Differentiate w/ 1yo baby at meetings
Differentiate by bringing your 1yo baby to meetings with sellers. "It's very disarming, and it immediately makes
2026
78 posts
Defining an industry's inning
PE investors like to acquire companies in industries that are fragmented, growing, and not yet saturated with capital. But how
Acquire HoldCo Infrastructure
Large-cap PE funds build massive centralized "ops" teams to support the portfolio. Independent sponsors can't
Don't build for your acquirer
Some PE acquirers specialize on knowing their exit: "We know who will acquire this company, so let's
Seller's rollover equity, what's the sweetspot
The amount of rollover equity from the seller affects the pre-closing dynamics, transition risks, and continuity of operations. Almost
First-time sponsor's experiences from the field
First-time sponsor's experiences from the field: "I spent a lot of time on a deal early
Cold calling for deal sourcing
Cold phone outreach = Differentiated deal sourcing Nobody does it = Opportunity Colin Stuart started his career in an outbound call center,
Finder's fee, what's market
Finder's fee ($), what's market: I've recently seen three versions: (1) Lehman formula is the
Singular KPIs
Tires per hour 🛞 That was the crucial KPI for Chandos Mahon at his waste management company. He attributes half of
Avoid 1st deal in rollup to be premium valuation
I don't love when the first LOI in a rollup thesis is at a premium valuation. "We&
Buy & Build = Faster exits?
Buy & Build = Faster exits? You might think a consolidation will require more time due to all the M&
Beware addbacks & adjustments
Eugene Polevoy claims there are incentives all-around to get a deal done, which inevitably leads to aggressive addbacks &
Too much debt chasing too few deals
"Dealflow is getting harder and harder," say several SBICs. Private credit (incl. SBIC) was all the rage in
Dealmakers are a special breed
It's brutally hard to close a deal, both at entry and exit. IYKYK. Congrats to all of you
Transitioning to the next generation (GP)
Transition Capital Partners is a mainstay in Dallas private equity. Jason Faucett and his team are the 4th generation of
Unsolicited inbound offers
If you receive an unsolicited inbound offer for your business, do not accept right away. Inbounds won’t walk away,
"We are not operators."
"We are not operators." Most independent sponsors insist they're (more) operations-focused (than others). It'
M&A attorneys vs. Litigators
M&A attorneys and litigators are two separate species. Many small business owners use the same lawyer for everything,
Investor bringing lender
“My deal has $1.6m of EBITDA. I was looking for a conservative, non-PG senior note, of maybe $2m,
Timing debt vs. equity
Socialize deals early with lenders, maybe even before the LOI. Gauge their appetite, get feedback to form a sources &
Getting involved on boards
"I would love to get involved as a board member." A lot of successful people love the idea
iGlobal Miami (March 2026)
iGlobal in Miami. 500 people. The independent sponsor space continues to grow and attract top finance talent. Thanks to Robert
Maximizing the multiple
Growing EBITDA is the biggest driver for expanding the valuation, but you also need to build a better & more
Hiring at GP-level for better talent
"You can attract better talent when hiring at the GP level." For independent sponsors with multiple platforms, consider
