Owned for the long run.
Each acquisition is financed on its own, with equity partners and lenders chosen for a long hold, and underwritten to earn its return from cash flow.
Work that has to get done, whatever the cycle.
The questions owners ask us first
Most owners we meet have heard every buyer promise to be long-term and to keep the team. These are the concerns behind that doubt, and what we do about each one.
Will the price change after diligence?
We test the numbers that drive price first and put the key terms in the letter of intent. If a term changes after that, we explain why in writing.
What happens to my people?
We buy a company for the team that runs it and plan around the people in place. We agree your own role, full-time or advisory, before we sign.
Can you close?
We line up lenders and equity partners early, and you can speak with them before closing.
Will you sell it again in four years?
We underwrite each company to earn its return from cash flow, so a sale is never required to make the deal work.
Will the name survive?
A name customers trust is part of what we buy. We agree with you how it will be used, including if the company later combines with others, before we sign.
Will the new owner understand the work?
Our leadership has owned and run a services company, with payroll to meet, customers to keep and lenders to answer to.
Choosing who owns what you built
Owners usually weigh three kinds of buyer. This is how they typically differ.
| Consideration | Worthings Court | Private equity fund | Strategic acquirer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attention | The company is our core focus | One of many portfolio companies | Absorbed into a larger operation |
| Holding period | Long-term, with no fund deadline | Usually sold within 3 to 7 years | Permanent, as a division |
| Management team | Built around the people in place | Often reshaped ahead of a sale | Often merged into the acquirer's |
| Name and culture | Agreed with you before signing | Kept until the next sale | Often replaced |
| Point of contact | The same principal from first call to closing | A deal team, then an investment committee | Corporate development, then the business unit |
How we build after closing
Four things we do in each company, at the pace its team can absorb.
How we work with owners
A defined process from the first call to the years after closing, so owners and their advisors know what comes next.
Working with advisors and brokers
Most of the companies we see come through an advisor. These are the commitments we make to you.
Leadership
Duke University, MEM
Georgia Institute of Technology, BS Engineering
Charles began his career in GE's leadership program, working on turnarounds of underperforming acquisitions. He advised on industrials M&A at Barclays Investment Bank and led data center and telecom infrastructure investments at Africa50.
In 2022 he bought a healthcare staffing company with bank debt he raised himself, ran it as President and CEO, and structured its add-on acquisitions with lender consent and no cash paid at closing.
Start with a conversation.
Owners, advisors and capital partners: send a teaser, an introduction or a question. We reply to every introduction within one business day.
If you own the business, tell us one thing: what would you want to be true about your company five years after you sell?