Making the Most Out of the Independent Sponsor Model - Access Capital Partners Greg Tobben
For most independent sponsors, especially new ones, it’s helpful to get perspective on how different groups have implemented the independent sponsor model and learn what’s working for other groups and what’s not.
As advisors to this expanding group of investors, we speak regularly with both new and long-time sponsors, as well as independent sponsor capital providers. Here are 6 guidelines to help you get the most out of the independent sponsor model:
Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 Ways to Negotiate Better Indep...Greg Tobben
Independent sponsor economics are paramount for those operating under a fundless sponsor model. Key components such as deal fees, management fees and carried interests are the reason you're in business.
In this presentation, Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 Ways to Negotiate Better Independent Sponsor Economics, we'll walk through several practices you can use to get more transactions across the finish line and put yourself in a better position when negotiating with capital providers.
About Access Capital Partners:
Access Capital Partners is a middle market investment bank focused exclusively on raising capital for fundless or independent sponsors, operating executives, management teams and family offices.
We've Leveraged Years of Experience in Raising Capital Across a Wide Variety of Situations to Develop a Focused Effort Tailored to the Unique Needs of Independent or Fundless Sponsors.
Structuring and Financing a Partner BuyoutGreg Tobben
Buying Out a Business Partner or Shareholder: Structuring and Financing the Deal
When an entrepreneur starts a new business, planning for a buyout of a business partner years in the future is rarely a top priority- but maybe it should be.
As businesses grow and evolve, so too do ownership or shareholder groups. The same partners or investors who took a company from startup to $20 million in revenues aren’t necessarily the right people to grow the company from $20 to $50 million, or $50 to $150 million, and so on.
Layer in retirements, partnership disputes and absentee or non-strategic owners receiving generous compensation, and making changes in ownership becomes increasingly more important (and costly) as the business grows.
On the next few pages, we’ll discuss:
1. When a Partner Buyout is a Solution
2. Valuing the Business
3. Structuring a Partner Buyout
4. Financing a Partner Buyout
5. Questions a Business Owner Should Ask When Raising Capital
6. Using an Investment Banker to Raise Capital for the Buyout
About Access Capital Partners:
Access Capital Partners is a middle market investment bank that provides strategic advisory services, raises capital for companies (growth, refinancing, restructuring, acquisitions, partner buyouts, management buyouts, leveraged buyouts), and helps business owners sell or recapitalization their companies.
We are shareholder centric and have deep experience in the middle market. With over 100 transactions representing over $8 billion in volume, business owners leverage our experience as they navigate through inflection points and ultimately achieve personal liquidity.
Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 ways to negotiate better Indep...Greg Porto
Independent (fundless) sponsors can improve their deal economics (equity ownership or carried interest, transaction fee, annual management fee) by following these 6 guidelines
Slides and notes from the MaRS Startup Investor Workshop. The event took place on September 26th, 2016 and featured Mark Skapinker from Brightspark, David Shore from OurCrowd and Salim Teja from MaRS.
Slides and notes from the MaRS Startup Investor Workshop. The event took place on September 30th, 2016 and featured Mark Skapinker and Sophie Forest from Brightspark, David Shore from OurCrowd.
Making the Most Out of the Independent Sponsor Model - Access Capital Partners Greg Tobben
For most independent sponsors, especially new ones, it’s helpful to get perspective on how different groups have implemented the independent sponsor model and learn what’s working for other groups and what’s not.
As advisors to this expanding group of investors, we speak regularly with both new and long-time sponsors, as well as independent sponsor capital providers. Here are 6 guidelines to help you get the most out of the independent sponsor model:
Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 Ways to Negotiate Better Indep...Greg Tobben
Independent sponsor economics are paramount for those operating under a fundless sponsor model. Key components such as deal fees, management fees and carried interests are the reason you're in business.
In this presentation, Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 Ways to Negotiate Better Independent Sponsor Economics, we'll walk through several practices you can use to get more transactions across the finish line and put yourself in a better position when negotiating with capital providers.
About Access Capital Partners:
Access Capital Partners is a middle market investment bank focused exclusively on raising capital for fundless or independent sponsors, operating executives, management teams and family offices.
