outcomes. The past 14 years have not been all smooth sailing but during each setback, I’ve definitely learned and grown.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
McCombie Group is an M&A advisory firm that helps middle-market business owners sell their life’s work at the best possible price, terms, and fit. To date, we have successfully closed nearly $2 Billion in transactions, almost all located within South Florida. Unique amongst advisors, I’ve also successfully led various private equity investments myself.
Most buyers are highly sophisticated private equity groups that do this for a living. We level the playing field by helping owners achieve dramatically better outcomes than they could on their own. For example, before approaching us, one of our clients had received an offer for around $80 million– we ended up selling the business shortly thereafter for $300 million, which was a record-setting valuation for that particular industry sub-segment.
I am proud of our guiding philosophy: ‘How would we advise our own family’s business?’ This means doing the right thing. Always. We stand by protecting our clients by equipping them with the information and expertise necessary to confidently sell.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me in my career is helping and supporting entrepreneurs achieve the most ideal outcome in the sale process of their life’s work. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American economy and supporting them gives me purpose. We aim to zealously represent our clients to help them achieve top dollar. It is an honor to represent and fight for entrepreneurs and their businesses.
What matters to me most in my life is my family, staying intellectually curious, and being active in my community. I find joy in reading across various topics and learning something from everyone I meet. Most importantly, I am lucky to be married to a wonderful woman, and we have two amazing daughters. During my free time, I enjoy boating with them on Biscayne Bay.
Contact Info:
- Website: mccombiegroup.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmccombie/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqeQEPLjPckPEBbZXtgX4Tw
