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    • Home
    • Who We Are
    • Deal Criteria
    • For Intermediaries
    • For Sellers
    • Case Studies
    • Insights
    • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • Deal Criteria
  • For Intermediaries
  • For Sellers
  • Case Studies
  • Insights
  • Contact Us

Selling Your Business

If you're a business owner planning your transition, we're a buyer focused on team preservation and long-term ownership. We acquire businesses in the Midwest and intend to hold them indefinitely.


You've spent decades building something valuable. 

The question now: Who's the right long-term partner?


Hones Answer

We might not be. Not every business fits what we do, and not every owner should sell to outside capital. Worth understanding if we're aligned before spending months on the process.

The Three Options

A Competitor

Waterbear Group

Private Equity

They'll absorb your customers and consolidate operations. Your brand disappears.

Private Equity

Waterbear Group

Private Equity

They're managing investor capital on a 5-7 year timeline. Load debt, hit metrics, exit. Your team's just a number.

Waterbear Group

Waterbear Group

Waterbear Group

Independent operator. We invest our own capital alongside long-term partners. We hold indefinitely.

What Makes This Different

We Keep Your Team

In our first platform: grew 15 to 40+ people with zero layoffs through a major crisis. We invested in people when others would've cut.


We Keep Your Culture

We spend 6-12 months learning what makes your business work before making changes. No cookie-cutter playbooks.


We Keep The Business

Not a fund with exit pressure. We hold indefinitely—selling only when it's clearly best for the company and team.


We're Honest About Fit

We pass on most opportunities we review. When we tell you we're interested, it means we've done the work to understand your business and believe we can add value. When we tell you we're not the right buyer, we'll explain why and won't waste your time. We believe that a quick "no" is better than a slow "maybe".

How We Work

The Transition (6-12 Months)

Stay involved as long as you want. You have been coming to the office every day for years, why stop now. Besides... I can't replace 30 years of intuition in 30 days. I want to learn from you.


First Year

Partner with your management. Understand what works. Build relationships with customers and vendors. Make thoughtful improvements.


Year 2+

Growth. Team development. Strategic acquisitions if appropriate. Continued evolution.


Your Role Post-Close

Most sellers want to step away, not stay involved operationally. We support that.  But you have options: 

  • Clean exit (step away, we run it)
  • Advisory role (board seat, consulting, informal)
  • Rollover equity (keep 10-30%, ride the upside) - Phased exit (transition gradually over 12-24 months)  
  • Default: You transition knowledge for 6-12 months, then step back. We take over operations. You're free to pursue the next chapter.


Ultimately, we adapt to your goals.

Your Team's Future

Standard in every deal:

  • Management equity (5-15% pools)
  • Internal promotions first
  • Continuity and stability
  • Ownership mentality


In our first platform: zero turnover in key roles, multiple promotions, team thrived. That's normal for us.

Deal Flexibility

Every deal is different. We structure based on what works for your situation:

  • Rollover equity (stay involved, keep 10-30%)
  • Extended seller notes (7-10 years, flexible)
  • Advisory roles (formal or informal)
  • Phased purchases (gradual transition)
  • Management equity (your team gets real ownership)

B2B Business Acquisition Criteria

Ready to Explore?  No obligation, no pressure. Just an honest conversation about whether we're aligned.  If we're not the right buyer, we'll tell you upfront. If we are, we'll move quickly and respect the business you've built.


We want this to feel like a partnership, not a transaction.

Schedule Confidential Call

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