Investing in established, cash‑flowing, small businesses
We back entrepreneurs who are buying a business and owners who are growing one, with $300k – $2m of capital + real operational experience.
Why Entrepreneurs Work With Us
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By Entrepreneurs, for Entrepreneurs
As past searchers and business builders ourselves, we understand the unique challenges and rewards of buying and scaling a small business.
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Encouraging Partners
We don’t just fund companies. We invest in people. From day one, we’re here as trusted allies, helping the people we back lead with clarity and confidence.
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Long-Term Approach
We are patient capital, focused not only on the current deal but on the long-term future and relationship as well.
If You’re Buying a Business
Our ideal acquisition: a trustworthy searcher buying an enduring business.
Profitable, stable, boring? Beautiful. We invest $300k – $2m, from LOI through close and beyond, in businesses with the following characteristics:
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Under 5x Multiple
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Earnings of $750k+
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History of Profitability
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Low Customer Concentration
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Low CapEx
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Low Cyclicality
Investor Terms
See how standard self-funded search investment terms work.
A short walkthrough of how self-funded search investor terms are typically structured.
Under LOI? Here’s how we determine if we’re the right fit for each other:
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Screen
We perform an initial review based on deal teasers, and a screening call with our Chief of Staff, to determine if the deal is obviously outside our sweet spot, in which case we pass.
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Analyze
We sign the NDA for deals that pass the initial screen. We analyze the financial model to approximate investor returns in conservative growth scenarios. We review for other red flags (high customer concentration, etc.).
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Meet
After determining that a deal seems to work on paper, we introduce the searcher to our deal team, first virtually and then ideally in-person if mutual interest in the opportunity continues to grow.
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Deep-Dive
When a deal reaches this stage we dive into due diligence alongside you. We want to make sure both of us are making a wise investment, and will do everything we can to help you stress-test that.
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Support and Grow
Post close, we provide support, typically through advisory board participation, leveraging our entrepreneurial experience and network to help you operate successfully.
If You’re Growing a Business
Growth capital for trades owners. You stay in control.
We invest $300k – $2m for a minority stake in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies. You run it. You never have to sell it.
Meet our Founder
Grant Hensel
Hi, I’m Grant.
I’ve started businesses 10 times:
- 2 acquired
- 7 failed
- 1 still growing (Nonprofit Megaphone, 60+ employees with a great leadership team)
It only took me 30 years to realize, in 2023, that perhaps it was better to buy than build.
I became a searcher because of love: my wife Julia worked at BCG (great job, but you work every hour of the day and night), and we wanted her to have more flexibility & ownership. Period.
I did the search (which was actually a lot of fun), and Julia operates the business we acquired. It’s called Lexigate, a firm specializing in SEO for personal injury attorneys.
It was such a good experience that we started investing personally in other self-funded searchers. We’ve now raised a fund (Entrepreneurial Capital!) to write larger checks and support self-funded searchers more holistically.
Today we also back owners who are growing the businesses they already run.
It’s great to meet you!
More from Entrepreneurial Capital
Media
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Ready to connect?
Whether you’re a searcher, independent sponsor, business owner, investor, or service provider for the ecosystem, we’d love to meet you.