In this episode of the M&A Launchpad Podcast, hosts Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa sit down with Kevin Ramsier, founder of Sier Capital, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a private equity platform.
Kevin shares his journey from leaving a stable corporate career to launching a firm built on disciplined deal sourcing, strong relationships, and flexible investment structures. He explains why private equity success hinges on three core pillars—equity, deals, and people—and how an imbalance in any one area can limit growth.
The conversation goes beyond theory and dives into execution, highlighting the realities of sourcing deals, structuring investments, and surrounding yourself with people who elevate the business. Kevin also reflects on risk-taking, adaptability, and the personal growth that comes with entrepreneurship in the M&A space.
Key Topics Discussed
- Transitioning from corporate stability to entrepreneurship
- Why people are the true unfair advantage in private equity
- The three legs of the private equity stool: equity, deals, and people
- Relationship-driven deal sourcing strategies
- Flexibility in deal structuring and investor alignment
- Lessons learned from scaling a private equity firm
- Risk, vision, and adapting to changing market conditions
Contact:
Kevin Ramsier Founder, Sier Capital kramsier@siercapital.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askramsier/
Additional Resources
- Sponsored by O’Connell Advisory Group – Work with a trusted Quality of Earnings and Financial Diligence partner who focuses solely on business acquisitions.
Visit: www.oconnelladvisorygroup.com.
- Join us at the M&A Launchpad Conference on May 2, 2026 in Houston. Use code: LAUNCH for $150 Off. Get details: https://malaunchpad.com
- Contact Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa: info@equitylaunchpad.com. Explore more: https://www.equity-launchpad.com
🎧 Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-LM-MVbzonQ
🎧 Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6eEtkftbyzFnFrFWUdxQ0v
🎧 Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mastering-deals-capital-and-people-with-kevin-ramsier/id1740382586?i=1000746251522
Transcript
00:01 Hey there, this is Casey with the M&A
00:03
00:03 Launchpad podcast. I want to invite you
00:05
00:05 to our next conference May 2nd, 2026 in
00:09
00:09 Houston, Texas. Now, this is a one-day
00:11
00:11 high impact event for anyone serious
00:13
00:13 about mergers and acquisitions, and it’s
00:16
00:16 our third one, and it’s going to be
00:17
00:17 huge. You get to hear from top industry
00:19
00:19 experts about sourcing deals, running
00:22
00:22 due diligence, structuring deals, and
00:23
00:23 raising capitals. Plus, you’re going to
00:25
00:25 meet our vendors, people that we have
00:27
00:27 used and people that like to help you
00:29
00:29 source, find diligence, and get your
00:31
00:31 deal to the finish line. I want to do a
00:33
00:33 special thank you for our podcast
00:34
00:34 listeners, and we’re going to offer a
00:36
00:36 limited time discount code launch lun.
00:40
00:40 This is for a discount on your tickets.
00:42
00:42 Now, our past attendees love the
00:44
00:44 conference. We feel like we’re going to
00:45
00:45 have a lot of return. Listeners, if this
00:47
00:47 is your first time, we can’t wait to see
00:48
00:48 you there. Mark your calendars. May 2nd,
00:51
00:51 2026 in Houston. We can’t wait to see
00:54
00:54 you.
00:55
00:55 >> All right, on today’s episode, we
00:56
00:56 interviewed Kevin Ramsayire where we did
00:59
00:59 a deep dive into what it’s like to build
01:01
01:01 really a small private equity company,
01:03
01:03 right? How he kind of got the start, how
01:06
01:06 they find deals, how they find equity,
01:09
01:09 how they find people, and most
01:10
01:10 importantly, how do you operate the
01:12
01:12 business, right? And this one was really
01:14
01:14 inspirational for Casey and I. It’s very
01:15
01:15 similar to the vision of what we’re
01:17
01:17 doing and kind of where we’re going. And
01:19
01:19 we learned a lot of little nuggets from
01:20
01:20 this one. So, Casey, what were some of
01:22
01:22 your takeaways? I mean, it’s it’s it’s
01:24
01:24 our track. It’s where we’re going,
01:25
01:25 right? And when you meet these people
01:26
01:26 that help you tell the story of where
01:28
01:28 they started and they grow. And
01:29
01:29 remember, you know, when you listen to
01:31
01:31 this, Kevin’s been doing this for 25
01:32
01:32 years. And he started to attract high
01:35
01:35 quality talent to his team 10 years ago
01:38
01:38 to then take it and scale it and take
01:40
01:40 what he had done. So, he was ground
01:42
01:42 pound, grassroots, buy a company, dig
01:44
01:44 in, make it work. And he did it time
01:46
01:46 after time. I’m talking about buy a
01:48
01:48 company, fly out to that company, live
01:50
01:50 there for two years, get it right, move
01:53
01:53 to the next one. And to have that kind
01:55
01:55 of commitment, that operator mentality,
01:57
01:57 and then to say, “Hey, I can scale this
01:59
01:59 and grow this.” And that’s what he’s
01:60
02:00 been able to do. Very, you know, just
02:02
02:02 just spoke to me all the way around. Uh
02:05
02:05 very incredible podcast.
02:06
02:06 >> Yeah. Know and kind of again, we dive
02:08
02:08 into really how do you start to grow?
02:11
02:11 How do you start to scale, right? And
02:12
02:12 from that smaller ones to the bigger
02:13
02:13 ones and the pros and cons of those and
02:15
02:15 how do you find those businesses? So
02:16
02:16 again, lots of things to kind of think
02:18
02:18 about for ourselves and I’m sure
02:20
02:20 listeners will find the same.
02:25
02:25 >> Hey Kevin, welcome to the show.
02:27
02:27 >> Hey, thanks for having me. I appreciate
02:29
02:29 it. It’s great to be here.
02:30
02:30 >> Yeah, nice. We’re looking forward to
02:32
02:32 learning more about you and uh hearing
02:33
02:33 your story. So why don’t you jump in?
02:36
02:36 Tell us a little bit about your
02:37
02:37 background and and what you’re doing
02:38
02:38 now.
