What we look for

Strong businesses with good bones.

We're not looking for turnarounds or distressed situations. We're looking for solid, established service businesses in Western New York where the owner is ready to step back and the business has real, lasting value.

Is this a fit?

You might be a good fit if...

This isn't a checklist you need to score perfectly on. It's a general picture of the kinds of businesses and situations we're most interested in. If several of these feel familiar, it's worth a conversation.

Your business has a strong reputation in the community.
You've been operating for 10 or more years.
You're thinking about retiring or stepping back from day-to-day work.
You have a team in place that can keep running things after a sale.
The business isn't entirely dependent on you personally.
You have a reasonably diversified customer base.
You haven't fully adopted modern technology or operational systems yet.
Your annual revenue is usually in the $1M to $5M range.
Your SDE or EBITDA is usually $500K or more.
Industries

Where we focus first.

We have the deepest operational knowledge in these three categories. That said, we'll consider other residential and commercial service businesses when the fit is right.

Residential HVAC

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning service and replacement businesses with an established residential customer base.

Commercial Cleaning and Janitorial

Commercial cleaning and janitorial service companies with recurring contract revenue and a reliable crew.

Commercial Landscaping

Commercial landscaping and grounds maintenance companies with contract-based revenue and established accounts.

Also open to: Other residential and commercial service businesses where the fit is strong. We'll also consider real estate as part of an acquisition when it makes sense for the deal.
Detailed criteria

A clearer picture of what we're looking for.

Business typeService businesses (residential and commercial)
LocationWestern New York, with preference for Erie and Niagara counties
Years in operation10 or more years
Annual revenueUsually $1M to $5M
SDE or EBITDAUsually $500K or more
Owner situationRetiring, stepping back, or exploring transition
TeamExisting team stays in place after sale
Owner dependencyBusiness is not entirely dependent on the owner
Customer concentrationReasonably diversified, not overly concentrated
TechnologyUnderutilized — opportunity to improve systems
Real estateWill consider as part of acquisition when appropriate
Not a fit

What we are not looking for.

Franchises

We're not looking to acquire franchise locations. We're interested in independently owned businesses.

One-person businesses

If the business is entirely dependent on one person with no team in place, it's not a fit for us right now.

Turnarounds

We're not looking for distressed businesses that need to be rescued. We want something that's already working.

Outside Western New York

We're focused on Erie and Niagara counties and the surrounding WNY region. We're not looking to operate businesses elsewhere.

Not sure if you're a fit? Ask us.

The best way to find out is to have a conversation. It's confidential, there's no pressure, and it costs you nothing.

Let's Talk