Oct 05, 2021
Kian Capital Partners is proud to announce that for the second consecutive year, the firm has been named to Inc. Magazine’s third annual Founder-Friendly Investors list honoring the private equity and venture capital firms with the best track record of success backing entrepreneurs.
To compile the list, Inc. went straight to the source—entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity. Founders filled out a questionnaire about their experiences partnering with private equity firms and shared data on how their companies have grown during these partnerships.
Kian has always held the belief that capital doesn’t guarantee results—that it takes the right partner to build enduring value:
“Kian was a true partner during the time we worked together, offering insight and flexibility as we shifted our operations to a new city, bolstered our executive team and attained important growth targets,” said Dr. Joshua Courtney, Founder of TrueLearn which LLR Partners acquired in May 2020. “The team’s genuine partnership approach was paramount during an important period in the company’s history, resulting in a rewarding relationship that positioned TrueLearn for accelerated growth as we looked to serve our customers in new and exciting ways in the future.”
Matt Kossoff, Founder of The Retrofit Source, commented, “We had a lot of opportunity and we needed not only a capital provider but a true partner to fuel our growth and realize our lofty ambitions. Kian’s collaborative approach, strategic relationships in the auto aftermarket space and operational experience helped me navigate through significant growth and rapid change.” In September 2021, Driven Lighting Group found their next partner in Clearlake Capital-backed Wheel Pros.
Much like other private equity firms, over the past couple of years Kian has been focused on helping their portfolio companies navigate the complexities of COVID:
“It was important for me to select a financial partner with a collaborative approach, who shared my vision for the company’s next phase of growth,” said Kristie Shifflette, Founder and CEO of OT Growth Partners, one of Kian’s current portfolio companies. “Kian has spent a tremendous amount of time to understand our strategy, and in 2020, when things got tough, the team had our backs through undoubtedly the most challenging time in the history of our company. They were in the trenches with us and helped us come out even stronger.”
Kian is a middle-market focused private investment firm with $425 million of capital under management, 16 current investments and 18 realizations. The firm’s team of seasoned investors has over 80 years of collective experience providing transformational capital solutions as well as board-level strategic and operational guidance to founder/owner-operated businesses.
“We believe in empowerment for success through authentic partnerships,” said Kevin McCarthy, Co-Founder and Partner at Kian Capital. “Our role is to empower management teams by providing the resources necessary to accelerate growth and scale their businesses. We have worked hard to build a reputation for trustworthiness through our open and honest relationships with founders, and it is incredibly satisfying to see that reflected in this recognition. Our team is humbled to receive this honor again among so many fine firms and thank the visionary leaders with whom we partner.”
The full list of firms and accompanying article can be viewed here.
Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investor list comprises firms identified by Inc.‘s editors or submitted to Inc. through an application process. Kian Capital applied to be considered. Inc. gathers data on how the firms’ portfolio companies have grown and interviews founders about their experiences with the firms to establish the annual list. The list recognizes firms with a track record of backing entrepreneurs by providing the financial support needed to help businesses accelerate growth while remaining actively involved following the firm’s investment. Kian Capital paid for both the fee to participate and to acquire rights to the Inc. logo for the years 2020 - 2023.
We have worked hard to build a reputation for trustworthiness through our open and honest relationships with founders, and it is incredibly satisfying to see that reflected in this recognition. Our team is humbled to receive this honor again among so many fine firms and thank the visionary leaders with whom we partner.