02:39
02:39 >> Sure, I will. I uh my name is Kevin
02:41
02:41 Ramsey. I am a managing partner, founder
02:44
02:44 of Sire Capital Partners. Um, I’ll talk
02:47
02:47 about from the beginning. I grew up uh
02:50
02:50 with a single parent. My mom raised me
02:52
02:52 by herself outside of Akran, Ohio. And
02:54
02:54 we didn’t grow up with a lot. So, I
02:56
02:56 always had a business and uh as a kid to
02:59
02:59 afford football cleat or something else
03:01
03:01 that I wanted or clothes or something
03:03
03:03 like that. And I I grew that business
03:06
03:06 and and became, you know, my mom wanted
03:08
03:08 me to go to college. And that was a a
03:10
03:10 lawn care business. And I still tell her
03:12
03:12 to this day, if she wouldn’t have made
03:13
03:13 me go to college, I have the largest
03:15
03:15 landscaping business in the country. And
03:17
03:17 they’re selling for pretty big multiples
03:19
03:19 now. But she really wanted me to go to
03:21
03:21 college, be the first one in my family,
03:23
03:23 go work for a big company, rise up the
03:25
03:25 corporate ladder. She was worked in a
03:27
03:27 factory her whole life, and that was
03:29
03:29 really important to her. So I
03:31
03:31 begrudgingly followed that path. I went
03:34
03:34 to a small school in Ohio. Uh played
03:36
03:36 football there and learned how to really
03:39
03:39 become a leader, I guess. Um a role that
03:42
03:42 I had never taken or stepped out of
03:44
03:44 outside of, you know, my small local
03:46
03:46 business. And I get out, I get a job at
03:49
03:49 Invesco, um a large global investment
03:52
03:52 firm raising capital for their
03:54
03:54 strategies. And I end up being there for
03:58
03:58 10 years. And I always say this, I I I
04:01
04:01 think a lot of people are in this space
04:03
04:03 where I really became a victim of my own
04:06
04:06 success. I was, you know, financially
04:08
04:08 making more money than I ever thought
04:10
04:10 possible as a little boy. But I woke up
04:12
04:12 one day and really looked in the mirror
04:14
04:14 and said, I never thought I’d be this
04:16
04:16 financially successful, but I’m
04:18
04:18 literally the most unhappy I’ve ever
04:20
04:20 been. I was happier, you know, mowing
04:22
04:22 yards and building a team. I want that
04:24
04:24 feeling again. So,
04:25
04:25 >> golden handcuffs.
04:27
04:27 >> Yeah, exactly. It it really was that.
04:30
04:30 And um it’s funny how the things you
04:32
04:32 pray for as a little boy become a
04:34
04:34 reality and you’re like this isn’t what
04:36
04:36 it’s about. And um I I really pivoted to
04:40
04:40 my mother’s dismay. I put in my two
04:42
04:42 weeks and I said I’m going to go buy a
04:43
04:43 business. This was 25 years ago. And it
04:48
04:48 was not called, you know, a searcher or
04:50
04:50 an independent sponsor. It was just
04:51
04:51 called crazy back then. You know, this
04:53
04:53 uh it was literally I had hair when I
04:56
04:56 bought that business. And it started out
04:58
04:58 I brought on a partner and there was a
05:01
05:01 handful of it was a small little
05:02
05:02 business had five employees and we grew
05:05
05:05 it across the country in 34 states and
05:08
05:08 ended up selling it and it was a a giant
05:10
05:10 windfall for for both of us and I took
05:13
05:13 that money and started buying more
05:16
05:16 companies and doing the same. And then
05:18
05:18 >> what did that first company do?
05:20
05:20 >> We did u environmental indoor air
05:23
05:23 quality inspections. We we franchised
05:25
05:25 that across the country and we had
05:27
05:27 corporate owned locations and um it was
05:30
05:30 an awesome business and we we we it took
05:33
05:33 three years for us to get it right and
05:35
05:35 it was very stressful and there was
05:37
05:37 times when we didn’t think it would work
05:38
05:38 but we ended up figuring it out. Um, but
05:41
05:41 about 12 years ago, uh, my partner today
05:44
05:44 is Adam Altus. And Adam, I always say
05:47
05:47 this, but Adam’s just younger, a lot
05:49
05:49 better looking, and a lot smarter than
05:51
05:51 me. And Adam was probably going to go
05:54
05:54 work at a large private equity firm. And
05:56
05:56 came to me and said, “Look, you you got
05:58
05:58 a track record. You’re doing some things
05:59
05:59 that are interesting. I want to help you
06:01
06:01 scale that, institutionalize it.” And so
06:04
06:04 he stalked me a little bit. And then I
06:06
06:06 finally said, “Let’s do this.” And he
06:08
06:08 joined 12 years ago. And six years ago,
06:11
06:11 we added Adam. Uh Aaron Lazar is our
06:13
06:13 other partner now. And Aaron was at
06:16
06:16 Wharton and work for a large investment
06:18
06:18 bank and helps us kind of with financial
06:19
06:19 modeling and all of our existing
06:21
06:21 portfolio companies. But we’re a small
06:23
06:23 firm. There’s only three of us. We do a
06:25
06:25 couple acquisitions a year, help our
06:28
06:28 portfolio companies do acquisitions on
06:30
06:30 top of those initial ones. So, we’re
06:32
06:32 constantly busy and um we we look for
06:35
06:35 interesting people primarily to invest
06:38
06:38 and back and and and help them grow a
06:41
06:41 business into something great. And and I
06:45
06:45 live in Charlotte. My partners are in
06:47
06:47 New York. I’m in Charlotte. I have a
06:49
06:49 wonderful wife of over 20 years and and
06:51
06:51 four great kids and a and a giant dog.
06:54
06:54 >> I love it. Hey, so uh you know just one
06:57
06:57 of the things I can tell you is you know
06:58
06:58 it sounds like you attracted in your
06:60
06:60 journey some pretty you know highc
07:02
07:02 caliber guys that wanted to join your
07:04
07:04 team right so like you said you’re like
07:06
07:06 you’re like hey I you know I went to
07:08
07:08 school you know this is my story but you
07:10
07:10 know again you know the great sign of
07:12
07:12 leadership is surrounding yourself with
07:13
07:13 people that are better than you right
07:15
07:15 and it sounds like that that is what
07:17
07:17 you’ve been able to do to get your
07:18
07:18 capital and to get this company really
07:20
07:20 where sounds like it’s it’s it’s become
07:22
07:22 a dream come true
07:24
07:24 >> it it really has I I think um both of
07:27
07:27 them have made me so much better there.
07:30
07:30 We’re so much more effective as an
07:31
07:31 organization and able to do, you know,
07:35
07:35 own a dozen or so companies now and um
07:39
07:39 look at lots of them and and buy two or
07:41
07:41 three a year and with with just three
07:43
07:43 people, it’s been a very efficient
07:45
07:45 process that we have in place.
07:47
07:47 >> Yeah. And that’s, you know, that’s
07:48
07:48 what’s beautiful about this business is
07:50
07:50 it’s done correctly, right? The the
07:52
07:52 parent company doesn’t need to be
07:53
07:53 massive, right? All right. And I think
07:54
07:54 you know this is where you guys are very
07:56
07:56 similar to what we do at Equity
07:57
07:57 Launchpad, right? And I think we kind of
07:59
07:59 look at it as really there’s like three
07:60
08:00 legs to the stool, right? There is
08:02
08:02 finding equity, finding deals, and the
08:06
08:06 third one is finding people, right?
08:07
08:07 People that can go in, operate, have
08:09
08:09 experience set, skill set, and something
08:11
08:11 we can kind of build around. And so
08:13
08:13 maybe for the listeners, right, Kevin,
08:15
08:15 you want to just dive into each of those
08:16
08:16 and how do you guys look at it? And I’m
08:18
08:18 going to take notes too, right? Because
08:19
08:19 this helped make us a better company
08:20
08:20 probably as well.
