Our Team

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Laura K. Sandstrom, ASA is a seasoned finance professional with over 20 years of experience in valuation advisory, M&A strategy, corporate development, and financial modeling. As an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation with the American Society of Appraisers, she brings more than 10,000 hours of valuation training and analytical rigor to every engagement—supporting clients from early-stage startups to multinational corporations.

Laura’s depth of valuation expertise offers a distinct advantage during M&A due diligence, where her precision and insight help uncover value and mitigate risk. She’s known for bringing order to chaos—translating complex financial data into clear, actionable strategies that align with business goals and drive operational efficiency.

Her consulting background spans two decades and a wide range of industries, giving her the ability to connect authentically with stakeholders at every level—from frontline employees to C-suite executives and their investors, including private equity and venture capital firms. She’s especially passionate about empowering underserved business owners and takes pride in being a trusted advisor who delivers clarity, confidence, and results.

Laura holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Xavier University, with concentrations in finance and marketing, and completed the Executive Education Mini MBA program at Miami University. Her financial modeling approach is shaped by investment banking training from Training the Street and Wall Street Prep. Her leadership philosophy is inspired by The Music Paradigm, emphasizing harmony, adaptability, and collaboration.

Outside of work, Laura enjoys Pilates, strength training, and unwinding with her two Labrador retrievers, Daisy and Violet.

Carolyn is the principal and founder of the Connecticut-based business valuation and financial advisory firm, Access Value, LLC. Carolyn has led valuation engagements with Willamette Management Associates, The Compass Group International, DeSilva & Phillips, and Reed Exhibitions, a division of Reed Elsevier.

In the corporate arena, Carolyn possesses senior management and leadership expertise in B2B and B2C publishing, exhibitions, technical conferences, and information providers. Carolyn also led mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning, and international market development for a division of Reed Elsevier, a multi-billion dollar diversified, global provider of information for professional and business customers. Prior to that, Carolyn held various financial, technical, and marketing management roles with Cahners Publishing, Motorola, and a boutique financial services firm.

Rachel Kutay, SPHR empowers small businesses with strategic HR solutions and leadership development. With over two decades of experience, Rachel brings deep expertise in human resources, compliance, and talent optimization. Based in Columbus, Ohio, she holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) credential and multiple certifications in leadership, predictive analytics, and lean management. She offers services ranging from HR consulting and team building to interview preparation and corporate training. Rachel is also a frequent speaker, mentor, and community leader—having served on the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce board and contributed to organizations like Junior Achievement and Hacking HR.

Lisa Messner, CPA is an accountant with over 20 years of experience, beginning her career in public accounting as a former Big 4 Auditor at KPMG. She brings over two decades of consulting expertise assisting clients with SEC/SOX compliance, delivering outsourced accounting solutions, conducting Quality of Earnings reviews for private equity targets and many other accounting based workflows. Lisa’s industry experience includes serving as Financial Reporting Manager for a wholesale distributor and as Controller for a venture capital firm, where she oversaw three funds and the management company. Lisa is an Advisory Board Member for Accelerating Angels, an angel capital fund based in Columbus, Ohio. She is also on the board of Accelerating Angels Foundation. In her free time, Lisa enjoys spending quality moments with family and friends, cooking, baking, and skiing avidly during the winter months.

Michael Hamann, ASA, CEA is a nationally accredited personal property valuation expert with over two decades of experience across diverse industries. He has led more than 500 USPAP-compliant appraisal engagements totaling over $7 billion in appraised value. His valuation expertise spans solar and wind energy, construction, pharmaceuticals, transportation, food and beverage, and more. Michael is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, he holds ASA accreditation in Machinery & Technical Specialties and is a Certified Equipment Appraiser. Beyond his professional work, Michael is a committed community leader, having founded the Pavo Loco Holiday Tennis Tournament, which raised over $80,000 for children’s charities.