A Private Investment Firm Focused on the Long Run
Inkwood Partners is a specialized investment firm dedicated to acquiring and growing small companies. We strategically invest in privately-owned, profitable businesses in niche sectors within stable industries. Embracing an owner-operator perspective, our emphasis is on sustainable value creation. We seek opportunities where our active, long-term involvement can significantly enhance value.
Why Partner with Inkwood?
We wont bog you down with a drawn-out processes, rigid formalities, and a deluge of paperwork, we pride ourselves on a streamlined, efficient approach that respects your time and simplifies transactions
We're not constrained by the typical 3-to-5-year hold periods that can pressure investment firms into prioritizing short-term sale prices, sometimes at the expense of employees and customers
We see the private equity model as broken. We structure each partnership as a standalone investment and cannot offset losers with winners. We do well only when your company grows, and our time is spent entirely on value creation rather than fundraising.
Our core team is small. We make quick, well-educated decisions. We work constantly to expand our circle of competence. We discern when and where we can add value, armed with the conviction of a long-term view.
Our Principles
Growing a company takes more than money — it takes heart and a happy, committed team. Good people make companies tick and customers stick
People First
Decades Not Years
We take an evergreen approach when we acquire a business. The "long-haul" is our True North when making business decisions
Consistency & Bias to Action
Our approach to value creation is straightforward. We believe consistency and a bias to action grow companies not overly engineered systems, technical wizardry, or jargon-ladden processes
Integrity & Transparency
We commit to upholding the highest ethical standards and maintaining confidentiality and discretion throughout the transaction process and beyond. We approach all of our business relationships with a colloborative spirit and a commitment to transparency and fairness
Our DNA
At Inkwood, we're more than investors; we're operators who've lived the challenges you face. Having managed departments and small businesses, we deeply understand the day-to-day grind, from tackling resource constraints to navigating sparse data and administrative burdens. This intimate understanding uniquely positions us to guide small to mid-sized companies through capital transitions, ensuring the longevity and growth of your business in an ever-evolving marketplace
Operations
Centric
At Inkwood, we're more than investors; we're operators who've lived the challenges you face. Having managed departments and small businesses, we deeply understand the day-to-day grind, from tackling resource constraints to navigating sparse data and administrative burdens.
Our firm and our success are entirely contingent on effective partnerships, which require deep trust and integrity. We seek to work with good, honest people and build close relationships that enable us to align on priorities. We are patient, long-term holders of our businesses, who seek to build employee-driven cultures and encourage shared ownership
Alignment
Oriented
We are flexible and want to partner with businesses to determine the best transition plan. We are very open to continued owner involvement, promotion of new leadership from within the organization, or if needed, can facilitate recruitment externally to fill executive operating roles. We want to ensure that those who have worked hard to build the business continue to grow and flourish
Flexible
Our Investment Criteria
We acquire privately-held, profitable companies operating in the lower middle market. Our targeted investments have between $5M-$50M in annual revenues, a B2B customer base, and strong gross margins. We invest both as active owner-operators and as partners to an active owner-operators
B2B Services Sector Focused Investors
Target Industries
Transaction Types
Financial
Criteria
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Revenues of between $5 and $50 million
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Strong Gross Margins - > 40%
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Operating Profits of $2 to $7 million
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A Reasonably Diversified Customer Base
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Defensible Market Position
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Owner wants to recapitalize the business and transition from day-to-day operations
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Recapitalizations to buyout existing minority or majority partners
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Management Buyouts
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Corporate Carve-Outs
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Capital injections to accelerate M&A and/or other strategic investments
Transaction
Types
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Business Process Outsourcing
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IT & Tech- Enabled Services
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Professional Services & Specialized Consultancies
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State, Local, and Education Service Providers
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Insurance Mandated & Outsourced Services
Target
Industries
Target
Industries
Target
Industries
Companies that Inkwood has been involved with in a key investing, operating, or advisory role
Representative Companies
Our Investment Approach
We embed ourselves in the companies we work with, ensuring that the full weight of our operational and management expertise is realized.
Although every business is unique, most companies face the same fundamental obstacles on their path to success. We help our companies transform their businesses by identifying and implementing solutions that allow them to go further, faster.
Our investment strategy is tailored to the unique needs of each company, yet unified by the following core elements that guide our collaborative efforts:
Hands-On,
Focused Involvement
We seek partnerships that involve active and consistent involvement - not limited to quarterly board meetings or pivotal strategic decisions but extending to daily and weekly interactions. Our hands-on approach allows us to work closely with our partners, lending our support and guidance every step of the way
Grounded in Reality,
Aimed At Growth
We manage businesses based on annual operating plans that are free from unrealistic KPIs and hockey-stick projections. We prioritize practicality while ambitiously targeting the obstacles that stifle growth, ensuring our goals are not only forward-looking but acheivable
Transparent,
Accountable Culture
We implement straightforward processes for task tracking and progress reporting. We cultivate an environment that prioritizes people, fostering transparency and accountability at all team levels
Customer Centric,
Operational Excellence
Guided by the principle of not fixing what isn't broken, we prioritize new initiatives based on their impact on the customer experience. Believing firmly in customer centricity as the cornerstone of any truly sustainable business, we ensure that our operational enhancements are always aligned with enhancing the value delivered to customers
Long-Term Vision,
Measurable Milestones
Our strategy is underpinned by a long-term vision complemented by clearly defined, achievable milestones. This approach ensures that while aiming for substantial, transformative growth, we maintain a step-by-step progress towards sustainable development and achievement
Decentralized,
Nimble Decisions
Our approach embraces decentralized leadership, empowering team members to make quick, entrepreneurial decisions. By valuing the insights and capabilities of our people at every level, we cultivate an environment where adaptability and proactive problem-solving lead the way to sustained growth and succes