Any Over 40 Searchers?

03/19/2019 Redacted Redacted

Colorado State University

Hello- The 2018 Stanford Search Fund Study indicated that very few searchers are over age 40 (3% of new funds in 2016-2017 were started by someone older than 40, and 7% in 2014-2015). As someone who is approaching his 50th birthday this year and just starting to explore search funds, I am very interested in hearing from anyone who is in the over-40 crowd. What model did you use? Did you enlist a partner? What challenges, if any, did you face?

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searcher University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - 03/19/2019

I’m well over 40 and am a solo, self-funded searcher. Happy to talk about my experience so far, PM me to set something up.

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searcher Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Texas State University - McCoy College of Business - 03/21/2019

I just turned 40. So technically I'm not over 40. But I am in Austin, TX; we should get together and compare notes.

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admin Stanford University - Graduate School of Business Massachusetts Institute of Technology Harvard University - 03/21/2019

Hi, Drew - There are a few previous posts that may be of interest to you:
* Jim Sharpe’s Searching Mid-Career: https://www.searchfunder.com/article/viewarticle/1425
* Starting A Search Mid-Career: Life Experience vs. Formal Education https://www.searchfunder.com/article/viewarticle/58
* Mid 30s Search https://www.searchfunder.com/article/viewarticle/564
* Over 60 Funded Search https://www.searchfunder.com/article/viewarticle/56

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searcher Babson College - F.W. Olin Graduate School William Paterson University - Cotsakos College of Business - 03/21/2019

Drew - the Stanford search fund study covers traditional search funds versus self-funded searchers (and independent sponsors) which is where you are more likely to find the over 40 crowd.

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searcher University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School University of California, Berkeley - 03/21/2019

I recently both joined the 40+ world and made my acquisition. I think there are some subtle but important differences, e.g., searcher board membership, relocating with school-age kids, participation in your own deal, etc that should be discussed more often. Happy to provide my advice along these lines over the phone if it would be helpful.

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searcher Dartmouth College - Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Princeton University United States Coast Guard Academy - 03/21/2019

I'm a self-funded and 40+, but am too early in the process to give you an idea of any specific challenges

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investor - 03/22/2019

I am 50+, but while I would prefer to fund a searchers deal I actually am not opposed to acquiring a company too. I would fund my own search in that situation, but that is probably driven more by my own personal situation I suspect. I've been an entrepreneur for nearly 25 years, so I am likely just really comfortable with that approach.

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intermediary IE Business School Universidad Iberoamericana - 03/22/2019

My partner and I are 40 and 41 and as mid-career searchers, we have found a couple of investors that are only focusing on 25-35 searchers or questioning compensation.

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