MainStreetBuiltAmerica.It'sTimeMainStreetKnewItsValue.
I AM SHARK is a movement built for the entrepreneurs who risked everything to build something meaningful. We help Main Street business owners understand their value, improve their readiness, create opportunity, and preserve the legacy they worked so hard to create.
Because every business owner deserves to know their value before opportunity, transition, or life forces the question.
Every Business Has A Story. Every Business Deserves A Future.
A Movement for Main Street Business Owners
Amazon Best-Selling Author|CEPA®|CBI|M&AMI|MBA/JD|817+ Transactions|$575M+ Volume
Your Business. Your Value. Your Options.
Most Business Owners Don't Need to Sell Today.
They need to know what they've built, what it's worth, and how to maximize its value before they ever consider an exit.
I AM SHARK™ provides the education, tools, and ecosystem to help make that possible.
Know Your Value
Business Readiness Center™
Learn the drivers that impact business value.
Learn About ReadinessMeasure Your Readiness
MAKO Score™
Receive a valuation and readiness benchmark.
Explore MAKO ScoreExplore Opportunities
SHARK DealRoom™
Connect with capital, buyers, advisors, and growth opportunities.
Explore DealRoomExecute When Ready
SHARK Team®
Professional guidance when a transaction or transition becomes appropriate.
Meet SHARK TeamNot Sure Where to Start?
If You Own a Business,
Start With Readiness.
Everything else begins there.
Meet the Founder
Gerard Perillo
Over 817 transactions and $575 million in completed transaction volume helping business owners understand, grow, and maximize the value of their businesses.
Founder of I AM SHARK™ · MAKO Score™ · SHARK DealRoom™ · SHARK Team®
"Most business owners only sell a business once. Our mission is to help you maximize value, protect confidentiality, and create options before you need them."
The I AM SHARK™ Journey
Four Steps.
One Direction.
Everything begins with readiness. The rest follows naturally.
Know Your Value
Business Readiness Center™
Learn the drivers that impact business value.
Learn About ReadinessMeasure Your Readiness
MAKO Score™
Receive a valuation and readiness benchmark.
Explore MAKO ScoreExplore Opportunities
SHARK DealRoom™
Connect with capital, buyers, advisors, and growth opportunities.
Explore DealRoomExecute When Ready
SHARK Team®
Professional guidance when a transaction or transition becomes appropriate.
Meet SHARK TeamNot Sure Where to Start?
If You Own a Business,
Start With Readiness.
Everything else begins there.
Start Your Readiness Journey"The most undervalued asset in America is the Main Street business."
Our Mission
Millions of business owners have poured their lives into building something meaningful — yet most have no clear picture of what they've built, what it's worth, or how to protect it.
I AM SHARK exists to change that. We provide the education, tools, and community that Main Street business owners deserve — helping them understand their value, improve their readiness, and create real opportunities for growth, succession, and legacy.
The Four Pillars
What We Build Together
of owners don't know their readiness score
The MAKO Score gives you a clear picture of where you stand — and what to do next.
average value increase with proper preparation
Know what your business is worth before someone else tells you.
of owners have no succession plan
Build a transition strategy that protects your people and your legacy.
average Main Street business lifespan
Your business is more than a transaction — it's a legacy worth protecting.
Explore Legacy PlanningClipboard
Moment™
Every Business Has a Clipboard Moment™
The day an owner realizes the business they spent years building may one day change hands.
Inspired by the story of Joe & Eddie's Restaurant and the sacrifices made by generations of Main Street business owners.
MAKO Score™
Your Business Readiness Score Starts Here
The MAKO Score is Florida's premier business readiness assessment — giving owners a clear, actionable picture of their business health, value drivers, and readiness for growth, succession, or exit.
Readiness
High
Value Score
A+
Owner Stories
Built by Owners,
For Owners
"I had no idea what my business was worth until I went through the MAKO Score process. It changed everything."
Maria Gonzalez
Coastal Catering Co. · Tampa, FL
"I AM SHARK gave me the language and the tools to have conversations I'd been avoiding for years."
James Whitfield
Whitfield HVAC Services · Orlando, FL
"The succession planning resources here are unlike anything else available to small business owners."
Priya Nair
Nair Financial Advisory · Miami, FL
SHARKpreneur®
Bite-Sized Strategies for Selling Your Business With the Shark Team
SHARKpreneur® was Gerard Perillo's first published business book and introduced business owners to the fundamentals of business valuation, exit planning, business readiness, confidentiality, negotiations, succession planning, and maximizing business value.
Think of this book as a starting point. The lessons from SHARKpreneur® ultimately helped inspire MAKO Score™, SHARK Team®, SHARK DealRoom™, SHARK DealRoom Live™, Clipboard Moment™, and the I AM SHARK™ Movement.
Education & Resources
Knowledge Is
Your Edge
Are You Ready to Own Your Future?
Start with your MAKO Score — the first step every serious business owner takes to understand where they stand and where they're going.