Built by Experience, Guided by Empathy.
Keli Johnson understands entrepreneurship from firsthand experience. Raised in an entrepreneurial family, she has spent much of her life immersed in business ownership. Alongside her husband, she has built multiple businesses over the years, experiencing both successes and setbacks firsthand. She eventually went on to found, build, and successfully sell her own retail business alongside a highly profitable online storefront. Those experiences gave her a deep appreciation for the resilience, sacrifice, and persistence required to build something meaningful and shapes the empathy she brings to founders today.
Today, one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work is helping entrepreneurs realize the rewards of decades of hard work through a successful transition.
It is also what drew her to Raincatcher.
Having gone through the process herself, Keli understood how important it is for founders to have an advisor who is genuinely aligned with their best interests. Raincatcher’s seller-first philosophy immediately stood out to her because the focus was not simply on getting a transaction done. It was about helping owners make informed decisions and guiding them toward the right outcome for their lives, businesses, and long-term goals.
During her own transaction, she realized too late that she did not fully understand the process or the questions she should have been asking. That experience became foundational to the advisor she is today.
Now, she prioritizes educating founders throughout the process and helping them fully understand their options, even when the best decision may not be to sell. She believes strong advisory work requires objectivity, honesty, and the ability to guide founders through both the strategic and emotional sides of a transaction.
One of the aspects of M&A Keli believes is most underestimated is the emotional weight founders carry throughout the process. Selling a business is not simply a financial event. It is often tied to identity, legacy, family, and years of hard work. While preparation and process matter tremendously, she believes having a trusted advisor who can provide perspective and clarity during difficult moments can make all the difference.
Preparation, she emphasizes, has a direct impact on outcomes. Founders who begin early by organizing financials, documenting operations, strengthening leadership teams, and understanding their options ultimately create more flexibility and opportunity when the time comes to sell.
With nearly two decades of experience spanning sales, marketing, negotiations, and entrepreneurship, Keli brings both technical business knowledge and a highly relational approach to her work. Clients often value her ability to listen carefully, connect authentically, and guide conversations with empathy and integrity. In every engagement, she brings an adaptable mindset, understanding that no two founders or transactions are ever exactly alike.
One moment that has stayed with her most came months after a transaction had already closed. On a Saturday evening, a former client sent her a text sharing how happy they were spending time at home enjoying the retirement they had worked so hard to achieve. For Keli, it was a powerful reminder that this work extends far beyond closing transactions. At its best, it helps founders move confidently into the next chapter of their lives.
Outside of work, Keli enjoys spending time with her husband, their two teenagers, longtime friends, and their three rescue dogs. A California native, she loves being outdoors and staying active through boating, yoga, hiking, snowboarding, and time at the beach. Across both her personal and professional life, she strives to bring the same values to everything she does: honesty, integrity, and genuine care for the people around her.
Whether you’re actively exploring a sale or simply planning ahead, Keli welcomes the opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and share perspective from firsthand experience.
