Laura Maver Ward

I'm aCertified Business Intermediary and Certified Business Coach who is passionate about helping business owners, executives and senior managers to "Run Their Business...So They Can Live Today...and Retire Tomorrow in the Style They Want and Deserve!" How? We help people turn untapped potential into breakthrough performance!

Laura Ward is the Founder and President of two companies - Dovetail Business Advisors, Inc. and Quantum Associates, Inc. (dba Dovetail Business Advisors). In addition to helping sellers sell, and buyers buy well-established and successful companies, Dovetail is dedicated to helping business owners and business leaders improve business leadership and business processes in order to improve the financial and managerial performance of the company.

Dovetail Business Advisors is recognized as one of the premier, full-service mergers & acquisitions and business coaching and consulting firms in the United States.

Laura oversees the operations of both companies. Laura’s area of focus is Corporate and Individual Coaching, Strategic Planning and Business Process Improvement Consulting. She is passionate about helping business leaders in companies of all sizes (public or private), who want to increase personal, professional and business success by “turning untapped potential into breakthrough performance.” Laura’s corporate and individual coaching services includes executive, senior management, middle management and supervisory leadership development, sales development, time strategies and customer service development.

Prior to starting Dovetail, Laura was a Managing Director for a nationwide mergers and acquisition firm, providing services to middle market companies throughout the United States. Laura also spent 16 years at Hallmark Cards, Inc. in the areas of photography, graphic arts, marketing, quality control, manufacturing and procurement. During her tenure, Laura managed a $15 million procurement program, facilitated and managed a $5 million cost containment program, developed and implemented a key supplier program and developed and implemented a minority and women-owned procurement program. Laura received Hallmark’s prestigious Minority Supplier Partnership Award, in recognition of her efforts to develop and grow the Minority Supplier Program.

In 1996, Laura left Hallmark to raise her children. Over the course of the next seven years, she volunteered as a civic leader in the Kansas City area for several not-for-profit organizations. This included serving as the chairperson of the major fundraiser for The Barstow School, where Laura and her team of 100 volunteers raised $350,000 for the school. Her involvement in not-for-profit organizations continues today, as it is a core value of Laura’s, to serve others. A portion of company revenues is donated to important non-profit efforts.

Laura is a proven leader with high energy and a down-to-earth style. She is comfortable working with all types of people in all types of businesses. Her corporate experience working directly with business owners has provided her with valuable insights into the factors that create value in a business. Her positive and goal oriented approach to challenges makes her very effective when working with business leaders in small and large businesses alike.

Laura is a national speaker and featured writer for the Kansas City Small Business Monthly Magazine. She is a member of many organizations, including: International Business Brokers Association, Business Enterprise Institute, National Equipment and Business Broker’s Institute, National Association of Realtors, Missouri Association of Realtors, Kansas Association of Realtors, Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors, Society for Human Resources Management, International Coaching Federation, Resource Associates Corp, Total Quality Institute, National Association of Women Business Owners, Central Exchange, American Club Association, Greater Kansas City Chamber, Olathe Chamber, Leawood Chamber, and the Kansas City Kansas Chamber.

In 2007 Dovetail was named a finalist for the Kansas City Kansas Small Business of the Year Award. In 2005 Dovetail was named a finalist for the 2005 New Small Business of the Year Award. Dovetail has also been nominated for the prestigious “25 Under 25 Award” for the past two years, Women Who Mean Business in 2004 and 2007.

Laura was born and raised in Westchester County, New York and Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Laura has earned a number of certifications and licenses related to the services offered by Dovetail. Laura is dedicated to continuous learning in order to provide her clients with exceptional services that are necessary to help take a company to the next level.