A Different Kind of Investment Firm
We invest in businesses the way founders built them — for the long haul.
What you built endures
Founders spend years building more than a business. They build a culture, a team, customer relationships, and a reputation that are worth preserving. Mercury approaches each investment with respect for that foundation and a commitment to growing from it.
A transition is more than a transaction. We work with leadership to maintain continuity while investing in the people, systems, and capabilities needed for the company's next stage of growth.
- What makes the company distinctive remains intact
- People, culture, and customer relationships define the business
- Existing strengths become the foundation for growth
What Changes, and What Doesn't
Founders want to know what happens the day after closing. Here is our answer, plainly.
What Stays the Same
- Your name and brand. We preserve the identity and reputation you've earned in the market.
- Your team. We back management rather than replace it. Mercury partners with the leadership team rather than running the business day to day.
- Your customer relationships. We build on the relationships and commercial practices you've cultivated rather than changing what already works.
- Your culture. Culture is the hardest asset to rebuild and the easiest to destroy. We protect the values and practices that define how your team works.
What Gets Stronger
- Access to capital. Growth initiatives and acquisitions no longer compete with your personal balance sheet.
- Systems and reporting. We invest in the systems and financial reporting needed to make fact-based decisions and support growth.
- Strategic capability. A partner in the room for the decisions founders usually make alone: new growth initiatives, key management hires, acquisitions, and capital allocation.
- An owner who has operated. Direct experience leading businesses through growth, credit crises, and periods of significant change informs how we invest and partner with management.
DirectMed Imaging: Eight Years, One Partnership
Mercury acquired DirectMed in 2017 from its founders. Over the following eight years, working alongside management:
DirectMed's brand, culture, and customer relationships remained intact throughout. Growth came from ongoing investment in people, capabilities, and strategic acquisitions.
A Transition Built Around the Founder
Every situation is different. The sequence is not.
1.A confidential conversation
We learn about the business, what makes it distinctive, and what you want the outcome to look like.
2.A direct answer on fit
If Mercury is not the right partner, we say so quickly. A fast no is worth more to a founder than a slow maybe.
3.Your objectives
Full exit, partial rollover, a defined transition period, or a continued board role. We discuss your objectives early and structure the transaction accordingly.
4.Price and structure
After we review summary financials, you receive a valuation and structure in writing. If it works for you, we move to diligence. If it doesn't, you have a real valuation from a serious buyer.
5.Focused diligence
We keep diligence focused and confidential so you can continue running the business.
6.Continuity from day one
Ownership changes at closing, but the strengths that made the business successful remain in place. From there, we work with management to support its next stage of growth.
Common Questions
Mercury invests its own permanent capital and is not constrained by a fund life or predetermined exit timeline. Our approach is also shaped by direct experience as both an investor and CEO, allowing us to bring an owner-operator perspective to each partnership.
It is one of the first things we discuss. Some founders want a clean exit at closing; others stay through a defined transition or retain a board role. We work with you to determine an approach that fits your objectives and the needs of the business.
Mercury invests in businesses because of the people who built them. We back existing management and add depth and breadth to the team to support the company's next stage of growth.
Yes. A transaction can include a partial rollover, allowing the founder to retain a minority ownership stake and participate in the next phase of growth alongside Mercury.
We value an efficient, transparent process and work directly with a founder's advisors throughout the transaction. With the principal directly involved, we communicate clearly, make decisions quickly, and focus diligence on the issues that matter.
Most transactions can be completed within 60 to 120 days, depending on the complexity of the business and the founder's objectives. We can move more quickly when circumstances require.
Considering what's next for your business?
Start with a confidential conversation about your objectives and what a transition could look like.
Let's Talk