08:22
08:22 Yeah, I I might add a fourth leg to make
08:24
08:24 it a a little sturdier stool. I think
08:26
08:26 postacquisition
08:28
08:28 uh it there is this role that we spend a
08:31
08:31 lot of time with our management teams um
08:34
08:34 helping them think through growth and
08:37
08:37 and how to tackle that and the pain that
08:40
08:40 comes with that. So whether it’s a
08:42
08:42 therapist helping solve problems,
08:44
08:44 helping open doors in our network to new
08:46
08:46 sales opportunities, that’s a lot of
08:48
08:48 what we do as well and and that we’re
08:51
08:51 really proud of. Postacquisition support
08:53
08:53 I think is probably another leg. But
08:55
08:55 give me your first those three legs
08:57
08:57 again and I’ll start when
08:59
08:59 >> equity deals and people.
09:01
09:01 >> Equity, deals, and people. So um on the
09:05
09:05 equity side, we’ve been very fortunate
09:06
09:06 and I think my time at Invesco being
09:08
09:08 introduced to a lot of um higher net
09:11
09:11 worth or family office type investors
09:15
09:15 um and and always being curious. It
09:17
09:17 started with, you know, sitting in these
09:19
09:19 people’s offices and saying someday I
09:21
09:21 want to be like this. I’m never going to
09:22
09:22 get there if I’m doing what I’m doing
09:24
09:24 now. I’ll be always happy, you know,
09:27
09:27 I’ll be financially secure, but I’m
09:29
09:29 really not going to have the freedom to
09:31
09:31 do to to do massive and huge
09:33
09:33 achievements. That’s really what I
09:35
09:35 wanted to do. And and asking them, look,
09:38
09:38 how did you do this? If you were me,
09:39
09:39 what would you do? Just being humble
09:41
09:41 questions. Um, that network began to
09:44
09:44 trust me. And, you know, I got good
09:46
09:46 advice. They’re like, you got to go out
09:47
09:47 and prove yourself as an operator, be
09:49
09:49 the CEO of some of these companies, grow
09:51
09:51 them, exit for large multiples, get
09:55
09:55 noticed, and and then you’re going to
09:57
09:57 attract dollars. And so we started doing
09:59
09:59 that and we had a goal of, you know,
10:01
10:01 making originally it was let’s make a
10:03
10:03 hundred multi-millionaires out of our
10:05
10:05 out of our management team. So we would
10:07
10:07 give them equity and we were able to do
10:09
10:09 that. We we were able to create this and
10:12
10:12 some of our sellers would roll equity in
10:14
10:14 with us and and their second bite after
10:17
10:17 we sold was worth more than what we
10:19
10:19 originally bought them. And so the
10:20
10:20 equity started coming to us. I think
10:22
10:22 success breeds success. And as we showed
10:26
10:26 we our ability to find really good
10:28
10:28 businesses
10:30
10:30 um that were doing something special in
10:32
10:32 maybe one geography or maybe one
10:34
10:34 industry and we could grow them
10:36
10:36 significantly.
10:38
10:38 Um that word started getting around
10:41
10:41 through you know our investor friends
10:44
10:44 had friends that were like hey you
10:46
10:46 should take a look at these guys. So it
10:47
10:47 really happened organically and today
10:50
10:50 we’ve got uh our last deal we were way
10:53
10:53 overs subscribed. So we are in a really
10:56
10:56 good spot there on both I would say the
10:58
10:58 the equity markets. Um, I would say on
11:01
11:01 the on the capital stack side, on the
11:03
11:03 debt side, 10 years ago, that was our
11:05
11:05 challenge, right, of like how do we find
11:08
11:08 how do we get bankable deals that people
11:10
11:10 would really look at? And today, we’ve
11:12
11:12 I’d say we’ve got a dozen to 15 really
11:16
11:16 good banking relationships that will
11:18
11:18 compete on our on our deals to put a
11:21
11:21 little bit of debt so our equity dollars
11:22
11:22 go go more. So, that would be the equity
11:25
11:25 side. Any questions on that leg of the
11:26
11:26 stool? You know, I’ll say that, you
11:28
11:28 know, we so we just got back from our
11:30
11:30 World’s Conference, right?
11:31
11:31 >> And last year when I went, it was like I
11:34
11:34 was going there for three hours. Uh it
11:36
11:36 was just like, wow, I there was so much
11:39
11:39 to know. I didn’t realize this because
11:41
11:41 being more of a guy that had acquired a
11:42
11:42 business with SBA and then used went
11:45
11:45 moved up to bank finance and on our
11:47
11:47 second acquisition and then you started
11:50
11:50 learning about like all these different
11:51
11:51 things. And so this year I was able to
11:53
11:53 bring Ferris with me and another partner
11:55
11:55 and to then go, “Wow, look at all of
11:58
11:58 these tools in the toolbox we have at
11:60
11:60 our disposal, right? And start looking
12:02
12:02 at as that kind of mindset.” So it’s one
12:05
12:05 of these like really refreshing. So like
12:06
12:06 with equity and I’m going to just
12:08
12:08 confirm what you were saying. A lot of
12:09
12:09 the guys that I talked to were like,
12:10
12:10 “Hey, look, you know, get a few of your
12:13
12:13 deals, move the capital.” like, you
12:15
12:15 know, everybody wants to buy and hold
12:17
12:17 these things forever, but if you can buy
12:19
12:19 and get a return for your investors in
12:21
12:21 your your early years of your
12:22
12:22 independent sponsor, the equity is going
12:24
12:24 to come and find you. Like, you don’t
12:26
12:26 have to worry about that. You get those
12:27
12:27 MLC’s, move the D, get it down the road,
12:30
12:30 and so you’re going to what what a lot
12:32
12:32 of the other guys were saying like
12:33
12:33 success breeds success.
12:35
12:35 >> Absolutely. And and you bring up a good
12:38
12:38 point. We do have a couple businesses
12:40
12:40 where we love and uh I think the
12:43
12:43 flexibility of our structure, not having
12:45
12:45 a fund and not having to be holding to
12:47
12:47 that. We have bought them out four or
12:49
12:49 five years into the investment because
12:51
12:51 we some of these businesses I could see
12:54
12:54 my future great, you know, my future
12:56
12:56 grandchildren working in them and that’s
12:57
12:57 awesome.
12:58
12:58 >> And uh and we love the growth trajectory
13:00
13:00 and and the possibility not only over
13:02
13:02 the next year but over the next decade
13:04
13:04 plus.
13:05
13:05 >> Yeah. So, it sounds like you syndicate
13:06
13:06 the equity from just kind of retail
13:09
13:09 investors, right? And you’re not doing
13:11
13:11 it in a fund. It’s not a blind fund.
