Approach
A permanent home for the business you built.
How we think, what we look for, and what working with us is actually like. Rooted in the Midwest, open to exceptional companies nationwide.
Know your buyer
Not every offer means the same thing.
A strategic buyer
Integration. Your systems, your brand, and often your people are absorbed into someone else's plan.
A financial buyer
A fund with a clock. Bought to be optimized and resold, typically inside five to seven years.
323 Capital
An owner. Permanent capital, committed stewardship, and a plan for the business measured in decades.
What we look for
Five things we care about in every company.
- 01
People
Strong teams build strong companies. We look for businesses where the people are the advantage, and we keep them.
- 02
Longevity
Ten or more years in operation. Companies that have proven themselves across economic seasons.
- 03
Profitability
Durable margins and real cash flow: earned economics, not projections.
- 04
Customers
Recurring and returning revenue, low concentration, and relationships measured in years.
- 05
Growth
Markets with a long runway, and a business with a track record of earned momentum.
Sound like your company? Start a quiet conversation →
The process
Five steps, at your pace.
- 01
A quiet conversation
A call or coffee, under NDA if you prefer. You learn how we think; we learn what you have built. No obligation on either side.
- 02
Understanding your goals
Price matters. So do your people, your name on the door, and what your own next chapter looks like. We start there.
- 03
A clear, fair offer
A straightforward valuation and plain-English terms. What we offer is what we intend to close on.
- 04
Certainty to close
Disciplined diligence and committed financing relationships. Weeks and months, not years.
- 05
Stewardship
Ownership stays engaged from day one. The team stays, the name stays, and the business keeps its promises to customers.
Owners ask
Fair questions, straight answers.
- Will you keep my employees?
- That is the plan and the pattern. People are the first thing we look for in a company. Acquiring a business and hollowing out the team that makes it work would defeat the purpose. At MIS, the team that built the company still runs its day-to-day.
- What happens to the company's name and brand?
- It stays. We are not integrators; the reputation you spent decades building is a large part of what we are buying, and preserving.
- Do I have to stay on after the sale?
- Your call. Many owners help with a transition over a period of months; some prefer a shorter handoff, others choose to stay involved longer. We structure around your goals.
- How long does the process take?
- From first conversation to close is typically a few months, and your timeline drives it. We move with urgency when you want speed and with patience when you want discretion.
- Is my information kept confidential?
- Yes. We are glad to sign an NDA before any detailed conversation, and information stays within a deliberately small circle throughout.
- What kinds of businesses do you buy?
- Enduring small and mid-sized companies: ten or more years of history, consistent profitability, loyal customers, and a strong team. We are industry-open, with a natural affinity for software and technical products like PAXIT.
- Where do you buy businesses?
- We are rooted in the Chicago area and buy primarily across the Midwest. For the right company we will go anywhere in the United States; enduring businesses are worth the trip.
- Do you work with brokers and intermediaries?
- Yes, and we value the role you play. Send a teaser or a short note to General@323cap.com and you will hear back within two business days. We are straightforward about fit, we do not retrade, and we respect your process.
Considering the next chapter for your business?
A conversation costs nothing, moves at your pace, and stays confidential.
Start a conversation