Private equity & search funds

Talk to owners before the banker does

The best deals are the ones that never go to auction. We start quiet, personal conversations with the owners of companies that fit your thesis, and with the advisors they trust, from your partners' own profiles.

Book a free outreach audit

Who we reach

The people who decide when a company changes hands, and who they talk to first.

  1. Business owners

    Owner · Founder · President · CEO

    Most owners in the lower middle market aren't actively selling. A relationship started years before they are is how proprietary deals happen.

  2. M&A advisors & business brokers

    Managing Director · M&A Advisor · Business Broker

    They bring deals to the buyers they know and trust to close. Be on their short list.

  3. Owners' advisors

    CPA · Business Attorney · Wealth Advisor

    When an owner starts thinking about an exit, these are the first people they ask.

What the messages look like

The first message when they accept. If they don't reply, a second one written from something new on their profile. We stop the moment they reply.

See examples for every industry

Example · Owner, family-owned HVAC distributor, Charlotte

Message 1 · when they accept

thanks for connecting. you took over the business from your father in 2015 and have opened two new branches since, which is not easy to do with a family company. i invest in family-owned distribution businesses here in the southeast. have you thought much about what the next ten years look like for the business?

Message 2 · a few days later, no reply yet

saw your post about bringing on your first operations manager. that's usually the moment an owner starts working on the business instead of in it. open to a 15 minute call sometime? no agenda, i just like comparing notes with owners in the industry.

Fictional example of the format.

Be ready before the first reply

Outreach brings conversations. These are what buyers will ask about next. We check each one on the audit.

See how the outreach works, step by step.

  • Your thesis in plain words: sectors, size, and geography
  • A clear answer to "why sell to you" for an owner who built the company
  • A partner or principal who takes the first call
  • Compliance sign-off on the message wording

Common questions

Do messages mention buying their company?
No. First messages are an introduction and one question about their business. The conversation about a deal comes later, on a call.

Other industries

See who buys in your area

Thirty minutes. We count your buyers on LinkedIn and tell you straight whether outreach fits.

Book a free outreach audit