Written by Charlotte Johnson
SKROL, a Miami-based startup, is turning heads in the finance world, but not with the usual fintech crowd. Far removed from speculative markets and the blockchain buzz, SKROL is tackling a critical, often overlooked challenge: securing the future of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With no shortage of challenges—from succession planning gaps to operational inefficiencies—many SMBs face an uncertain future, despite their vital role in local economies.
SKROL’s CFO, Mitja Sadar, is bringing together over a decade of innovative finance expertise with an in-house AI solution to streamline the acquisition, modernization, and growth of these businesses. In this conversation, Mitja shares his journey, how SKROL is rewriting the rulebook for SMB financing, and why these businesses are too important to ignore.
Your career spans billion-dollar deals and operational turnarounds. How does that experience inform SKROL’s mission?
It’s been a fascinating journey. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked on many projects that showed me how traditional financial playbooks often box businesses in. At Grover, I had the chance to experiment with more creative strategies.
SKROL builds on those experiences, including the unique focus on SMBs. These businesses are often overlooked because they don’t fit conventional finance models, but they’re incredibly important. SMBs have created the majority of new jobs since the pandemic and are, by nature, entrepreneurial. We see a lot of value in them.
So, by adapting proven, high-growth strategies from startups, we’ve found we can unlock a lot of the untapped value in SMBs, helping them modernize and, ultimately, securing a stronger future.
Succession planning seems central to SKROL’s work. Why is this such a pressing need?
SMBs are the backbone of most economies, but many are at a crossroads. Owners are aging out, and in many cases, they don’t have a succession plan. A lot of these businesses are family-run, but not every next-generation member wants to take over. Without a transition strategy, they stagnate or, worse, close down.
This is where SKROL wants to step in. Our AI platform identifies SMBs with strong fundamentals but no clear path forward. We streamline acquisitions and provide the financial and operational support they need. Where necessary, our team also helps modernize their practices. So, we’re not just keeping these businesses afloat, we’re helping them grow into their full potential while honoring the legacy they’ve built.
Your work at Grover included an unprecedented $1 billion financing deal leveraging inventory. How does that kind of thinking shape SKROL’s strategy?
That was a turning point for me— it showed how creative financial engineering can unlock growth in unexpected ways. We’re bringing the same experimental mindset to SMBs.
Most SMB owners are lean operators. They don’t have large finance teams or specialists for due diligence. We frequently discover untapped value hidden in their assets, operations, or customer base. By combining these insights with AI-driven analytics, we help SMBs achieve more with what they already have.
How does SKROL use AI to achieve its goals?
Our two flagship tools, SKROL AI and FlowSign, are designed to simplify some of the most complex and time-consuming aspects of SMB acquisition.
SKROL AI is, in more than one sense, an extension of our team. It helps us identify and evaluate acquisition opportunities with the highest potential, saving time on due diligence and ensuring we focus on businesses that fit our mission.
FlowSign, on the other hand, is more oriented towards our partners and the deal-making process. It combines contract management, real-time collaboration, and payment processing into one platform, helping SMB owners close deals more quickly and efficiently. While these tools are standard for larger enterprises, they’re rarely tailored for SMBs, and that’s where we’re hoping to make a difference.
What makes SKROL’s approach different from other SMB-focused platforms?
We’re very hands on. Our AI tools are trained directly on our own financing and due diligence strategies.
We also respect the individuality of the businesses we work with. Not every SMB needs a complete overhaul. If a company’s fundamentals are strong, we focus on continuity and support. Everything we do is tailored to the business—meeting them where they are and helping them navigate complexity without adding to it. We’re partners in the process.
SKROL has ambitious goals, but your work at Grover suggests you’re no stranger to achieving the extraordinary. What’s your vision for the company’s future?
We’re looking to become the leading global platform for SMB acquisition. Our roadmap includes acquiring 5,000 businesses across the U.S. and LATAM by 2025, with expansions into Japan, South Korea, the EU, and the UK by 2026. We’re anticipating a lot of traction.
But we also want to create an ecosystem where retiring SMB owners can transition their businesses knowing they’re in good hands. These businesses have earned a future, and we’re here to make sure they get one.