We've Leveraged Years of Experience in Raising Capital Across a Wide Variety of Situations to Develop a Focused Effort Tailored to the Unique Needs of Independent or Fundless Sponsors.
Structuring and Financing a Partner BuyoutGreg Tobben
Buying Out a Business Partner or Shareholder: Structuring and Financing the Deal
When an entrepreneur starts a new business, planning for a buyout of a business partner years in the future is rarely a top priority- but maybe it should be.
As businesses grow and evolve, so too do ownership or shareholder groups. The same partners or investors who took a company from startup to $20 million in revenues aren’t necessarily the right people to grow the company from $20 to $50 million, or $50 to $150 million, and so on.
Layer in retirements, partnership disputes and absentee or non-strategic owners receiving generous compensation, and making changes in ownership becomes increasingly more important (and costly) as the business grows.
On the next few pages, we’ll discuss:
1. When a Partner Buyout is a Solution
2. Valuing the Business
3. Structuring a Partner Buyout
4. Financing a Partner Buyout
5. Questions a Business Owner Should Ask When Raising Capital
6. Using an Investment Banker to Raise Capital for the Buyout
About Access Capital Partners:
Access Capital Partners is a middle market investment bank that provides strategic advisory services, raises capital for companies (growth, refinancing, restructuring, acquisitions, partner buyouts, management buyouts, leveraged buyouts), and helps business owners sell or recapitalization their companies.
We are shareholder centric and have deep experience in the middle market. With over 100 transactions representing over $8 billion in volume, business owners leverage our experience as they navigate through inflection points and ultimately achieve personal liquidity.
Acquisition Financing for Fundless Sponsors: 6 ways to negotiate better Indep...Greg Porto
Independent (fundless) sponsors can improve their deal economics (equity ownership or carried interest, transaction fee, annual management fee) by following these 6 guidelines
Slides and notes from the MaRS Startup Investor Workshop. The event took place on September 26th, 2016 and featured Mark Skapinker from Brightspark, David Shore from OurCrowd and Salim Teja from MaRS.
Slides and notes from the MaRS Startup Investor Workshop. The event took place on September 30th, 2016 and featured Mark Skapinker and Sophie Forest from Brightspark, David Shore from OurCrowd.
This is a primer guide on angel investment clubs developed for CBEiD, Center for Business Education, Innovation and Development. The goal of this document is to educate Chicago area people of business, educational and government affluence on the benefits, methods and organizational benefits of angel investment clubs. The goal is to encourage people of wealth and influence to participate and support angel investment clubs in order to help spur entrepreneurial endeavors in the Chicago area.
An Introduction to the World of Venture CapitalScott Tominaga
When startups need funding, venture capital is one option they might consider. Getting funding from a VC firm can offer certain advantages to new businesses that may not be able to get approved for traditional loans. Thanks to the rise of crowdfunding, it’s now becoming decidedly more mainstream.
Introduction to Venture Capital and Private Equityguest89b446
I was invited to speak at the HR College of Commerce in Mumbai today as part of their "Corporate Dialogue" lecture series. This deck introduces freshman and sophomore students in commerce, economics and finance to venture capital, private equity and entrepreneurship. It also presents a primer on career options in finance for college graduates in India.
Fund Raising, an art, not mastered by all the founders. About 90% of the startup fails to convert their business plan into investor consent. What are the steps followed by remaining 10% who succeed in closing the deal? What are the “Does & Don’t’” to be followed by a Startup- to raise fund from investors? What are the measures/precautions to be followed by startup to be picked by investors? Many a times, investor may agree preliminary, however, at a later stage they refused to move ahead, even the additional concessions offered do not motivate the investors. There are several questions which a founder had to face but failed to knock the right opportunity.
Financial Leverage Definition, Advantages, and Disadvantagesjayjaymabutot13
Financial leverage is the use of borrowed money (debt) to finance the purchase of assets with the expectation that the income or capital gain from the new asset will exceed the cost of borrowing. A figure of 0.5 or less is ideal. In other words, no more than half of the company's assets should be financed by debt.
