Menu

Value-Add Investing

Aligned capital. Earned operating perspective.

Sift & Winn invests alongside data-driven entrepreneurs who want aligned equity and experienced operating support, not remote oversight or a borrowed playbook.

Discuss a search or opportunity

Why this firm exists

Searchers once. Operating partners now.

Eric and Michael set out to acquire, run, and grow a business of their own. Their leading deal fizzled. Then another door opened: they were asked to help stand up a cross-portfolio 80/20 practice for a major private equity group.

Over the next three years, they worked together to help operators use data and focus to lead their teams and grow the strongest parts of their businesses. Sift & Winn now brings that experience back to the small and medium-sized business setting.

Primarily

Capital and operating support for acquiring entrepreneurs.

Secondarily

Direct acquisition of an operating business that fits.

Investment criteria

Specific enough to be useful.

The program is designed for established B2B companies where focus, simplification, and disciplined growth can matter.

Model
Business to business
Geography
United States
Profile
Niche, specialized, or generally complex
Quality
Established and profitable
Team
Tenured, experienced professional staff
Size
Under $10M in revenue; $300K–$1.2M in SDE

Operating approach

Segment → Simplify → Zero-up → Grow

The approach works best with entrepreneurs committed to using data, making choices, and creating operational excellence quickly.

  1. 01

    Segment

    Use the data to see where value is created—and where complexity consumes it.

  2. 02

    Simplify

    Make the priorities clear enough that the organization can act on them.

  3. 03

    Zero-up

    Build the plan from customer and operating realities rather than inherited budgets.

  4. 04

    Grow

    Put resources behind the customers, products, and work with the strongest potential.

This model is best suited to entrepreneurs pursuing focused operational improvement and value creation—not primarily long-term family ownership or legacy building.

Start a conversation

Bring the real situation, not the polished version.

If you are looking for both capital and operating support, share where you are in the search and what kind of partnership would be useful.

An introductory video call or meeting is the usual place to begin.