Synergy Business Services was started out of a true passion to serve the small business community in Northwest Arkansas. Founded by husband and wife team, Chris Taylor, MBA and Barbara Taylor, MBA, Synergy Business Services represents the culmination of decades of corporate and small business experience.

In addition to working for Fortune 500 companies, Synergy’s founders have started, managed or sold seven businesses of their own. It was out of the latter experience that the Taylors realized how much they enjoyed the entire process surrounding one of the most critical times in the life of a small business: the moment of sale.

The Brokers at Synergy Business Services are dedicated to serving small business owners (and those who are striving to become owners), and have extensive backgrounds as both general business people and entrepreneurs.

Please read our BIOS to learn more about our qualifications.

Chris Taylor, MBA
Owner/Business Broker

Chris is a lifetime "serial entrepreneur," and has started, managed and sold companies in a variety of industries, including durable medical equipment, custom machining, data storage and gourmet foods. Growing up in Colorado, Chris worked in the family’s wood products and other small businesses. Throughout his professional career, Chris has worked in both government and corporate positions in Colorado, Arizona and Washington. Before moving to Northwest Arkansas with his family in 2003, he was a Business Development Manager in the wireless data division of Western Wireless Corporation, (acquired by Alltel), and was instrumental in launching the company’s first wireless data network.

Chris remains a true entrepreneur at heart, and is the driving force behind Synergy Business Services. He received his undergraduate degree in Business at the University of Northern Colorado, and his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Entrepreneurship at Seattle Pacific University. During his graduate studies, he was also a consultant for the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Barbara Taylor, MBA
Owner/Business Broker

Barbara brings over a decade of corporate Marketing experience to Synergy Business Services, along with her more recent experiences as a small business owner. Barbara spent the bulk of her professional career in the wireless telecommunications industry in the Pacific Northwest in several Marketing roles. During her tenure at AirTouch Communications (now Verizon), she worked in Retail Promotions and Sports & Event Marketing. After a brief stint working for two "dot com" start-ups in Seattle in the late 1990’s, Barbara returned to the wireless industry as a Product Marketing Manager in the wireless data division of Western Wireless Corporation (now Alltel).

It wasn’t’ until moving to NWA with husband, Chris, in 2003 that Barbara got her first taste of entrepreneurship. The couple opened a retail gourmet espresso business with multiple locations in Bentonville, and then successfully sold the company in 2006. Barbara also worked as a Sales Analyst for a Wal-Mart supplier. Barbara particularly enjoys working with women business owners, and assisting them with their unique challenges, and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).   She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Seattle Pacific University, and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis on Marketing and Business Law from Seattle University.

Jerry Dou
Business Broker

Jerry Dou has resided in Northwest Arkansas for over 29 years and is a graduate of Springdale High School. Since graduating from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, Jerry has spent over nine years working for Fortune 500 companies including Entergy Corporation and American Express Corporation. Most recently, Jerry worked for JB Hunt Transport as an Engineering Manager and IT Project Manager.

Growing up in Springdale Arkansas, Jerry worked and managed his family’s business for over ten years. An entrepreneur at heart, Jerry and his wife started their own real estate company in 2005; Element Realty Group. Within a year, Element Realty Group was ranked as the 25th largest real estate company based on total sales in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. Jerry has also held Sr. Vice President positions at Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Century 21 Realty. Jerry is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Arkansas.