This is a primer guide on angel investment clubs developed for CBEiD, Center for Business Education, Innovation and Development. The goal of this document is to educate Chicago area people of business, educational and government affluence on the benefits, methods and organizational benefits of angel investment clubs. The goal is to encourage people of wealth and influence to participate and support angel investment clubs in order to help spur entrepreneurial endeavors in the Chicago area.
An Introduction to the World of Venture CapitalScott Tominaga
When startups need funding, venture capital is one option they might consider. Getting funding from a VC firm can offer certain advantages to new businesses that may not be able to get approved for traditional loans. Thanks to the rise of crowdfunding, it’s now becoming decidedly more mainstream.
Introduction to Venture Capital and Private Equityguest89b446
I was invited to speak at the HR College of Commerce in Mumbai today as part of their "Corporate Dialogue" lecture series. This deck introduces freshman and sophomore students in commerce, economics and finance to venture capital, private equity and entrepreneurship. It also presents a primer on career options in finance for college graduates in India.
Fund Raising, an art, not mastered by all the founders. About 90% of the startup fails to convert their business plan into investor consent. What are the steps followed by remaining 10% who succeed in closing the deal? What are the “Does & Don’t’” to be followed by a Startup- to raise fund from investors? What are the measures/precautions to be followed by startup to be picked by investors? Many a times, investor may agree preliminary, however, at a later stage they refused to move ahead, even the additional concessions offered do not motivate the investors. There are several questions which a founder had to face but failed to knock the right opportunity.
Financial Leverage Definition, Advantages, and Disadvantagesjayjaymabutot13
Financial leverage is the use of borrowed money (debt) to finance the purchase of assets with the expectation that the income or capital gain from the new asset will exceed the cost of borrowing. A figure of 0.5 or less is ideal. In other words, no more than half of the company's assets should be financed by debt.
10 Stock Offerings and Investor MonitoringCHAPTER OBJECTIVESTh.docxaulasnilda
10 Stock Offerings and Investor Monitoring
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of this chapter are to:
· ▪ describe the private equity market,
· ▪ describe investor participation in the stock markets,
· ▪ describe the process of initial public offerings,
· ▪ describe the process of secondary offerings,
· ▪ explain how the stock market is used to monitor and control firms, and
· ▪ describe the globalization of stock markets.
Stock markets facilitate equity investment into firms and the transfer of equity investments between investors.
10-1 PRIVATE EQUITY
When a firm is created, its founders typically invest their own money in the business. The founders may also invite some family or friends to invest equity in the business. This is referred to as private equity because the business is privately held and the owners cannot sell their shares to the public. Young businesses use debt financing from financial institutions and are better able to obtain loans if they have substantial equity invested. Over time, businesses commonly retain a large portion of their earnings and reinvest it to support expansion. This serves as another means of building equity in the firm.
The founders of many firms dream of going public someday so that they can obtain a large amount of financing to support the firm's growth. They may also hope to “cash out” by selling their original equity investment to others. Normally, however, a firm's owners do not consider going public until they want to sell at least $50 million in stock. A public offering of stock may be feasible only if the firm will have a large enough shareholder base to support an active secondary market. With an inactive secondary market, the shares would be illiquid. Investors who own shares and want to sell them would be forced to sell at a discount from the fundamental value, almost as if the firm were not publicly traded. This defeats the purpose of being public. In addition, there are many fixed costs associated with going public, and these costs would be prohibitive for a firm that seeks to raise only a small amount of funds.
10-1a Financing by Venture Capital Funds
Even if a firm wants to sell at least $50 million of stock to the public, it may not have a long enough history of stable business performance that it can raise money from a large number of investors. Private firms that need a large equity investment but are not yet in a position to go public may attempt to obtain funding from a venture capital (VC) fund. Such funds receive money from wealthy investors and from pension funds that are willing to maintain the investment for a long-term period, such as 5 or 10 years. These investors are not allowed to withdraw their money before a specified deadline. Venture capital funds have participated in a number of businesses that ultimately went public and became very successful, including Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle Corporation.
