WE ARE CLASS VI
We exist to Empower the Entrepreneurial Spirit ™
Class VI is a lifecycle advisory services firm serving founders. Our team is driven by profound respect for entrepreneurs, which guides us in the work we do and the decisions we make.
The Class VI Story
Class VI was established in 2005 by Chris Younger and David Tolson, who believed there was a better way to help founders grow, sell, and thrive and that serving entrepreneurs would be an inspired purpose.
What started as a deal advisory grew to fill gaps in the market, where entrepreneurs needed an end-to-end solution to guide them from growth to exit and life beyond.
Today, Class VI comprises more than 50 team members with expertise in business operations and strategy, financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and wealth management. The original founder-focused “why” behind the business remains, and we continually strive to find new ways to Empower the Entrepreneurial Spirit.
Our values.
Hustle
24/7 responsiveness that makes you feel like you’re our only client.
Humility
Recognition that you know your company best. Our role is to support you.
Relationships
Success measured not by the deals we close but rather the friendships we forge.
Our commitment to giving back.
We are motivated by admiration for founders and their positive impacts transforming industries and communities. Entrepreneurs are the smartest problem-solvers we know and conceive the best strategies for giving back. We follow their lead and help wherever we can.
$1.5M
Direct Class VI charitable donations to causes of our clients’ choosing.
$250M
Deal proceeds committed by Class VI clients to fund philanthropic missions.
$1B+
Target for philanthropic activity catalyzed by Class VI by 2035.
What’s in a name?
The Class VI moniker comes from the most dangerous category of whitewater on earth. These rapids are safely traversable by Olympic-level paddlers, when water levels and conditions are favorable. Likewise, a company sale is the most treacherous stage of a business lifecycle. We specialize in helping entrepreneurs prepare for and achieve their personal best in this most challenging part of the journey.