Like all modern business leaders, Brian Aagaard has had to contend with the rise of artificial intelligence and the impact it is having on the business landscape. Aagaard has clearly seen how embracing AI can amplify a business’s capabilities in ways that provide a competitive advantage.
“The rise of AI has empowered business brokers to achieve greater efficiencies in a variety of areas, including administration, clerical, and data analytics,” Aagaard says. “It helps us review and analyze documents, financial statements, and other data much more quickly and completely, making it easier to get the clarity we need to provide our clients with informed guidance and support.”
But Aagaard, founder of Cooperhawk Business Brokerage, also believes relying too heavily on AI can upset the delicate balance between technology and human touch. His decade of experience with brokering business sales has shown him that human skills are essential for establishing and nurturing the relationships that ultimately lead to success for his clients.
“Although AI is a great tool in many areas, it does not provide the human element needed for negotiating or for relationship building,” Aagaard warns. “The people skills that a good and experienced broker brings to the table are invaluable to the work we do.”
Cooperhawk specializes in building connections and trust
Aagaard rejects the scattergun approach some brokers take to building connections, in which they blast listings to a wide market and hope that someone takes notice. He founded Cooperhawk on the premise that business brokerage should be laser-focused, matching businesses with qualified buyers who understand their value and potential.
“We’ve studied every industry and built the most comprehensive network in the business,” Aagaard says. “Our relationships provide us with a depth of knowledge that allows us to provide candid, straightforward guidance every time, designed to give our clients what they need to make informed decisions and avoid the headaches others experience when going it alone.”
Leveraging AI for repetitive and time-consuming business processes like filtering and organizing data has allowed Cooperhawk to commit even more resources to establishing and nurturing relationships. It also makes it easier for Aagaard and his team to have the intel and focus they need to facilitate the negotiations central to the work they do for their clients.
“Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are often the binder for the buyers and the sellers in a transaction,” Aagaard explains. “Human emotions can and often run high in these transactions, and the human touch a broker brings can be very impactful in keeping things together or smoothing over uncomfortable moments. Being empathetic and supportive, promoting teamwork, and resolving issues are all valuable skills that AI isn’t capable of providing. But unleashing AI in other areas makes us better able to provide that critical human connection in the moments when it is most important.”
Cooperhawk prioritizes industry experience over technological efficiency
The capabilities AI has brought to the business world are truly amazing, especially for industries like business brokering, where data analytics play a key role. But those capabilities aren’t flawless. Aagaard and his team know that AI can make misrepresentations that lead to dangerous outcomes, so they ensure that all of the outputs AI provides are carefully evaluated by human experts.
“We don’t expect AI to be 100 percent accurate,” Aagaard says. “We want to simplify the process for our clients, and AI can certainly help with that. But that doesn’t mean we blindly trust the technology. Thoroughness, which includes making sure AI is accurate, is something we are obsessed with.”
Aagaard’s experience, which includes a decade of work with one of Minnesota’s leading business brokerage firms, has taught him that clients need clear guidance, thorough preparation, and personal attention. From self-assessment to closing, he and his team stay hands-on, proactive, and focused on delivering the best possible outcome. Anything that might derail that process, including the threat of an AI hallucination, is carefully considered and addressed.
Cooperhawk attracts clients with a commitment to custom-tailored service
Studies show that businesses must find a balance between AI-powered automation and human-guided interactions if they are to thrive in today’s business environment. Cooperhawk has found that balance, leveraging tools that drive efficiency while also staying committed to a process driven by human relationships and sensibilities.
“Our clients say they value our work ethic, transparency, and industry knowledge,” Aagaard shares. “Those are qualities we are going to bring to the table every time. It’s our way of showing we take your business seriously, value your time, and prioritize personalized service, overseen by humans and delivered with integrity.”
