About Us

You have built your business. We can build your exit.

Not Your Typical M&A Advisors

Meliora Advisory is a specialized M&A advisory firm focused on delivering high-impact transaction outcomes for Industrial and Specialty Services companies. We bring sharp execution, strategic insight, and tailored processes – all delivered with discretion, speed, and precision.

Our Story

Meliora Advisory was founded in 2022 with a mission to bring top-tier M&A advisory to the underserved lower middle market. With offices in Boston and Miami, we focus on founder-led and family-owned businesses across the East Coast, combining the perspective of former investors, bankers, and operators to navigate complex transactions with empathy and precision. Backed by more than $4 billion in closed deals, we deliver tech-enabled, boutique advisory with hands-on execution and an unwavering commitment to achieving exceptional outcomes.

Our Approach

At Meliora, we take a hands-on, transparent approach to every engagement, working side by side with founders to align on goals, professionally position the business, and run a tailored process designed to maximize value and minimize disruption. Preparation and mutual trust are the foundation of lasting success, and we invest heavily in both from day one. By focusing on quality over volume, we ensure that every client receives the full weight of our experience, resources, and relentless attention to detail.

Our Values

Our firm is grounded in integrity, trust, hustle, transparency, and empathy. We provide clients with clear, candid guidance that protects their interests and drives the strongest outcomes. Each engagement is anchored in data and executed with honesty, precision, and a client-first mindset. Success to us means closing great transactions while building lasting relationships – earning the kind of trust where clients continue to seek our perspective long after the deal is done, and view us as true partners in their journey.

How We’re Different

We keep our client list short and our standards high, never taking on more than three active engagements at a time. That discipline ensures every client benefits from senior-level execution, rapid responsiveness, and a true hands-on process with no junior handoff. Using proprietary outreach systems, sharp positioning, and real founder empathy, we design processes that are fast, focused, and built for outcomes. Clients know us as high-output partners who don’t just advise – we go deep, and carry each deal across the finish line.

Who We’re Built For

We partner exclusively with founder-led businesses that form the backbone of the American economy – companies built by operators providing the essential building blocks of everyday life. From industrial services to critical trades, owners value substance over flash, expect straightforward answers, and want a team delivering clarity and unwavering support through one of the most important decisions of their lives. At Meliora, we embrace that responsibility with pride and see ourselves as stewards of our clients’ legacy, not just their bankers.

Leadership Team

Decades of Deals, One Vision

Viktor Lobov

Managing Partner

Prior to co-founding Meliora Advisory, Viktor assisted lower middle market companies with exploring their strategic alternatives, fundraising, recapitalization, and executing business sale transactions over the years. His core expertise lies in managing sell-side M&A transactions with owner-operated businesses in consumer, industrial, business services, manufacturing, and healthcare industries in the market. He has years of experience in structuring and negotiating transactions with private equity and venture capital professionals along the way. Viktor is also an active board member of a number of US-based businesses where he oversees growth and financing initiatives with strong results. In his free time, Viktor loves to travel, network, discover hidden-gem restaurants, and practice boxing. Viktor holds a BSBA from Northeastern University, graduating summa cum laude.

Dariy Al-Khamid

Managing Partner

Before co-founding Meliora Advisory, Dariy established a strong foundation in both sell-side and buy-side transactions across the logistics, technology, and consumer industries. His career has spanned from strategic consulting for lower middle market businesses to advising on high-profile transactions for some of the world’s most prestigious public companies. Prior to this, Dariy successfully founded and managed several small business ventures in the eCommerce, wholesale, and retail sectors. Currently, Dariy is a board member of several businesses where he guides efficiency and scalability. Outside of work, Dariy is passionate about reading psychology and scientific literature, exploring breakthrough technologies, and staying active through martial arts and tennis. Dariy holds a BSBA from Northeastern University, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Why We Exist

Meliora was founded to bring high-quality M&A execution to the underserved lower middle market. Too often, founders face outdated processes, slow timelines, limited buyer reach, and little transparency during the most important financial decision of their lives. Our mission is to change that. Drawing on lessons from old-school dealmaking, we rebuilt the experience for today’s founder – delivering greater visibility, better systems, and a hands-on team that executes with speed, clarity, and precision to create outcomes that matter.

