Chenmark is a name that many of you will recognize. Chenmark buys small businesses with the intention to grow and hold those businesses forever. Now, this sounds like a small business holding company, a popular concept these days, and Chenmark is that. But the three founders started doing this seven years ago, before the concept was as talked about as it is today. And because it was so unconventional at the time, especially among their peers on Wall Street, where all three had worked, they really had to develop a strong conviction around pursuing this path. And not just financial conviction, but personal conviction — that they were choosing a professional life that had a distinct flavor, and did they want that? Happily, seven years later, their conviction seems only stronger than when they founded Chenmark. So I was excited to hear the story of this business and the philosophy around it. I have two of the three co-founders on: brothers James and Palmer Higgins. Trish Higgins is the third co-founder and wife of James. All three of them have been on other podcasts to discuss various aspects of Chenmark, and I'll link to those in the show notes. Last thing before we begin: if buying multiple businesses over years appeals to you, also make sure to listen to the January 24 episode of Acquiring Minds with Justin Turner, who is on a similar path to Chenmark with his firm Traction Capital. And with that, here are James and Palmer Higgins, co-founders of Chenmark.