In 2021, Osage Advisors celebrated our 20th anniversary. Today, we are excited to count another year as we look ahead to the next twenty.

If you’re new to our site, Osage Advisors works with business owners and families of midsize companies to help maximize their value when selling their businesses. In our latest post, Keith Dee, the Founder, and President, reflects on the past 21 years, what got him started, and what keeps him going.

The Beginning

Keith started working for an accounting firm when he graduated from college, focusing on family and closely held businesses. His passion was piqued from the start, and Keith started making a name for himself when he founded his own accounting firm with three business partners, also specializing in family and closely held businesses. Eventually, he sold that business and started Osage Advisors.

The Story

Keith, who lives in Essex, Connecticut with his family, named Osage Advisors for a ship that was built and dry docked in Essex and nearly burned down during the War on 1812.

As the British attempted to burn down the Osage, one young man remained aboard, even as the British yelled at him to get off. When he finally evacuated, the British were only able to burn pieces of the boat, not all of it. His resilience, persistence, and strength in standing his ground showed his sense of commitment and dedication to defending what is right. Keith appreciates how the boy never lost sight of what was important, and he has built his business around doing the same.

The Journey

In founding Osage, Keith’s goal, as it continues to be, was giving business owners looking to sell the highest possible standard of service en route to an exit on their own terms. From the start, he’s sought to ensure every client can get a deal done at their own pace. Honesty, dedication and determination allow Osage to stay true to that founding goal. Initially, Osage was just Keith; no clients and a clean sheet of paper in front of him. It took plenty of knocking on doors, phone calls and networking until Osage sparked some success. Within the first two and a half years, 28 deals had been done successfully. Today, Osage employs a team of seven advisors and continues to power through deals for so many businesses.

Though being an advisor can be difficult, it’s also extremely rewarding. Keith and his team overcame challenges for the company to get where it is today. Since day one, Osage has been committed to the same philosophy: doing whatever it takes to make sure that every single client sees a comfortable and smooth exit from their business. Getting that “Thank you” or handshake is what keeps the advisors at Osage going.