AUSTIN, Texas and SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Serent Capital, a growth-focused private investment firm that partners with high-growth software and tech-enabled services businesses, has been recognized on Inc. magazine's Private Equity 50 list, honoring the most founder-friendly private equity firms that help founder-led businesses thrive, even in the face of unprecedented challenges, for a second consecutive year.
Serent was founded in 2008 with the vision of building a truly differentiated and value-additive investment firm with an entrepreneurial team whose sole mission is to be the best true business partner for founders by providing hands-on business-building and operational support, growth-oriented organizational design and recruiting assistance, and thoughtful strategic guidance to help companies scale faster.
"Having both led and engaged in high-growth companies, we were inspired to design and build a firm that supports founders every step of the way and works shoulder-to-shoulder with them on the important challenges they face," said Kevin Frick, Co-Founder and Partner at Serent Capital. "We saw the need to be a partner that was more than just a financial partner – a true business partner that could roll up their sleeves and help you not only overcome challenges but thrive in a high-growth environment," he added.
"Given the importance of investing in founder-owned companies, we are humbled to be recognized by Inc. for a second year in a row for our approach to partnering with our amazing founders," stated Frick. He continued, "Entrepreneurship is one of the five core values which Serent was built on and remains integral to our daily success. We have enormous respect and appreciation for the entrepreneurial journey, and we continuously strive to be the partners who equip founders with the resources and helping hands they need to accelerate their growth and become their best selves."
To help founders scale their companies, Serent has built an in-house Growth Team, comprised of over a dozen former operators and management consultants dedicated to maximizing the growth potential of every Serent company. Serent's Growth Team members work hand-in-hand with founders and their companies to plan for and carry out strategic initiatives such as sales & marketing strategy, channel partnerships, product roadmaps, payments integration, & M&A – all without charging any consulting fees to the company. Serent’s Human Capital team helps founders identify, recruit, & hire key executive talent and build long-term organizational design plans for the next phase of growth.
"One aspect that makes Serent unique for founders is the value we're able to help them unlock in their businesses through the Growth and Human Capital Teams," said Lance Fenton, Partner at Serent Capital. "We have top-tier experts continuously uncovering and executing on bespoke initiatives that can drive tremendous amounts of long-term value for the founder, their company, employees, and customers.”
“The early founder journey can be a lonely road with so many hats to wear – we exist to help carry that load, to support long-term founder visions and growth plans, and to build the foundation for a lasting legacy,” said Fenton. He continued, “As experienced growth partners, we hope that some of our pattern recognition and lessons learned can help founders navigate the challenges of building a successful high-growth company.”
"We work hand-in-hand with our founders day-in and day-out," stated Stewart Lynn, Partner at Serent Capital. “One of the things I appreciate the most about what we do here every day, is that we get to create genuine and authentic relationships with our founders, and we grow these remarkable companies – together, as partners,” he concluded.
Over the last 12 years Serent has partnered with more than 40 founder-led companies. This year Serent announced the closing of their $750 million Fund IV, continuing their focused mission of investing in and partnering with successful, bootstrapped, founder-led businesses where Serent's business-building capabilities can help drive future growth.
The final list recognizes 50 firms that entrepreneurs can trust, collaborate with on new strategies, and look to help in financing acquisitions during these uncertain times. All 50 have a successful track record of backing entrepreneurs.
To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity firms and shared data on how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships.
To see the complete list, go to: http://www.inc.com/private-equity.
Introduced in 2019, the 50 Founder-Friendly Private Equity Firms list quickly established itself as one of Inc.’s most resourceful franchises. It has become a go-to guide for entrepreneurs who want to grow their companies while retaining an ownership stake.
The November 2020 issue of Inc. magazine is available online and will be on newsstands.
About Serent Capital
Serent Capital invests in growing businesses that have developed compelling solutions that address their customers' needs. As those businesses grow and evolve, the opportunities and challenges that they face change with them. Principals at Serent Capital have firsthand experience capturing those opportunities and navigating these difficulties through their experiences as CEOs, strategic advisors, and board members to successful growing businesses. By bringing its expertise and capital to bear, Serent seeks to help growing businesses thrive. For more information on Serent Capital, visit www.serentcapital.com.