13:12
13:12 It’s, hey, here’s the business we’re
13:13
13:13 buying. Here’s what it looks like. And
13:15
13:15 people participate, right? I think
13:17
13:17 that’s the same model that we have
13:18
13:18 today. And it’s just, you know, I like
13:20
13:20 to tell people that investors like to
13:22
13:22 think that they’re getting to choose. I
13:25
13:25 I’m investing in plating or I’m
13:27
13:27 investing in water or I’m investing in
13:29
13:29 e-com, whatever it is that people are
13:30
13:30 buying. But in reality, they’re still
13:32
13:32 betting on the jockey, right? But
13:33
13:33 investors really struggle, I think, with
13:35
13:35 a blind fund of saying we’re going to
13:37
13:37 buy this kind of business because they
13:39
13:39 want to have that level of, you know, at
13:40
13:40 least that feeling like they got to
13:42
13:42 choose the type of business that they’re
13:43
13:43 uh participating in.
13:45
13:45 >> Yeah, I agree. And and having a
13:47
13:47 relationship with I would call them
13:48
13:48 institutional investors since I was, you
13:50
13:50 know, in my early 20s and calling on
13:52
13:52 them to raise capital. I’ve seen an an
13:55
13:55 evolution there where there is an
13:57
13:57 appetite for
13:59
13:59 um not wanting to be an LP in a fund
14:02
14:02 that they have no say on what goes on.
14:04
14:04 They they like being able to look at a
14:06
14:06 deal and saying, “hm, we might be able
14:07
14:07 to add some value here, open some doors
14:09
14:09 for you and having more say and and and
14:13
14:13 um and sway in on how the investment
14:16
14:16 looks.” I think that is becoming more
14:18
14:18 prevalent.
14:19
14:19 >> Now, Kevin, do you guys have a do you
14:21
14:21 have a thesis? Do you have stuff that
14:22
14:22 you guys do? And this is the type
14:24
14:24 businesses that you look for. Is that
14:25
14:25 kind of how you float or you guys have
14:27
14:27 gotten into where you have a lot of
14:28
14:28 different verticals that you that you
14:29
14:29 travel down?
14:32
14:32 >> Yeah, I would say we’re agnostic, but
14:33
14:33 there is some rhyme behind the madness
14:36
14:36 here. It is um I think it starts with
14:38
14:38 the people. Ideally, we have a
14:40
14:40 management team or an individual that
14:42
14:42 knows something or a lot about something
14:44
14:44 that we don’t. and um either a
14:48
14:48 management team that can’t afford to buy
14:50
14:50 the founder out and the founder would
14:52
14:52 love to sell it to them, but there’s a
14:54
14:54 disconnect there financially that we can
14:55
14:55 support. So, it all starts with people
14:58
14:58 for us. It always has. It is like, is
15:01
15:01 this going to be a great partner? We’re
15:02
15:02 going to spend a lot of time with this
15:04
15:04 person like a marriage and are we able
15:06
15:06 are we going to be able to get through
15:07
15:07 the tough times with this person and
15:09
15:09 celebrate the big wins. So, that’s the
15:11
15:11 first. The second would be the industry
15:13
15:13 is obviously important to us and we have
15:15
15:15 a really simple philosophy. We do a lot
15:17
15:17 of work here of do we believe whatever
15:19
15:19 this business is producing or servicing.
15:22
15:22 Do we think there’s going to be more of
15:24
15:24 this in 10 years than there is today and
15:27
15:27 can we go out do we feel with the people
15:28
15:28 we have in place that we can go earn a
15:30
15:30 greater share of that? I think size is
15:32
15:32 also has become more important for us.
15:35
15:35 We have went upscale as we’ve gotten
15:37
15:37 larger and that just makes things easier
15:39
15:39 to pay and attract and retain the people
15:41
15:41 that you want and to invest ahead of the
15:43
15:43 curve and projects that you want. I also
15:46
15:46 think it and it doesn’t have to have
15:48
15:48 this from day one, but we really push
15:50
15:50 our management teams what is our unfair
15:53
15:53 advantage. I think every great business
15:55
15:55 has an unfair advantage. It’s not
15:57
15:57 illegal or unethical or immoral, but
15:60
15:60 there’s something that makes it really
16:01
16:01 hard for people to compete against you.
16:03
16:03 And and we really try to uncover that
16:06
16:06 and pick and jab at that to make sure
16:07
16:07 that that is really strong. Um, we want
16:11
16:11 seller ethics. We want someone that is
16:13
16:13 highly ethical that is selling to us so
16:15
16:15 that we don’t get caught in a bind. And
16:18
16:18 me personally, I think we have a really
16:21
16:21 good uh internal disagreement. We have
16:24
16:24 our own three-person committee that
16:26
16:26 we’ll go back and forth on and we all
16:27
16:27 have to agree on it. And for us, it has
16:30
16:30 to be a if it’s a no or it’s a maybe,
16:33
16:33 we’re not going to do it obviously, but
16:34
16:34 it has to be a hell yes. And I
16:37
16:37 personally like when pe a lot of people
16:39
16:39 think this is a dumb idea. That makes me
16:41
16:41 like it more. So I I always push for
16:44
16:44 those types of things. But hopefully
16:45
16:45 that gives you a little flavor on some
16:47
16:47 of the things you
16:48
16:48 >> you know, it kind of puts some I mean
16:50
16:50 and it there is some similar, right?
16:51
16:51 You’ve been doing this for 25 years,
16:53
16:53 right? You’ve been in the industry. You
16:55
16:55 guys have been a partnership now for
16:57
16:57 what 10 years
16:60
16:60 >> over. Yeah. About a dec.
17:02
17:02 Yeah.
17:03
17:03 >> Yeah. And so Elite Equity Launchpad,
17:04
17:04 we’re three years in, right? We we’re
17:06
17:06 we’ve made two acquisitions and now
17:09
17:09 we’re starting to open up the tool
17:10
17:10 boxes. You know, we bought a bigger
17:11
17:11 business right out the shoot. Uh and I
17:13
17:13 say about 25 million of revenue and we
17:16
17:16 can see that that that that those
17:17
17:17 economies to be able to hire good
17:19
17:19 talent. We’re going through the turn and
17:21
17:21 like you said that first three years
17:22
17:22 you’re just holding on going like oh my
17:24
17:24 god like we we and we’re learning how to
17:27
17:27 solve bigger problems and go through
17:29
17:29 that you know and it’s it’s it it’s just
17:31
17:31 a fun fun journey. It’s also there’s a
17:33
17:33 little bit of that scary feeling too,
17:35
17:35 you know, as you’re you’re raising
17:36
17:36 capital and delivering to your LPs and
17:38
17:38 doing all these things, but as you start
17:40
17:40 looking at the playing field, you know,
17:41
17:41 the great news is like Kevin can go and
17:43
17:43 do what Kevin does. Casey and Ferris can
17:45
17:45 do what we do. We don’t compete because
17:47
17:47 there’s just so many businesses. Like
17:49
17:49 that’s what blows me away, right? It’s,
17:51
17:51 you know, it’s just I hear and I meet
17:54
17:54 people that are rolling up certain
17:55
17:55 things and making acquisitions in areas
17:57
17:57 I would have never thought of. And it’s
17:59
17:59 just the beautiful thing. If you love
18:01
18:01 business and you love this industry,
18:02
18:02 it’s if those people
18:04
18:04 >> and so you lose people. That’s what you
18:05
18:05 think. You guys look for an operating
18:08
18:08 partner, somebody that has an industry
18:10
18:10 knowledge that wants to go out and make
18:12
18:12 an acquisition. You you give them good
18:14
18:14 solid equity stakes and you say, “Hey,
18:16
18:16 we’re going to go find this business and
18:17
18:17 buy it with you.” Is is that kind of the
18:19
18:19 mindset?
