After more than 30 years in corporate leadership roles, we set out to create a different kind of small business investment company. At Elia & Partners, we’re all about building relationships and forging connections between business owners and talented, young businesspeople. We believe in investing for the long term and giving good ideas a chance to prove themselves. We believe in looking after our employees, and we believe that there’s more to success than simply profit and growth. We believe in direct communications, faster decision-making, and an enduring entrepreneurial spirit.

And, perhaps most importantly, we believe that good ethics go hand-in-hand with good value. That’s the driving force behind Elia & Partners, and we look forward to working with business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs who feel the same way.

For Business Owners

You’ve spent years building your business, and selling it is a life-changing decision. If you’re ready to move on, Elia & Partners can help you make the transition with confidence and ensure that you leave your business in good, capable hands.

We’re particularly interested in established business with steady annual revenues of $5 million to $15 million and annual cash flows of $750,000 to $3 million. We’re looking for businesses with a history of slow, steady growth and a recurring, loyal customer base. We prefer companies that serve a unique niche – one that keeps others from competing or discourages customers from shopping elsewhere.

If your business fits this profile, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us.

For Investors

Traditional search funds have long been the first choice for investors and for those pursuing entrepreneurship through acquisition. But despite its popularity the traditional model can be inefficient, largely due to a large number of investors (and no single dedicated partner), inexperienced searchers, and lack of committed capital.

My founding partner and I have three decades of experience in leadership roles and creating stakeholder value in a variety of industries. We started this company because we wanted to use our experiences, integrity, and finances to build a different kind of small business investment model. At Elia & Partners, our young entrepreneurs run businesses and our senior partners offer “gray hair” experience and guidance every step of the way.

The result: accountability, transparency, results, and efficiency. And a game-changing approach to search funds.

Contact us to learn more about opportunities for investors.

For Next-Generation Entrepreneurs

You’re ready to run your own business, but that doesn’t mean you need to shoulder the risk of creating an entirely new company.

At Elia & Partners, we know that choosing the entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) path is a big step. We started our company because we want to make the ETA process faster and more predictable for talented young businesspeople. When you work with us, you can hit the ground running with funded capital. You can use our established search process and cadence rather than taking the time to create your own.

And when you take over as CEO, you’ll have access to ongoing tools, guidance, and development programs that you simply won’t find in a traditional search model. And, because we don’t think you should have to go it alone, you’ll always have access to an experienced, enthusiastic mentor who is genuinely committed to your success.

Ready to take the next step in your career? Have questions about the ETA process? Contact Elia & Partners today to learn how we can help you locate, acquire, and run a business.

Why We’re Different

What sets Elia & Partners apart from other search fund models? I designed our unique approach to directly address the challenges associated with traditional models and position our searchers for success:

Mentoring and guidance

Our talented, young entrepreneurs go through a rigorous hiring process. Once on board, they identify, buy, and succeed the owners of established small businesses. We will provide the financing, tools, processes, procedures, mentorship, and resources to promote the long-term growth of those small businesses – and the success of our young businesspeople.

A focus on values and connections

Elia & Partners will place a great emphasis on the purpose, core beliefs, and values held by each company we purchase. We will focus our efforts on maintaining the connections these companies have with their established and loyal customers, their suppliers, and the communities that share their core beliefs and values.

Slow and steady growth

Businesses that fit our model are not “glamorous” companies or rapidly evolving tech startups. They’re not companies in need of a turnaround. Our ideal investment? A small business with an annual revenue of $5 to $15 million and annual free cash flows of $750,000 to $3 million. We’re okay with “dull.” We prefer slow and steady revenue growth and sustainable cash flows.

Our ideal investment? A small business with an annual revenue of $5 to $15 million and annual free cash flows of $750,000 to $3 million. We prefer slow and steady revenue growth and sustainable cash flows, and we specialize in acquiring established businesses with a unique product or service offering and a dedicated customer base.

If your business fits this profile, we’d love to hear from you.

About

Elia & Partners, LLC is a different kind of search firm. We’re founded and funded by two experienced executives, and our sole focus is entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA). Our idea is simple: Find and acquire existing small to mid-size enterprises and grow them through succession, globalization, digitalization, and innovation strategies.

Michael (“Mike”) Elia’s career spans 35 years across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, service, aftermarket parts and consumables, and software development. He has held leadership roles in both public and private equity backed companies serving a variety of end markets such as fashion and apparel, electronics and telecommunications, industrial, power generation, aerospace and defense, automotive, specialty publishing, consumer goods, and public accounting. Mr. Elia is the former President and CEO of Gerber Technology and the former SVP and CFO of FastenTech, Inc. Mike has completed 29 M&A transactions totaling $2.4 billion and helped arrange $1.5 billion in bank loans, public debentures, and preferred stock.

John Riccardi is a Certified Public Accountant with more than three decades of experience in SEC and GAAP reporting. His career includes 10 years with Ernst & Young, followed by nearly a decade as CFO of various publicly held or private equity sponsored companies. Since 2006, John has served as executive financial consultant and advisor to CEOs of several growth-oriented companies. He has worked on eight different search fund deals, including Out of Home America, Medical Records, In Charge Electric, and Sub Atomic Digital. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.