Venture Capital Market The venture capital market brings together ...
Empower your business capital funding solutions that understand your unique needs and aspirations. These solutions are designed to support and guide you on your journey to success. Whether you're a small startup or an established business, capital funding can provide the resources you need to grow, innovate, and make a positive impact.
Joseph Fabiilli | What Venture Capitalists ExpectJoseph Fabiilli
Joseph Fabiilli is explaining about the venture Capitalists Expect. Joseph Fabiilli is a funding consultant for future-thinking entrepreneurs and agencies. Joseph helps people secure funding for their environmental projects and programs. Joseph Fabiilli is a funding consultant for future-thinking entrepreneurs and agencies. Joseph helps people secure funding for their environmental projects and programs.
This form of investment can come in the form of one very wealthy
individual or from a group of wealthy individuals, intent on investing
into a venture that has promising prospects.
Financing Alternatives for Start-Ups and Small Businesses.pdfPay10
Entrepreneurs play an impactful role in the economic development of a country. Their responsibility is not just limited it making their profits but also creating employment opportunities, driving innovation, developing new markets, and innovating new products etc. Entrepreneurs are the valuable assets of the country who initiate to address socio-economic problems and find solutions for them.
Making big money with venture capitalismSwapnilMekale
Making Big Money With Venture Capitalism. Inside this eBook, you will discover the topics about venture capitalist basics, questions to ask when considering venture capital investment, the venture capital boom and the internet bubble, how to make good money the venture capital way, venture capital and its association with job creations and risks of venture capital investment schemes.
What is a business description? A business description provides an overview of what your company does and what makes it unique. It introduces your brand, offering prospective investors and other interested parties an overview of the company's objectives and scope.
Investing is to grow one's money over time. The expectation of a positive return in the form of income or price appreciation with statistical significance is the core premise of investing. The spectrum of assets in which one can invest and earn a return is a very wide one.
"𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑱 𝑰𝑺 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑭 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑬"
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 (𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) is a professional event agency that includes experts in the event-organizing market in Vietnam, Korea, and ASEAN countries. We provide unlimited types of events from Music concerts, Fan meetings, and Culture festivals to Corporate events, Internal company events, Golf tournaments, MICE events, and Exhibitions.
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 provides unlimited package services including such as Event organizing, Event planning, Event production, Manpower, PR marketing, Design 2D/3D, VIP protocols, Interpreter agency, etc.
Sports events - Golf competitions/billiards competitions/company sports events: dynamic and challenging
⭐ 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬:
➢ 2024 BAEKHYUN [Lonsdaleite] IN HO CHI MINH
➢ SUPER JUNIOR-L.S.S. THE SHOW : Th3ee Guys in HO CHI MINH
➢FreenBecky 1st Fan Meeting in Vietnam
➢CHILDREN ART EXHIBITION 2024: BEYOND BARRIERS
➢ WOW K-Music Festival 2023
➢ Winner [CROSS] Tour in HCM
➢ Super Show 9 in HCM with Super Junior
➢ HCMC - Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Festival
➢ Korean Vietnam Partnership - Fair with LG
➢ Korean President visits Samsung Electronics R&D Center
➢ Vietnam Food Expo with Lotte Wellfood
"𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬."
B2B payments are rapidly changing. Find out the 5 key questions you need to be asking yourself to be sure you are mastering B2B payments today. Learn more at www.BlueSnap.com.
[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
Building Your Employer Brand with Social MediaLuanWise
Presented at The Global HR Summit, 6th June 2024
In this keynote, Luan Wise will provide invaluable insights to elevate your employer brand on social media platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. You'll learn how compelling content can authentically showcase your company culture, values, and employee experiences to support your talent acquisition and retention objectives. Additionally, you'll understand the power of employee advocacy to amplify reach and engagement – helping to position your organization as an employer of choice in today's competitive talent landscape.
Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
Company Valuation webinar series - Tuesday, 4 June 2024FelixPerez547899
This session provided an update as to the latest valuation data in the UK and then delved into a discussion on the upcoming election and the impacts on valuation. We finished, as always with a Q&A
Recruiting in the Digital Age: A Social Media MasterclassLuanWise
In this masterclass, presented at the Global HR Summit on 5th June 2024, Luan Wise explored the essential features of social media platforms that support talent acquisition, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok.
Affordable Stationery Printing Services in Jaipur | Navpack n PrintNavpack & Print
Looking for professional printing services in Jaipur? Navpack n Print offers high-quality and affordable stationery printing for all your business needs. Stand out with custom stationery designs and fast turnaround times. Contact us today for a quote!
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is buzzing with discussions after Google confirmed that around 2,500 leaked internal documents related to its Search feature are indeed authentic. The revelation has sparked significant concerns within the SEO community. The leaked documents were initially reported by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, igniting widespread analysis and discourse. For More Info:- https://news.arihantwebtech.com/search-disrupted-googles-leaked-documents-rock-the-seo-world/
VAT Registration Outlined In UAE: Benefits and Requirementsuae taxgpt
Vat Registration is a legal obligation for businesses meeting the threshold requirement, helping companies avoid fines and ramifications. Contact now!
https://viralsocialtrends.com/vat-registration-outlined-in-uae/
An introduction to the cryptocurrency investment platform Binance Savings.Any kyc Account
Learn how to use Binance Savings to expand your bitcoin holdings. Discover how to maximize your earnings on one of the most reliable cryptocurrency exchange platforms, as well as how to earn interest on your cryptocurrency holdings and the various savings choices available.
Set off and carry forward of losses and assessment of individuals.pptx
ASI capital Colorado Springs
1. ASI Capital Colorado springs
Benefits and drawbacks of investment in your business through private
equity firms.
2. INTRODUCTION
ASI capital colorado springs provides debt instruments with equity warrants as well as
collateralized loans and preferred equity investments.
At the core of our investment strategy is a unique hybrid debt and equity platform that
generates predictable cash yields while participating in the value created by our capital.
3. In all of the options we’ve looked at so far in our eight-part series on Funding a Business, there have been
strings attached. With private equity, those strings can get very tight indeed. You could raise huge amounts of
money—private equity deals run into millions or even billions of dollars—but you may end up losing control of
your own company.
It’s quite a complicated area, but in this tutorial we’ll break it down and make it easy to understand. We
explain how it works, look at the pros and cons of private equity as a way of financing a company, and talk
about how to find, approach and deal with private equity firms.
By the end, you’ll know a leveraged buyout from ASI Capital Colorado springs financing deal, and will
understand how private equity works and how it compares with other ways of funding a business.
4. How Private Equity Works
In the last tutorial, we looked at venture capital. Private equity works in a similar way: a private equity fund
invests in companies and looks to sell its stake about five years later for a substantial profit.But whereas venture
capital is focused on early-stage companies with high growth potential, private equity firms invest in a much
wider range of companies. Often they’re mature firms that have been trading for a long time, but need access
to funds either to fuel growth or to recover from financial difficulties.
Another big difference is in the amount of funds available. Most of the other funding options we’ve looked at
have given access to sums ranging from a few thousand dollars to a few million. But according to ASI Capital
Colorado springs, most private equity deals are for between $500 million and $5 billion. Deals below $100
million are rare.
This is a major financing option, then, more suitable for larger companies than the other ones we’ve looked at.
The structure of the deal is also different. In return for this large investment, private equity firms expect a large
stake in the business. They don’t want to be passive minority investors. They generally want a majority stake,
and want to take the reins of the business so that they can generate value from it.
The deals can take several forms. Here are some of the main ones:
5. Leveraged Buyout
The private equity firms often boost their returns by using leverage, i.e. borrowing money. This kind
of deal is called a “leveraged buyout.” The private equity firm borrows money from banks or other
lenders, and adds that money to its own funds to allow it to buy a majority stake in a company.
It uses its controlling position to restructure the company and make it more valuable, so that it can
sell its stake later at a profit.
This form is most commonly used in turnaround deals, where the company is in financial trouble
and the private equity firm uses its money and expertise to return it to profitability.
