SA CAPITAL PARTNERS

Small business owners in the lower middle market know tax season is more like 12 months of planning and paperwork. As the new year has brought new tax tips, any last-minute work ahead of April 15th could make things a bit busier for you and your business. Consider these tips if you are still working on taxes before the deadline. First and foremost, planning is the first and most important step in the process. Taking the time to organize your paperwork and receipts cannot just

Rethinking a small business does not always mean things are going poorly. In fact, some of the strongest lower middle market businesses are constantly changing and shifting. Most successful small businesses stay on top of innovation and progress, rather than find a groove and stay in it. If you don’t rethink things, they’ll change without you, leaving you to play catch up rather than reap the rewards. The problem with change is it often means breaking the status quo. With the

The first few years of a small business are stressful, but they do not have to be. “Save money anyway you can” may sound easier said than done, but these tips behind how to make the first few years in the lower middle market smoother can make a huge difference both financially and mentally. Let’s start with the topic nobody wants to discuss debt. Most small business owners seem to have it, yet very few of them ever directly confront it until they’re in deep. Whether it’s stud

It’s no secret that small businesses in the lower middle market have a huge impact on the national and global economy. The latest surprise, however, is just how much of that influence comes from rural America. A new report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce discovered that unlocking the digital potential of rural businesses across the U.S. could add over $140 billion to the U.S economy over the next three years and create an additional 360,000 full-time jobs in rural communities

It’s been a positive trend in the lower middle market for quite some time now, but women are taking over the startup world with great ideas and a new outlook on small business. Startups founded and co-founded by women are consistently found to perform better over time relative to startups founded by men only, yet for some time now, women have seemed discouraged from doing so. In Europe, only 5% of leadership positions in the technology industry are held by women, and the US d

Regardless of which market segment you look at, 2018 was a strong year for mergers and acquisitions. The lower middle market, most familiar to many in the United States, posted total transaction volume of $349 billion, which exceeds last year’s total of $329 billion. This represents a year-over-year increase of $19 billion, or 6.0%, meaning a lot of optimism, and rightfully so. Several factors will continue accelerating M&A activity as we get deeper into 2019. First and forem

No one can accurately predict with any degree of certainty what the market will look like in two to three years. Even today, some experts predict that we are headed for a recession sometime during 2019 through 2021. For the lower middle market, that might not mean much, especially if you are stable now and are always looking ahead. However, if you were already thinking of getting out of the game, now might be a good time with the recent lack of clarity for the years ahead. Wh

The start of 2019 hasn’t shown much of a slowdown in the economy, except for one section. Federal jobs numbers have been underperforming in regards to expert expectations, but the concern for some in the lower middle market is that it also is occurring in the private sector as well. Small business hiring slowed dramatically in February, which some are seeing as a sign that company owners may be getting cautious about the economy. With economists forecasting a slowing of the e

If you are starting out in any business, you will not find yourself making easy decision. Even from day one, every choice you make will have an impact on your company’s success, rate of growth, and trajectory. This statement is not meant to be a warning or point of fear, in fact, it should encourage those who are entering the lower middle market to maneuver their way into smart chances rather than blind ones. Taking a smart chance is more than just guessing. Smart chances are

It might seem counter-intuitive to think about private small businesses somehow being affected by a federal government shutdown, but in a way, there are a few things to keep in mind when things in Washington go awry. Uncertainty is a bad thing, no matter what level of the market in which you work. Needless to say, uncertainty when it pertains to the federal government, especially in the early days of a new year, can cause an uncomfortable stir no matter where you work. For fe

As the benchmark for lower middle market success continues to rise with more innovation and technological advances, things are sure to be interesting in 2019 for small business. Already, just days into 2019, lower middle market investors and business owners are anticipating a better year than the last, riding a consumer confidence that grew during the holiday season of 2018. For many, the New Year can be a time of optimism, often altering the true expectations of how the year

A popular Netflix Show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” is centered around a few basic principles and taking audiences by storm. The first principal of Kondo’s method of keeping things tidy and never excessive is to simply evaluate whether or not it “sparks joy.” For a small business owner, joy might not mean the same thing at work that it does at home. In the lower middle market, joy is often found in a business’ ability to sustain growth and continue to set and achieve busine

There are a number of ways to get ahead of the game when growing your lower middle market business. Especially as you begin to ramp up the early stages of growing your clientele and spreading the word about all that you do. The easiest way to do this is actually to have a set of plans for each time you’re going to plan on presenting your business to a new audience. The plan does not have to be complex but should include a quick explanation of what your business does, and a mo

As hard as it might be to believe, even the smallest “main street” businesses have trouble differentiating themselves from one another. In the case of some of the more rapidly growing sectors like tech and information science, there are a slew of possible ways to stand out amongst the growing crowd of businesses in your field or sector. An easy way is to be connected to a better network of investors. Not only do you have their financial resources but working with more develop

The United States had a strong 2018 for small businesses and the lower middle market, and as things start to slow back down to a normal rate, there are a number of trends to keep an eye on. Depending on your location, sector, and position in the market, 2019 might be your year for a big gain in exposure and profits. A look at December 2018’s data for small businesses in the lower middle market show a few glowing trends that you’ll want to consider in the first quarter of the

A lot of lower middle market business entrepreneurs aren’t new to the game. In fact, many begin to look at a lower middle market business after working in the corporate world or owning another small business themselves. This means they are bringing a lot of experience with them, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a painless venture. Much of the struggle in starting a new small business is transitioning to such a new territory, no matter how long you have been working in the lowe

For owners looking to sell their businesses, it can be hard to know what buyers find attractive. This is particularly true in the lower middle market. While small business indexes point to more confidence in main street and a growing ecommerce market, the question remains: what is expected and aspired for in the lower middle market from investors and buyers? In this lower range of business value, there are a lot of financial buyers, private money, and search fund advisors. Th

One of the most effective ways to grow your small business is to merge with another small business. The company you are merging with may already have a loyal customer base, infrastructure to expand, and efficiencies you can capitalize on by using them within your original business. But before you can enjoy the success of a merger, you must take the right steps in navigating the joining of two small businesses. A big part of the change won’t be felt by you, but by your custome

This one's for the entrepreneur strongly considering a dive into the lower middle market and a new business. Opening your own business isn't about the economy. Yes, piles of statistics report that small business owners are backbone employers of these United States. Just as many other numbers hollow this rosy mom-and-pop scenario right out. Thing is, all that probably isn't too important to you. Opening your own business isn't about boosting the economy or revitalizing Main St

In the world of restaurant mergers and acquisitions, big deals — like 2017’s sales of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen or Panera Bread — tend to get the most attention. But private equity firms should also look at lower middle market restaurant investment opportunities for deals that deliver solid growth to their partners. Across the investment landscape, most middle-market activity has been concentrated in the upper middle market. Deals in the core middle market ($100m to $500m) an