18:20
18:20 >> Yeah, it is. And I would say it doesn’t
18:23
18:23 necessarily ideally they have this great
18:26
18:26 industry mindset and they know where the
18:28
18:28 bodies are buried um for for you know
18:31
18:31 where where to where to navigate the
18:33
18:33 industry although I’d say our best
18:35
18:35 business right now is our the person
18:37
18:37 that our CEO that runs that was not in
18:40
18:40 the industry and so he had great
18:42
18:42 leadership qualities and an experience
18:45
18:45 outside of the industry and and brought
18:48
18:48 us this idea and said this this meets
18:50
18:50 all your criteria. area. I just need
18:52
18:52 help doing this and I know I don’t have
18:55
18:55 experience, but I’m going to go find the
18:57
18:57 people that do. And I just saw a lot of
18:59
18:59 me in him and believed in him and today
19:02
19:02 that’s probably one of our most
19:04
19:04 successful investments that we still
19:06
19:06 own.
19:06
19:06 >> Nice. And and you mentioned you guys are
19:08
19:08 starting to upscale. I mean, what size
19:09
19:09 business are you guys looking for today
19:11
19:11 versus maybe five years ago? What size
19:13
19:13 business would you have been looking
19:14
19:14 for?
19:15
19:15 >> Yeah, I’d say five years ago. It’s funny
19:17
19:17 how your mind works, right? If you
19:19
19:19 believe that you can do something
19:21
19:21 bigger, you can. And
19:22
19:22 >> yeah,
19:23
19:23 >> not that we were scared. It was just
19:25
19:25 like, you know what, let’s build a track
19:26
19:26 record of buying, you know, anywhere
19:29
19:29 from a million and a half to four
19:31
19:31 million of IBIDA, I’d say, early on is
19:33
19:33 what we were buying. And our goal was,
19:36
19:36 let’s get these things ready for a
19:38
19:38 private equity firm. They’re too small
19:40
19:40 for 95 96% of financial buyers. maybe a
19:45
19:45 strategic would buy them, but we were
19:47
19:47 able to come in and buy those and and
19:49
19:49 then focus on growing them from call it
19:51
19:51 2 million of IBIDA to eight. How do we
19:53
19:53 now we’ve got something that’s
19:55
19:55 institutional quality with an ERP system
19:58
19:58 and the sister-in-law is not doing
19:60
19:60 QuickBooks anymore. There’s a CFO and
20:02
20:02 it’s it’s institutionalized and it’s
20:04
20:04 ready for private equity investment. So
20:06
20:06 early on and we still do some of that
20:09
20:09 but I would say most of our time is
20:11
20:11 spent on finding the four to 20 million
20:16
20:16 of IBIDA. That is really what what we’re
20:18
20:18 looking for.
20:19
20:19 >> So we’re that middle market you’re kind
20:21
20:21 of getting you moved out of more of the
20:22
20:22 lower middle market where you know
20:24
20:24 you’re at now you’re starting to get up
20:25
20:25 into that middle market acquisitions
20:27
20:27 which again bank debt changes structures
20:30
20:30 change it changes right
20:33
20:33 >> it does and yeah go ahead. Sorry.
20:36
20:36 >> Oh, no. I was going to ask and maybe
20:37
20:37 this is where you’re getting to is can
20:38
20:38 you give us an example just maybe of a
20:39
20:39 recent deal, right? What did the
20:41
20:41 structure look like? How much leverage
20:42
20:42 came in? How much equity come in? Are
20:44
20:44 there several roles in that, you know,
20:46
20:46 that world or not? And just kind of be
20:48
20:48 helpful to maybe walk through examples.
20:50
20:50 >> I won’t say the name our industry, but
20:52
20:52 we are closing one here now that
20:55
20:55 >> um it is a um 10 million of um we we we
21:02
21:02 got it for amazing price. So, um, it’s a
21:07
21:07 it’s a little over $30 million purchase
21:09
21:09 price. So, we got it at an unbelievable
21:12
21:12 multiple because the guy believe he’s
21:13
21:13 rolling 30%. He wants to participate in
21:17
21:17 the upside of that business, right? And
21:19
21:19 he sees the opportunity there and we
21:22
21:22 have a track record of doing that. and
21:25
21:25 um
21:27
21:27 he would he would roll that we get we
21:29
21:29 get debt on you know call it a turn to
21:31
21:31 two turns of of IBIDA and then we come
21:34
21:34 in with the rest of equity.
21:36
21:36 >> Got it. So roughly
21:38
21:38 >> our typical transaction I would say is a
21:40
21:40 is a $7 million IBIDA business. We’re
21:43
21:43 probably buying it for you know call it
21:46
21:46 I don’t know 35 to $45 million somewhere
21:50
21:50 in that range. We put two terms of debt
21:53
21:53 on it and um the seller will roll
21:56
21:56 typically some of it and and then we
21:60
21:60 come in with the equity check.
22:01
22:01 >> So you’re building about 20% of the
22:03
22:03 equity in that roll in that usually
22:06
22:06 about 20 if you said two turns of of the
22:08
22:08 debt.
22:09
22:09 >> So in the first one, right? So 10
22:10
22:10 million IBIDA, let’s say you did two
22:11
22:11 turns, that’s 20 million of debt senior
22:13
22:13 plus 30% rolled, right? So that 30% of
22:16
22:16 30 million is another seven. So you’re
22:18
22:18 probably bringing a three to $5 million
22:20
22:20 check.
22:21
22:21 That’s typical. I mean, our our average
22:23
22:23 check size is anywhere from typically
22:25
22:25 five to$10 million that we use and we’ll
22:29
22:29 we’ll account for a big percentage of
22:31
22:31 that and then today we’ve got a handful
22:33
22:33 of investors that will um come in with
22:36
22:36 us as well.