6. Growth Capital
In this kind of deal, the private equity firm takes a smaller stake, and the objective is growth
rather than a turnaround. It’s similar, then, to venture capital, and in fact venture capital is
often regarded as a subset of private equity. What’s different about growth capital
(sometimes called “growth equity”) is that it’s focused on larger, more mature companies,
not the early-stage companies that venture capitalists look for.
7. Mezzanine Financing
It sounds complicated, but actually it’s quite simple. Mezzanine financing is simply a form of
debt. Some private equity funds will lend money to companies, either as part of an existing
deal or as a separate transaction. If your company goes bankrupt, the mezzanine debt gets
paid off later than other debt, so it’s more risky, and therefore commands a higher interest
rate.
In this tutorial, we’ll concentrate mostly on the leveraged buyout, since it’s the most
common form of private equity.
8. Advantages of Private Equity
Private equity financing has some distinct advantages over other forms of funding. Here are
some of the main benefits:
Large Amounts of Funding
Of all the options we’ve looked at so far, private equity can provide by far the largest
amounts of money. As we saw, the deals are measured in hundreds of millions of dollars.
The impact of that kind of money on a company can be massive. In 2009, The Delaware City
Refinery had to close its main refinery and lay off most of its employees. In 2010, private
equity firm Blackstone invested $450 million in the company, enabling it to reopen the
refinery and rehire 500 employees.
9. Active Involvement
With many of the other funding options we’ve looked at, the investor or lender has only
minimal involvement in the running of your business. Private equity firms are much more
hands on, and will help you re-evaluate every aspect of your business to see how you can
maximize its value.
This can lead to problems, of course, if their idea of maximizing value doesn’t match yours,
as we’ll see in the next section. But having experienced professionals intimately involved in
your business can also result in major improvements.
10. Incentives
Private equity firms have a lot of skin in the game. As we’ve seen, they often borrow a lot of
money to make their investments, and they have to pay that back and generate a return for
their investors on top of that. In order to achieve that, they need your business to succeed.
Individual partners in the private equity firm often have their own money invested as well,
and make additional money from performance fees if they make a profit, so they have
strong personal incentives to increase your company’s value.
11. Disadvantages of Private Equity
Such large amounts of money, of course, come with strings attached. Here are some of the
downsides of private equity funding:
Dilution/Loss of Your Ownership Stake
This is the big one. With the other funding options we’ve looked at, the investment came at
a cost, but you still stayed in control of your company. With private equity, you get much
more money, but usually have to give up a much larger share of the business. Private equity
firms often demand a majority stake, and sometimes you’ll be left with little or nothing of
your ownership. It’s a much bigger trade, and it’s one that many business owners will baulk
at.
12. Loss of Management Control
Beyond the money, you can also lose control of the direction of your business. The private
equity firm will want to be actively involved, and as we mentioned in the previous section,
that can be a good thing. But it can also mean losing control of basic elements of your
business like setting strategy, hiring and firing employees, and choosing the management
team.
Some of the other options involved relinquishing control, but because the private equity
firm’s stake is usually higher, the loss of control is much greater. This is especially true when
it comes to the PE firm’s “exit strategy.” That may involve selling the business outright or
other options that don’t form part of your plans.
13. Different Definitions of Value
A private equity firm exists to invest in companies, make them more valuable, and sell their
stakes for large profits. Mostly this is good for the companies involved—any business owner
would like to create more value.
But a private equity firm's definition of value is very specific and limited. It’s focused on the
financial value of the business on a particular date about five years after the initial
investment, when the firm sells its stake and books a profit. Business owners often have a
much broader definition of value, with a longer-term outlook and more concern for things
like relationships with employees and customers, and reputation, which can lead to clashes.
14. Eligibility
Private equity firms are looking for particular types of companies to invest in. They have to
be large enough to support those major investments, and also they have to offer the
potential for large profits in a relatively short time frame. Generally that either means that
your company has very strong growth potential, or that it’s in financial difficulties and is
currently undervalued. A business that can’t offer investors a lucrative exit within about five
years will struggle to attract any interest from private equity firms.