DENA JALBERT

FOUNDER & CEO, ALIGN BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES, WINTER PARK

Align is an M&A advisory firm to lower middle market companies. Jalbert founded it in 2017, and it has 23 employees. “We have facilitated more than $2.5 billion in buy and sell-side transactions, with a network of acquirers that includes Visa, Bank of America, Hewlett Packard and Google, helping to bring job-creating investment capital to small businesses,” Jalbert says.

EDUCATION: Illinois Wesleyan University (BS), Florida State University (MBA)

FIRST JOB: At the age of 14, working in my grandfather’s dry cleaner.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: I would be a hairdresser. I love the creative outlet.

INDUSTRY TREND: The amount of money that has been raised over the past 15 years to focus on buying small businesses is the most notable trend. M&A used to be reserved for billion-dollar companies, but now there are trillions of dollars being invested in businesses with $20-500 million in revenue.

SOMETHING SURPRISING
“I am studying to become proficient in French. I am a little obsessed with French culture.”