About Pioneer Capital Advisory
The leading advisory firm for business buyers and independent sponsors seeking SBA and non-SBA acquisition financing. PCA combines business development, credit, analyst support, and closing coordination so every engagement is team-led.
Closed Financing
SBA 7(a) Acquisitions
In Operation
SBA + Independent Sponsor
Of combined SBA lending and advisory experience guiding your transaction.
Credit, closing, and senior teams overseeing every step of the process.
About Us
A Full, Dedicated Team.
Not Just a Broker.
We have a full, dedicated team providing hands-on, white-glove service. Our credit team, closing team, and a senior team oversee the entire process, supporting buyers from pre-LOI through closing.
With over 20 years of combined SBA experience, we know exactly what lenders need and how to get deals across the finish line.
Commercial Loan Brokerage (Not a Direct Lender)
Dedicated Credit & Closing Teams
Hands-on Guidance from Pre-LOI to Funding
Who We Are
Financing Built for Growth.
Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC is a national boutique commercial loan brokerage specializing in SBA 7(a) financing. We guide business buyers through the entire process—from initial LOI acceptance to final funding.
We primarily serve clients seeking $500K to $5 million in SBA financing, providing full support through closing. For clients seeking financing below $500K, we assist through term sheet procurement. To date, the firm has helped business buyers successfully close and fund more than 160 acquisitions.
Our deep expertise ensures a smooth and efficient path to securing financing, supporting both first-time buyers and experienced owners looking to expand or enter new industries.
Firm Overview & Deal Size
Firm Type
National Boutique
Compensation
Lender-Paid After Closing
(Except for Non-SBA)
SBA Range
$500K – $8M
($5MM SBA 7(a) cap + up to $3MM pari passu conventional)
Indep. Sponsor
$10M+ ($2M+ EBITDA)
Capital Sources
SBA, Private Credit, BDCs, Mezz
The PCA Difference
Financing Built for Growth
PCA supports entrepreneurs and operators who need more than capital - they need a strategic financing partner. Our team provides structured guidance across SBA and non-SBA financing solutions ranging from $500,000 to $10M+. Whether you are acquiring your first business or scaling an existing platform through a complex sponsor-led structure, we help coordinate the process and lender conversations needed to move toward closing.
SBA Financing is right when…
Deal size is $500K–$5M
You're a first-time buyer or self-funded searcher
Business has positive cash flow and qualifies under SBA guidelines
You want a fully amortizing loan with no balloon payment
You're adding on within SBA program limits
You're refinancing an existing SBA acquisition loan
Independent Sponsor is right when…
Deal exceeds SBA loan limits ($5M+)
Target business has $2M+ EBITDA
You're an independent or fundless sponsor
PE-backed platform requires more flexible structures
You need unitranche, mezz, or private credit solutions
Faster closing timeline is critical
When We Engage
Providing Strategic Support
Exactly When it’s Needed.
Whether you’ve already signed an LOI or are actively sourcing deals, we align with where you are in the journey. We are most often brought in at the signed LOI stage, when due diligence begins and financing needs to be secured.
For buyers earlier in their journey, we also offer pre-LOI advisory. In exchange for a first look, we provide upfront access to lender strategy and deal structuring feedback.
Signed LOI Stage
We take full ownership of the capital raise—from lender deck development to outreach, negotiation, and closing support.
Pre-LOI Advisory
For early-stage buyers. We provide capital planning support so you’re prepared to act decisively when a compelling opportunity arises.
How We Get Paid
Paid at Closing. Never Before.
We are paid only when your deal closes. No retainers, no work fees, no hidden costs. Which side of our business you are working with determines who pays — the lender or you — but either way the fee comes due at closing and not a day earlier.
Our incentives are aligned with yours—period.
SBA Debt Placement
Our advisory fee is paid by the SBA lender at closing. You pay Pioneer nothing.
Non-SBA & Independent Sponsor
Conventional and private-credit lenders do not pay placement fees, so this side is buyer-paid: a single success fee at closing, out of deal proceeds, quoted in writing before we begin. No retainer, nothing up front.
Our Timeline
From Start of Underwriting to Closing in 72 Days.
Historically, our SBA 7(a) placements have averaged about 72 days from the start of underwriting to closing. Our team builds a lender-ready credit deck, markets the deal to SBA banks, and provides real-time M&A support through funding.
Non-SBA and independent sponsor placements follow the same three phases on a 90–120 day timeline, reflecting the added diligence conventional and private-credit lenders require.
1
2
3
Lender Deck Creation
Normalizing the financials and building a lender-ready credit deck.
Lender Outreach
Marketing the deal to the lenders whose credit box actually fits it.
Closing
Real-time M&A support Historical average from start of underwriting to closing.
SBA placements are lender-paid. Non-SBA placements are buyer-paid at closing. Either way, our fee is earned at the finish line.
Meet the Team
A dedicated team of professionals supporting you from pre-LOI to closing.
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Founder & President
Matthias Smith
Matthias Smith is the Founder and President of Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC, a Madison, Wisconsin–based commercial loan brokerage specializing in acquisition financing for the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition community. He launched the firm in May 2022 and has built it from a solo practice into a team of nine professionals.