22:37
22:37 >> So, Kevin, kind of a question. So,
22:38
22:38 coming back from Meguire, you know, we
22:40
22:40 we’ve talked to, you know, SBIC’s, we
22:43
22:43 talked to different groups that do
22:45
22:45 different things, right? If the SBIC
22:46
22:46 wants to put in 70% of the debt or they
22:49
22:49 come in 70% debt, 30% equity,
22:52
22:52 >> right? They you you vest in, you know,
22:54
22:54 you you you you make the business
22:56
22:56 successful, your act fees, you get your
22:58
22:58 management fees, and then you vest in
22:59
22:59 those kind of things.
23:00
23:00 >> But imagine in your business or the way
23:02
23:02 you guys are structured, you’re wanting
23:04
23:04 to have more control, right? You’re
23:06
23:06 wanting to make sure that you guys are
23:07
23:07 not just straight up like earning equity
23:10
23:10 on on.
23:12
23:12 really saying, “Hey, we’re we’re take
23:13
23:13 this is our deal, right? We’re the ones
23:16
23:16 in control. So, we’ll use the bank
23:18
23:18 financing. We’ll bring our equity. We’re
23:20
23:20 going to give our terms to our equity
23:21
23:21 providers and that’s how this game plays
23:23
23:23 for y’all.” Is that is that how you look
23:25
23:25 at it?
23:26
23:26 >> Yeah, I would say early on we we have
23:28
23:28 used some SBIC funds and we’re really
23:30
23:30 friendly with a lot of those guys. In
23:32
23:32 fact, uh, one of our LPS is is an SBIC
23:37
23:37 fund that they don’t they invest in us
23:39
23:39 personally outside of the fund. But,
23:41
23:41 >> um, so they, um, we early on we did use
23:45
23:45 them. And today it’s just the control
23:48
23:48 part like we we get more equity if we
23:50
23:50 can kind of control that.
23:52
23:52 >> And that was my feedback when I got it.
23:53
23:53 I was like, man, you’re giving up. It
23:55
23:55 feels like, you know, yes, you can get
23:56
23:56 the deal done. Yes, you can put it
23:57
23:57 together, but if there’s another way to
23:59
23:59 get it done, there might be a better
24:00
24:00 avenue to maybe use private credit as
24:02
24:02 your debt and and bring your own equity
24:04
24:04 if you’ve got that ability to do that.
24:06
24:06 So, those are some of the things that I
24:08
24:08 think, you know, for those listeners,
24:09
24:09 there’s kind of two worlds that that
24:10
24:10 we’re observing, right? There’s the
24:12
24:12 world that which is what we’ve done so
24:13
24:13 far, which is, you know, we put the deal
24:15
24:15 together, traditional some sort of quasi
24:17
24:17 traditional financing. We’re bringing
24:19
24:19 the equity, maybe roll the invest uh the
24:21
24:21 seller in for a little bit, but
24:22
24:22 ultimately in terms of equity ownership,
24:24
24:24 we own the line share, right? You know,
24:26
24:26 between us and our LPs. It’s not given
24:28
24:28 up to the LPS and we as a GPS own, you
24:30
24:30 know, the biggest trunch of that versus
24:32
24:32 the other model is seems to be more
24:34
24:34 transactional, right? where you’re
24:36
24:36 trying to do maybe a little more volume.
24:37
24:37 You’re getting much smaller equity
24:40
24:40 chunks, but at the same time that you’re
24:42
24:42 getting most of your debt and equity
24:44
24:44 sold for you in terms of just the cash
24:46
24:46 that’s needed to come in, but you’re to
24:48
24:48 Casey’s point, you’re earning that
24:49
24:49 equity, right? You get you hit a you get
24:51
24:51 10%, then if you hit a two MOIC, you’re
24:53
24:53 getting 15. And you know, you’re really
24:55
24:55 having to solve for it. And so two
24:57
24:57 different schools, but you know, at
24:59
24:59 least and I’m curious what your take is
25:01
25:01 on which of those two do you like
25:02
25:02 because it sounds like you’ve done both
25:03
25:03 of those, right? And which of those is
25:05
25:05 kind of your preferred model today? Cuz
25:06
25:06 it’s a conversation Casey and I were
25:08
25:08 having on the flight back yesterday.
25:09
25:09 >> It’s just having tools at your disposal
25:10
25:10 for the deal. The way I look at it, it’s
25:12
25:12 like, hey, if I have a toolbox, I might
25:13
25:13 need a a wrench. I might need this, you
25:15
25:15 know, and it’s like having those tools
25:17
25:17 to get the deal done when you find a
25:18
25:18 good deal.
25:20
25:20 >> Yeah, that I think that is the point of
25:23
25:23 having maximum flexibility to structure
25:26
25:26 something the way we always start with
25:28
25:28 what what’s the ideal scenario for the
25:30
25:30 seller? What’s the next chapter of your
25:33
25:33 life look like? what would be an ideal
25:34
25:34 buyer, you know, valuation, what do you
25:37
25:37 want to do a post sale here and help us
25:42
25:42 define that for you. And so having that
25:45
25:45 kind of flexibility, some deals, it’s a
25:48
25:48 great example, we own a company um that
25:51
25:51 builds and designs massive green houses
25:53
25:53 and you know, a lot of when we first
25:56
25:56 bought it, I would say 15% of their
25:59
25:59 business was at building cannabis
26:01
26:01 facilities. A lot of SBIC funds, most of
26:04
26:04 them wouldn’t touch that because we
26:06
26:06 weren’t growing the cannabis, but they
26:07
26:07 just wouldn’t allow us to build, you
26:09
26:09 know, we’re selling the picks in the in
26:12
26:12 the shovels to the cannabis growers
26:14
26:14 basically by building their greenhouse
26:16
26:16 and and building that out internally for
26:18
26:18 them. Uh, but we had to go down another
26:21
26:21 path and that opened our eyes to the
26:24
26:24 possibility like we can do this with
26:26
26:26 without giving up a lot of control. We
26:29
26:29 there are situations depending on how it
26:32
26:32 it needs to be structured where we could
26:34
26:34 go back into that tool belt and use it.
26:37
26:37 >> Yeah, that’s a great answer. It’s it
26:39
26:39 it’s based on what you’ve got to do.
26:41
26:41 It’s like and so like that said like
26:43
26:43 last year I walked in to Mariah Woods
26:45
26:45 and I was like, “Holy crap, there’s a
26:47
26:47 ton of tools.” And then you kind of come
26:48
26:48 back and you refresh yourself going, “Oh
26:50
26:50 my god, this is how that tool works.
26:52
26:52 That’s how this tool works.”
26:53
26:53 And and I think in the journey like of
26:55
26:55 your time, you start to build
26:57
26:57 >> all of these iterations of how to
26:59
26:59 utilize these tools and then that’s part
27:01
27:01 of the craft that we’re doing, right?
