A Permanent Home for Your Business
We partner with good small to mid-sized U.S. businesses, offering a long-term approach to ownership, growth, and preserving what makes your company special.
Our Acquisition Philosophy: A Different Approach
Unlike buyers focused on quick flips or heavy financial engineering, Cole Place Capital seeks to be a permanent home for the businesses we acquire. We believe in growing value patiently, over many years, not just quarters. Our approach is simple: buy good businesses at fair prices, support capable management, and then largely let them run the show.
What We Look For:
Strong, Lasting Business Advantages (Economic Moats)
Businesses with a clear, sustainable edge – perhaps a strong brand, cost-effective operations, or loyal customers – that protects them from intense competition.
Consistent Earning Power
A history of making money and generating cash. We prefer businesses that have proven their model, not highly speculative ventures.
Capable and Honest Management
We like to partner with existing managers who love their business and want to keep running it, or work with sellers to find strong new leadership if needed.
Simple, Understandable Businesses
We stick to businesses whose operations we can understand. Complexity can hide problems; we prefer clarity and straightforward business models.
A Fair Price for a Good Business
We aim to pay a sensible price for a good business, rather than a high price for a so-so one. We believe in honest, straightforward talks when it comes to price.
What We Offer Business Owners
Selling your business is a big decision. We aim to be a partner you can trust with its future.
We're committed to keeping the name, culture, and community connections you've worked hard to build. Your business won’t be broken apart or lost in a giant corporation.
We trust our management teams to run their companies. We offer support and resources, not daily interference.
We don’t plan to sell your business again in a few years. Our goal is to own and nurture businesses for the very long term.
We prefer clear, straightforward agreements without a lot of debt or complicated financial tricks.
If there are good opportunities for the business to expand, we can provide the money and strategic help needed.
Know that your business is in stable, experienced hands focused on its continued success and the well-being of its employees.
Our Ideal Partnership
- Owners thinking about retirement or taking a step back, who care deeply about their company's future, its people, and its customers.
- Management teams looking for a long-term financial partner to help them buy the business or support its next phase of growth.
- Family businesses figuring out how to pass the company to the next generation, aiming for stability and continuity.
- Founders who want to reduce their personal financial risk but stay involved, partnering with someone who understands long-term business building.
What We Usually Avoid
- Businesses needing major turnarounds or those in financial distress.
- Situations where the business is sold through an auction or requires very complex financial structures.
- Businesses with unproven ideas or those relying heavily on speculative future technologies.
- Companies where we can't understand the basic business or how it competes.
Thinking About the Future of Your Business?
If our approach sounds right for you, and you own a business that fits our general criteria, we'd be happy to have a confidential, no-pressure conversation. We value your time and promise a respectful process.
Start a Conversation