Pioneer operates as an independent loan broker, working across a national network of SBA 7(a) lenders and non-SBA capital providers to structure and place debt on behalf of first-time and experienced buyers. Since its founding in May 2022, the firm has closed more than 160 acquisition loans representing over $355 million in SBA financing. On SBA transactions, Pioneer is compensated directly by the lending bank at no cost to the buyer, while its non-SBA and independent sponsor engagements are structured on a sponsor-paid basis.
Matthias has spent 11 years in the SBA lending industry and is a frequent speaker on acquisition financing at the leading ETA conferences, including the Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Conference, the Wharton ETA Summit, the Ross ETA Conference at Michigan, and the Texas Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Conference hosted by Rice Business. He was featured in three Forbes articles in 2025 and holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Chief Operating Officer
Valerie Stash
Valerie Stash serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC. She brings over 10 years of experience in SBA lending, with a deep understanding of both underwriting and post-approval operations. Valerie has closed SBA deals ranging from $125K to $5M and ensures that every client engagement is handled with precision, responsiveness, and high-touch service. She oversees deal flow management, operational turnaround times, and client coordination throughout the closing process. Valerie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the Indiana Institute of Technology.
Head of Business Development
Rafael McFerran-Lopes
Rafael McFerran-Lopes is the Head of SBA Business Development at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Rafael brings over 15 years of experience in global sales, project management, and business development. With a strong background in family business and SMEs, he helps buyers navigate the early stages of SBA financing with clarity and confidence. His work focuses on qualifying leads, educating clients, and driving engagement with financing-ready acquisition opportunities. Rafael holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) and an MBA from FGV – Fundação Getúlio Vargas.
M&A Business Development Lead
Andrea Parada
Andrea Parada is the M&A Business Development Lead at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC. She guides prospective clients through the early stages of SBA-financed acquisitions, helping buyers move from initial discovery to financing readiness. With a background in transaction execution and client support, Andrea brings a highly organized, detail-oriented, and client-first approach to every engagement, ensuring a seamless experience throughout the acquisition process.
M&A Sales Associate
Mario Hugo Achucarro Pillat
Mario Hugo Achucarro Pillat is a seasoned financial professional with 18+ years of international experience in private banking, investment management, and business development across Latin America and Europe. He specializes in capital structuring, high-level negotiations, and market expansion, with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Universidad Americana del Paraguay.
M&A Financial Analyst – Team Lead
Fernanda de la Peña
Fernanda de la Peña is an M&A Underwriter at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC, specializing in SBA-financed acquisitions and debt refinances. She brings more than six years of institutional investment experience managing over $20 billion in real estate assets at MSCI and W Capital. At Pioneer, she supports deal structuring, financial modeling, and lender presentation materials. Fernanda holds dual Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Finance.
M&A Financial Analyst
Humberto Siller
Humberto Siller is a Finance Analyst at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC. He supports financial analysis and underwriting initiatives, helping evaluate acquisition opportunities and prepare financing materials. Before joining Pioneer, Humberto spent more than three years on the Real Estate team at MSCI, where he gained institutional investment experience. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
Closing Operations Specialist
Maggie Razavi
Maggie Razavi serves as Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC's Closing Operations Specialist, drawing on her background as a relationship and business development manager in asset management at companies such as AllianceBernstein, Invesco, and Lombard Odier. Originally from London, with a BA from the University of Greenwich, she brings 10+ years of experience across sales, corporate marketing, and project management.
Independent Sponsor Finance
Ramiro Daher
Ramiro Daher is a Senior Associate in Independent Sponsor Finance at Pioneer Capital Advisory LLC, where he supports independent sponsors through credit analysis, financial modeling, and debt financing preparation for lender submissions. He brings experience across credit analysis, underwriting, and corporate finance, with a strong background in evaluating complex transactions and structuring financing solutions. Prior to joining Pioneer Capital Advisory, Ramiro worked in Credit Risk at Citi and J.P. Morgan, covering major companies across the Oil & Gas and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. He holds a Master in Management, specialized in Investment Banking, from ESCP Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Universidad de San Andrés.
Get Started
Ready to Secure the Right Financing?
Select your financing path below to book a strategy call. SBA engagements are lender-paid.
SBA 7(a) Loans
Finance Your Business Acquisition
Our core SBA 7(a) services for buyers looking to acquire a business or optimize existing debt. We quarterback the entire process from pre-LOI to closing.
100% Lender-Paid Engagements
Add-Ons & Growth
Expand Your Platform
Leverage SBA financing to add locations, acquire add-ons, or expand your current platform. We help you structure the capital stack seamlessly.
100% Lender-Paid Engagements
Debt Optimization
Finance Your Business Acquisition
Looking to optimize debt or re-amortize an existing SBA acquisition loan. No LOI required, one call to get started.
100% Lender-Paid Engagements
Non-SBA / Private Credit
Independent Sponsor Deals
For sponsors pursuing $2M+ EBITDA transactions. We structure private credit and institutional capital with faster timelines.
Buyer Pays Pioneer Fee
All consultations are confidential
Pioneer Capital Advisory is a commercial financing advisory firm for SBA and non-SBA acquisition financing.