Partner vs Solo Search

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by a searcher from Columbia University - Columbia Business School
in New York, New York, United States

3mos ago

Partner vs Solo Search

Would love to hear perspectives on going into a search solo vs with a partner. Some points I'd love to hear about specifically: - business size / type as a factor - life stage as a factor - what you've gained (or lost) from having a partner? - what you've found is most (or least) important in a partner? - what you've gained (or lost) from going it solo? Thanks for your thoughts!

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reply by an investor 3mos ago
from Columbia University in Fairfax, VA, USA

^redacted‌ For what it's worth, many Searchers I've spoken with who acquired and are now operating, wish they had done it with a partner. Setting aside the mental load (which is usually the biggest factor, both pre- and post-acquisition), having someone to divide and conquer across sourcing, diligence, and lender/investor conversations can meaningfully speed up execution during the search. And post-acquisition, the benefit becomes even more pronounced. Having a built-in sounding board for decisions and someone to share the operational load is a pretty major lever to a successful outcome (however you define that). All this rang true with my own partnered Search. There are obviously trade-offs, but in my experience the pros of the right partnership tend to outweigh the cons.

reply by a searcher 3mos ago
from University of Notre Dame in Frisco, TX, USA

I started solo and then ultimately went partner. With the right person, it's totally worth it. We talk daily regarding the BAU items and then meet every Friday morning for 2-3 hours to discuss strategy, growth, business issues, and everything in between. Having someone to help when times are stressful and to pressure test your ideas is golden. Yes, it changes the economics. Yes, you are marrying this person but if you do it right you can have just as good an outcome or better with less stress IMO.