The Problems We’re Solving

Many founders begin the M&A process unprepared – armed with vague guidance, limited buyer access, and unrealistic expectations set by advisors focused on winning engagements than driving results. Traditional firms shortcut outreach, rely on generic materials, and manage many clients with little transparency. We built Meliora to solve for that. With tighter preparation, smarter buyer strategy, and disciplined execution, we run a full-market process designed to unlock value, create optionality, and deliver stronger, more certain outcomes.

Our View of Success

Great outcomes start with alignment. We help founders clarify priorities early, then guide them toward a transaction that truly fits their financial goals, personal legacy, and long-term vision for the future. Our approach creates competition across buyer types, but we emphasize fit, because the right partner knows how to build on what the founder created and sustain growth. Success, to us, is when a client feels confident, informed, and proud of the result – and trusts us enough to refer peers or return when building again.

Our Core Principles

Meliora is built on radical transparency, deep integrity, and a relentless drive to do what is right, even if it means walking away from a deal. Our only agenda is our client’s best outcome. Professionalism for us means 24/7 responsiveness, uncompromising standards, and full accountability. When mistakes happen, we own them and fix them fast. These principles guide every call, email, and negotiation. We are client-first in every sense, because lasting outcomes are built on trust and truth.

Where We’re Headed

Meliora is building the modern M&A advisory firm for lower middle market founders across the U.S., starting with deep roots on the East Coast and expanding westward with discipline. Our goal is to be the benchmark for boutique M&A – tech-enabled, client-obsessed, and relentlessly outcome-focused. While sell-side remains our core, we are selectively growing buy-side capabilities and investing in technology to drive better results. We view Meliora as a firm that sets the standard for today’s owners and tomorrow’s advisors.

Frequently Asked Questions

From Day One To Deal Done

How do I know if my business is ready to sell?

If your company runs well without you, has stable cash flow, clean financials, and clear growth drivers – you’re close. We can help assess and prepare you for the process.

What size businesses do you work with?

We typically work with founder-led businesses valued between $10M and $150M in enterprise value.

What industries do you focus on?

We have deep experience across specialty services, transportation & logistics, and industrials – but we prioritize fit and value over sector labels.

How long does the sale process take?

On average, 6 to 10 months from engagement to close – depending on preparedness, market conditions, and buyer dynamics.

How is my business valued?

We look at normalized EBITDA, growth trends, customer concentration, and market comparables – but ultimately, value is driven by what strategic and financial buyers are willing to pay.

Will the process distract me from running my business?

It can – if you don’t have the right team. We manage the process end-to-end so you can focus on performance, which is critical to preserving value through closing.

Do I need to work with an M&A advisor?

Not technically – but going alone often means lower valuations, missed risks, and longer timelines. The right advisor pays for themselves many times over.

What types of buyers will you bring to the table?

We run a competitive process with a mix of strategic buyers, private equity firms, and family offices – always tailored to your goals.

What if I’m not ready to sell yet?

We offer valuation reviews and strategic planning to help you understand your options and get transaction-ready – whether you want to sell now or later.

How are you different from other M&A firms?

We’re operators and advisors who know the process from both sides. We bring the same intensity to $20M founder exits as most firms reserve for $500M deals.

Notable Transactions

Outcomes That Speak for Themselves

Acquisition of

Ascent Global Logistics acquired by H.I.G. Capital

Buyside Advisor

Sale to

Axial Medical acquired by Acrotec Holdings

Sellside Advisor

Sale to

Impactful Fulfillment Services acquired by Ryder System

Sellside Advisor

Sale to

Sierra Consulting Group acquired by KeyStone

Sellside Advisor

Sale to

Process Data Control acquired by TenForce

Sellside Advisor

Sale to

Gerard Daniel Worldwide acquired by Graycliff Partners

Sellside Advisor

Sale to

Honematic Machine acquired by PCX Aerostructures

Sellside Advisor

*Includes engagements where Meliora’s principals were involved while affiliated with other firms; logos shown for identification only, no endorsement implied.

Have a Question? We’re Here to Help.

Questions? Ideas? We’re all ears.