Independent sponsor royalty Michael Kornman details how he built NCK Capital out of Dallas with his brother Grant, acquiring 5 platforms in 10 years. In 2024 they partnered with Align Capital Partners to form Align Collaborate, changing sides of the table to deploy a $233m sponsor-friendly fund that backs buyouts and buy & builds.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Michael Kornman | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Robert Graham, based in Dallas, graduated from HBS in 2018 and acquired his first company the year after as a self-funded searcher using SBA7a financing. After a turbulent start, this healthcare platform exploded to $30m of EBITDA and now "hemorrhages cash." That early breakout win became the engine behind SIG Partners, recently named a Top 20 independent sponsor by Axial, which has since assembled an extraordinary 33 platforms in just 6 years.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Robert Graham | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Willistown Capital’s journey offers a window into how independent sponsors can execute complex, high-stakes transactions with institutional precision. William Boffa and Darren Fultz walk through the anatomy of their award-winning related acquisitions of Quiltcraft and Fabtex. From stakeholder alignment to >$1m of legal fees, they detail their journey through complexity & risk to the promised land of “zone skipping".
References and how to contact today's guest:
Darren Fultz | LinkedIn
William Boffa | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Ryan Sullivan's fully-baked & winning concept at North Park Group: buy $1m EBITDA firms at 4x, add the real estate, finance half with SBA debt, and never sell. Voila, today they have 5 operating companies, 6 acquisitions, 25% annual returns, and an investor waitlist.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Ryan Sullivan | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Quinten Griffiths, based in Calgary, Canada, shares his journey from an empty-handed traditional searcher who walked away from 6 LOIs to a highly successful independent sponsor and co-founder of GoodCapital. Today, he leads Sportball as CEO, one of several portfolio companies that they own outright, with a 4th platform set to close imminently. Their success prompted a Family Office to offer them the opportunity to lead & run a dedicated $100m fund, but Quinten and his partner preferred the autonomy & flexibility of staying an independent sponsor.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Quinten Griffits | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Ian Reynolds, based in Houston, founded Thesis Capital Partner, recently ranked as a Top 20 independent sponsor. Thesis recruits Executives in Residence, who run their portcos, shares in the GP, and gets involved at the Thesis-level for shared learnings and ecosystem-building. Minds Capital invested in one of Thesis' deals in 2024. 8 years after completing his first deal as a self-funded searcher, Ian reflects on a journey that now counts 8 portfolio companies and a team of handpicked partners.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Ian Reynolds | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Join the team at Minds Capital as they debrief the first day of the McGuireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference at the Fairmont in Dallas. The MWIS Conference is the premier meeting point of independent sponsors and capital providers (such as Minds Capital, an equity fund). On the first day, Max, Will, and Niklas had 1-on-1 speed dating sessions with more than 30 independent sponsors, many of whom will appear on this podcast in the coming months.
After an early search that didn't close and a decade in PE (incl. Alpine), former Marine Rob Casper found his stride inside a public company. Today he leads skilled trades at Kingsway Financial, a public company that transformed from an insurance underwriter to a public company compounder of small business acquisitions.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Rob Casper | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Marc Cabrera, based in Telluride, worked as a healthcare-focused investment banker from 1988 until his retirement last year. As a side gig to being a banker, he has acquired 5 companies, of which 4 have exited, all north of 10x MOIC. One returned a whopping 40x MOIC, where Marc was the largest investor.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Marc Cabrera | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Outspoken Nathan Chandrasekaran of Columbia River Partners, based in Seattle, Washington, has built a track record around carve-outs, portfolio synergies, and hard work, creating a firm with a clear identity and 7 platforms.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Nathan Chandrasekaran | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Jeff Goldstein is an independent sponsor at Breakwater Management, formerly a private credit fund. Earlier this year they closed their first independent sponsor transaction of a marketing company called Chemistry Communications, which Minds Capital invested in. Jeff's career path has taken him from law and investment banking into senior leadership roles at media & marketing companies like IAC, Experian, and PriceGrabber, before stepping in as CEO of United Online, which was a public company at the time.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Jeff Goldstein | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Sarkaw Aziz acquired a $5 million EBITDA vacation rental platform in Colorado, structured it with a 50% seller rollover and a 3x EBITDA seller note, and exited just two years later with 2x MOIC and a 41% IRR.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Sarkaw Aziz | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Rick Apple built Upside Growth Partners out of Nashville after starting his career in the finance grind of New York. A Princeton grad turned entrepreneur, he has scaled 12 platforms while raising 5 kids at home. From a breakout children’s clothing brand to roofing and beyond, Rick has proven that smart sourcing, deliberate underwriting, and rolled-up sleeves can compound into lasting success.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Rick Apple | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Stenning Schueppert, based in Austin, leads Evolution Strategy Partners, one of the most transparent and high-performing independent sponsors west of the Mississippi. A private equity veteran and zinger machine, Stenning shares refreshing insights on why the independent sponsor model beats traditional funds, how radical alignment drives better outcomes, and the simple math behind his portfolio’s 10x MOIC markup.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Stenning Schueppert | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Zack Miller and his high school friend Johnny Lieberman combined their distinct backgrounds to launch Worklyn Partners, a dual platform marrying the VC-style upside of cybersecurity with the proven PE roll-up playbook in managed service providers (MSPs). Backed by $50m in committed capital, they have executed 7 acquisitions, keeping their IT services and cybersecurity businesses operationally separate, preserving the flexibility to merge or exit individually.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Zack Miller | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Celebrating 25 episodes, the founders of Minds Capital pull back the curtain on lessons from deploying Fund 1 capital, why they’re bullish on US private equity, how they evaluate deals and sponsors, and the strategy taking shape for their upcoming Flagship 2 fund.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Minds Capital | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Luis Reyes, an exited SaaS founder, is building a fire safety market leader in Spain through full-time focus on operations and rapid M&A with 24+ acquisitions in just 24 months. Assembling a mosaic of micro-targets, the platform now generates €8m in EBITDA, with industry-leading efficiency stemming from Luis' consulting background and AI-first mindset. Fun fact (or maybe not so fun...): Luis grew up in rural Mexico and got his first pair of shoes at age 5.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Luis Reyes | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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David Acharya has been an independent sponsor since the great financial recession His most notable deal, a 9.5-year investment in experiential marketing firm Impact XM, delivered an extraordinary 20x MOIC. Along the way he navigated a smooth separation from former partners, and today he chairs the Independent Sponsor Alliance, a 55-member peer network shaping best practices in the industry.
References and how to contact today's guest:
David Acharya | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Doug Song reflects on 25 years of experience as an independent sponsor, having co-founded Prodos Capital in 2003. He explains how Prodos views co-sponsoring as a strategic path to scale, enabling experienced sponsors to take on more deals while supporting emerging talent. Doug also discusses the growing role of capital placement agents and family offices, and emphasizes why getting the first deal right is the single most important step in building a lasting independent sponsor career.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Doug Song | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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Former theater director Cory Sandrock explains how independent sponsorship is just stagecraft in a different suit: cast great people, raise funds for each production, and deliver standout performances. Cory shares how he struck gold in home services, why he avoids herd behavior in crowded sectors, and how leaning in on terms like turning off fees or yielding economics attracts the right partners and builds long-term value.
References and how to contact today's guest:
Cory Sandrock | LinkedIn
Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.
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