Tess Ludwig is the person in a founder’s corner from the very first conversation to the moment the deal closes. As an Acquisition Associate at Merge, she supports agency founders through every stage of the acquisition process, starting by learning each founder’s story and translating it into a compelling prospectus that captures what makes their business truly special. From there she brings the opportunity to market, connects founders with qualified buyers, and guides them through LOIs, due diligence, and all the way to a successful close. Her goal every single time is to make the process feel seamless and to make sure founders walk away with the outcome they actually deserve.

What drew Tess to M&A was the chance to be present for one of the most pivotal moments in a founder’s career. Selling a business is a significant decision, and watching both sides come together to create the right long-term partnership is one of the most fulfilling things she gets to do. There is nothing better than seeing a founder achieve their goals and step into an exciting new chapter.

Tess combines strategic thinking with a relationship-first approach. She brings structure and analytical rigor to every deal, but she also knows that great outcomes come from truly understanding people. One transaction she is especially proud of involved navigating LOI negotiations to transform an initial offer into one that genuinely reflected the founder’s priorities, securing better terms on cash at close, valuation, and transition period. Seeing the founder’s reaction when they heard the final outcome made every hour of work worth it.

What excites Tess most about Merge is helping founders find the right buyer and negotiate a deal they are genuinely happy with. Seeing clients achieve what they worked so hard to build is what gets her going every single day.

Empathy is the value at the heart of everything Tess does. Selling a business is one of the biggest decisions a founder will ever make, and she believes it is her job to understand not just the financial goals but the personal ones too. Every founder she works with should feel heard, supported, and confident throughout the entire process. Her colleagues would describe her as positive, optimistic, and the kind of person who celebrates everyone’s wins while keeping a can-do attitude even when things get challenging.

Outside of work, Tess is always up for a little friendly competition. She loves playing Canasta, recently learned Mah Jong, and plays for fun but absolutely comes to win. And if you need a restaurant recommendation, she is your person. She ran a food Instagram called @annarbor_eats in college with over 25K followers, eating her way through Ann Arbor one restaurant at a time.