27:02
27:02 Because in the back in the early days, I
27:05
27:05 guarantee you Kevin’s in the deal trying
27:07
27:07 to get the ladies accounting right and
27:09
27:09 doing the basic things and you know,
27:10
27:10 we’re starting to control it and as you
27:12
27:12 start to now you’ve got great management
27:14
27:14 team that can go in there and they do a
27:16
27:16 lot of that stuff and you’re giving the
27:17
27:17 guidance and and that’s just that
27:19
27:19 evolution of what you’ve built and it’s
27:21
27:21 exciting because that’s the journey that
27:23
27:23 we’re on and uh so it’s just really nice
27:25
27:25 to share some of those stories.
27:28
27:28 Yeah, I would in the early days as well
27:30
27:30 and my wife hated this, but I would buy
27:33
27:33 my after we sold our first one, the next
27:36
27:36 one I bought, I’d move there and I’d I’d
27:39
27:39 be there for the first 12 to 18 months
27:41
27:41 to kind of follow a dollar through the
27:43
27:43 business and be the chief of a thousand
27:45
27:45 questions and build out the management
27:47
27:47 team as it was adopting the sales
27:49
27:49 process that I wanted. And when I felt
27:51
27:51 comfortable with that, I’d go buy
27:52
27:52 another one and go move to that place.
27:54
27:54 And after doing that a handful of times
27:57
27:57 and Adam who joined me right after that
27:60
27:60 was like you can’t do this forever, man.
28:02
28:02 Like we gota we got to somehow scale
28:04
28:04 what you what you bring to the table.
28:07
28:07 But it’s nice because all three of us
28:08
28:08 compliment. I I’ve kind of got the
28:11
28:11 operator uh chops. Adam’s got uh the you
28:15
28:15 know the deal making and the business
28:17
28:17 acumen and then Aaron is on the
28:19
28:19 financial side. So we’re I think we have
28:21
28:21 a really good team.
28:22
28:22 >> Nice.
28:22
28:22 >> That’s exciting. And so maybe to segue
28:24
28:24 to that third point, right? The third
28:26
28:26 maybe leg of the stool that we kind of
28:27
28:27 talked about is how are you guys
28:29
28:29 sourcing deals today?
28:32
28:32 >> Um I would say through the the
28:37
28:37 traditional channels. Um we source a lot
28:40
28:40 of our um proprietary deals through a
28:45
28:45 network of a lot of uh CPA firms and
28:50
28:50 financial advisors across the country
28:52
28:52 that will get us in front of someone for
28:55
28:55 the first time. Um, and then we have
28:59
28:59 some really deep relationships with
29:02
29:02 management teams and leaders in
29:04
29:04 industries that we are curious about
29:07
29:07 that we know that they want to go do.
29:09
29:09 They they’re probably never going to be
29:11
29:11 the CEO of where they’re at right now at
29:13
29:13 a big company in a space that we want to
29:15
29:15 be in
29:16
29:16 >> and we can probably pay them what
29:18
29:18 they’re making now, give them some
29:20
29:20 equity upside as well if they can bring
29:23
29:23 us a deal. So, um, and they’re
29:25
29:25 constantly either calling on or know
29:27
29:27 where these people are and make
29:28
29:28 introductions to us, um, in that regard.
29:31
29:31 So, it’s it’s a mix of, uh, for our
29:35
29:35 platform investments, it’s it’s we try
29:37
29:37 to go as proprietary as we can. And then
29:40
29:40 our add-ons,
29:42
29:42 once we buy a company, we really pay off
29:45
29:45 debt for the first year and a half to
29:47
29:47 two years. We really try to get a tight
29:51
29:51 organic growth strategy down.
29:54
29:54 and and then we will support M&A and
29:57
29:57 that is traditionally through the
29:59
29:59 investment banks or the business brokers
30:01
30:01 that we’ll reach out to to do add-on
30:04
30:04 acquisitions in a GE and they’re
30:05
30:05 typically smaller deals. So, we’re we’re
30:09
30:09 going into a geography that we’re not in
30:11
30:11 now that we’d like to be in. Instead of,
30:13
30:13 you know, kind of going in green field,
30:15
30:15 we’ll buy an existing brand that’s in
30:16
30:16 that market and add it onto our
30:18
30:18 platform. And so, it depends on what
30:21
30:21 we’re buying. But hopefully that answers
30:22
30:22 the question.
30:23
30:23 >> It great answer.
30:24
30:24 >> And and then last question before we
30:26
30:26 move on to the rockaround because you
30:27
30:27 mentioned it earlier. What’s been your
30:28
30:28 favorite business that you bought?
30:29
30:29 What’s the one that you want your
30:30
30:30 grandkids to to have someday?
30:34
30:34 >> Yeah, they’re they’re all I have four
30:37
30:37 kids and I think of each business like I
30:40
30:40 love them all. Like there’s always
30:41
30:41 something special about them, you know?
30:43
30:43 Something that about them stand out that
30:45
30:45 I wish the other one had. and they have
30:48
30:48 a fault that I wish that the other ones
30:49
30:49 could help support them on. And so we
30:52
30:52 have a pretty good ecosystem of all of
30:54
30:54 our CEOs and management teams that talk
30:56
30:56 to each other because I have found that
30:58
30:58 even though they’re in a different
30:59
30:59 industry, 96% of problems in a business
31:02
31:02 where I’m like they kind of someone
31:04
31:04 might have had that problem in a
31:06
31:06 completely different business and they
31:08
31:08 can help our management team solve that.
31:11
31:11 But it that’s a hard answer, but I’ll
31:12
31:12 I’ll do my best. One of them is one of
31:15
31:15 them that I like a lot is uh that’s in
31:18
31:18 security technology. So anything related
31:21
31:21 to
31:22
31:22 uh physical security. So technology
31:24
31:24 around that whether it’s gunshot
31:27
31:27 detection, facial recognition. Uh it’s
31:30
31:30 an integrator that installs camera
31:32
31:32 cameras and we have some very large
31:35
31:35 customers and utilities and governments
31:38
31:38 that we um manage all of this. We build
31:41
31:41 out the command center for the hospital
31:43
31:43 system for the hospital network that the
31:45
31:45 security guards set in. We manage all
31:47
31:47 the cameras and the access control. And
31:50
31:50 unfortunately in the world we live in
31:51
31:51 that business is you know getting more
31:54
31:54 and more popular. And um we do a lot of
31:57
31:57 good there. A lot of things that can uh
32:02
32:02 can can detect something bad happening
32:06
32:06 before it happens. And that’s a great
32:08
32:08 deal of pride for me. And I think that
32:10
32:10 that’s a business that I continue to
32:12
32:12 wake up and and ser a lot of these
32:15
32:15 businesses I don’t mean to go off on a
32:16
32:16 tangent, but serendipity happens a lot
32:18
32:18 where you you’re focused on one area and
32:21
32:21 then all of a sudden because you’re
32:22
32:22 focused there a door opens up and now
32:24
32:24 we’re in different businesses that are
32:26
32:26 similar to what we’re doing about
32:28
32:28 protecting assets for for large
32:30
32:30 companies and it other avenues pop up
32:34
32:34 that you never thought existed. And we
32:36
32:36 have grown that on being focused on our
32:39
32:39 core business and allowing for new ideas
32:41
32:41 to come in very serendipitously that now
32:45
32:45 we’re in a completely different area or
32:47
32:47 we have a sister company that’s doing
32:49
32:49 something different. So I think that
32:51
32:51 that can continue to evolve as techn
32:53
32:53 technology evolves in that space.
32:56
32:56 >> All right,
32:56
32:56 >> I love it,
32:57
32:57 >> Kevin. All right, let’s jump into our
32:59
32:59 rocket round of four questions which is
32:60
32:60 where we ask our guests three questions.
33:03
33:03 >> All right, first question. What do you
33:05
33:05 like to do in your free time?
33:07
33:07 >> In my free time, I um I am not very good
33:12
33:12 at it, but I do like to golf. So, I’m um
33:14
33:14 trying to find more time to do it, which
33:16
33:16 is hard, but I like to be outdoors and
33:19
33:19 golf. And um my kids like to be
33:21
33:21 outdoors, so we try to We’re going to
33:23
33:23 Maine this weekend, so just to get out
33:25
33:25 in the in the crisp fall weather, go for
33:27
33:27 a hike or something. It’s fun to me.
33:29
33:29 >> All right.
33:29
33:29 >> Nice. I’m not great at golf either, but
33:31
33:31 it is it is fun if you can get over the
33:33
33:33 fact that you’re ever like I’m like I’m
33:35
33:35 not ever going to be really good. So, I
33:37
33:37 can just hit the ball. I go find my
33:39
33:39 ball. A great day is if I don’t go
33:41
33:41 through two sleeves, but I still have a
33:43
33:43 great time, right?
33:44
33:44 >> Yeah. I I got a great advice about 10
33:47
33:47 years ago. I was golfing with a good
33:49
33:49 mentor of mine and he said I was getting
33:51
33:51 mad and he goes, “Kevin, you you can’t
33:53
33:53 get mad because you’re not that good. If
33:54
33:54 you were really good at something and
33:56
33:56 you weren’t playing well, then you could
33:57
33:57 get mad. But you just got to enjoy the
33:59
33:59 day with good company.
34:02
34:02 >> I need to I need to learn to golf. You
34:03
34:03 know, I’m the I’m not as an investor.
34:06
34:06 That’s the one skill that I need to go
34:08
34:08 spend some time on. I’ve done no golfing
34:09
34:09 outside of going to Top Golf a few times
34:11
34:11 in my life. And uh
34:13
34:13 >> I got to level up.
34:14
34:14 >> Yeah. All right. Second question. What
34:16
34:16 is your most memorable moment in your
34:19
34:19 business journey?
34:21
34:21 probably, you know, the the day that I
34:23
34:23 decide to delete to leave the golden
34:26
34:26 handcuffs. I really that first step into
34:30
34:30 I’m going to acquire something. I’ve
34:32
34:32 saved up some money. I’ve got a runway
34:34
34:34 now and I cannot fail. I am going to do
34:38
34:38 this no matter what. And that that
34:40
34:40 feeling of empowerment. Now, there were
34:43
34:43 days after that where I’m like, what did
34:44
34:44 I do? Why did I do this? But you get
34:47
34:47 through those days, you’re going to
34:48
34:48 succeed. So that’s probably it.
34:50
34:50 >> Outstanding.
34:51
34:51 >> All right. And then last question.
34:53
34:53 Favorite tool or resource.
34:57
34:57 >> I This is an unpaid plug, but I will
34:59
34:59 give two quick simple ones. I’d love to
35:01
35:01 sit here and talk about this high-tech
35:03
35:03 AI that is important to me, which we are
35:06
35:06 starting to use more of, but I would say
35:08
35:08 two things. A simple CRM system, I’d
35:11
35:11 probably be lost without it. like um I
35:14
35:14 used to hate it when I was in corporate
35:16
35:16 like but today it it kind of drives my
35:18
35:18 day. So I use a simple uh I don’t need
35:22
35:22 Salesforce or something you know that
35:24
35:24 has that can go really deep but just
35:26
35:26 something really simple that has task
35:29
35:29 and followup and and automate some of
35:32
35:32 your daily being that that is important.
35:34
35:34 And then I’ll say this, it’s something I
35:35
35:35 use every day is on my on my iPhone is
35:38
35:38 the notes page. Like just so many ideas
35:42
35:42 come to me that I just can’t get to or
35:44
35:44 something else will pop up and I’ll
35:45
35:45 forget. And I bet you 20 times a day I’m
35:49
35:49 I’m speaking into the notes page and
35:51
35:51 say, “Hey, and we I’ve got all kinds of
35:54
35:54 folders for different topics, but this
35:56
35:56 is something in our next board meeting
35:57
35:57 that we should talk about.” Stuff like
35:59
35:59 that just to keep me on point. And then
36:01
36:01 at the end of the week going through all
36:02
36:02 of those and categorizing, you know,
36:04
36:04 half of them I mark off of like that’s a
36:06
36:06 dumb idea, but the the other half are
36:08
36:08 pure gold that have really helped us and
36:11
36:11 I would have forgot them probably
36:13
36:13 because I would have been on to
36:14
36:14 something else, you know.
36:15
36:15 >> That’s great.
36:15
36:15 >> Fair enough. Awesome. Well, Kevin,
36:18
36:18 appreciate it. I mean, how can uh
36:20
36:20 listeners get a hold of you?
36:22
36:22 >> Uh, probably the best way is email.
36:24
36:24 Well, you can go to our website first at
36:26
36:26 sirec capitalap.com and sire is
36:29
36:29 siecap.com
36:32
36:32 or my email is k ramsire r a mser
36:38
36:38 capital.com.
36:40
36:40 >> Awesome. And we’ll put that in the show
36:41
36:41 notes for the listeners.
36:42
36:42 >> Kevin, I this podcast was great for me
36:44
36:44 personally, so I really enjoyed chatting
36:47
36:47 with you and really appreciate it. And
36:49
36:49 uh anytime you’re ever in Houston, we
36:51
36:51 would love to host you and have you out
36:52
36:52 here.
36:53
36:53 >> Absolutely, sir. Well, be careful. I’m
36:54
36:54 gonna take you up on that.
36:56
36:56 >> Do it. Please do it. Trust me. Love it.
36:57
36:57 You know, we’ll pay us with just
36:59
36:59 knowledge. All right.
37:01
37:01 >> All right. Thank you.
37:02
37:02 >> Thank you.
37:02
37:02 >> Thank you.
37:04
37:04 >> All right. Bye.
37:04
37:04 >> Thank you for listening to the M&A
37:06
37:06 Launchpad podcast. If you’ve enjoyed
37:08
37:08 today’s podcast and would like to
37:09
37:09 support us, please leave us a rating and
37:11
37:11 a review after you listen. I’m Casey
37:12
37:12 Menchu and I look forward to talking
37:14
37:14 with you next week.
