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Growth Equity for Bootstrapped Entrepreneurs Building CPG, B2B Software, and Service Companies

Beckett Industries’ venture investment platform operates at the intersection of venture capital and growth equity, providing growth capital and strategic guidance to bootstrapped entrepreneurs in the CPG, Technology, and business services sectors.

Timing

How do you work with bootstrapped entrepreneurs?

Investment

  • Approach: Flexible, tailored support ensuring sustainable growth and strategic advancement by offering hands-on expertise and direct investments via SPVs.
  • Sectors: Specialize in CPG, technology, and business services.
  • Revenue Profile: Target companies typically with $1 to $100 million in annual revenues.
  • Company Characteristics: Bootstrapped, capital-efficient businesses with proven growth and sustainable margins.
  • Capital Raise: Invests $500k to $5 million in equity per deal.
  • Ownership: Flexible in acquiring minority or majority stakes, but the target is 10-20% ownership stake.

Advisory

  • Approach: Advisory support to prepare businesses for their first major capital raise. Focus on operational improvements, strategy development, and financial planning to ensure a solid foundation for growth.
  • Sectors: Specialize in CPG, technology, and business services.
  • Company Characteristics: Early-stage or bootstrapped businesses that need help with formalizing operations, establishing strategy, and structuring finances to attract future outside capital.
  • Capital Raise Support: Guides companies through raising $1 to $5M by providing advisory on equity and debt structuring, ensuring readiness for institutional investment.

Is it ever too early to approach you?

Timing is everything. Our ethos is simple: it’s never too early to engage, but it can indeed be too late. Early engagement is key to unlocking potential, whether you are starting up or looking to expand a family-founder owned business through private equity.

In our experience, from incubating early-stage startups to structuring complex deals, we’ve learned that challenges can be universal, yet the opportunities unique. Having raised over $200 million in venture capital, driven more than $825 million in revenue, and completed over $1 billion in transactions across startups and lower to middle market companies, our track record speaks for itself. With over 100 deals under our belt, we demonstrate that the stage of your idea or business is not a barrier to our collaboration.

We invite you to reach out at any stage of your journey. Postponing this initial conversation could mean missing out on crucial opportunities for growth and partnership. Whether you’re at the drawing board or ready to scale, our doors are open to explore how we can support your ambitions in the startup and private equity spaces.

What are your target deal characteristics?

We focus on companies generating $1 to $100 million in annual revenues within the CPG, technology, and business services sectors. We seek to partner with bootstrapped, capital-efficient businesses that have demonstrated proven growth and sustainable margins. Typically, we look to invest $1 to $5 million in equity per deal, with the flexibility to acquire either minority or majority stakes with a target of 10-20% ownership stake, but it also needs to align best with the company’s growth strategy.

Our target companies are beyond the seed stage and poised for significant growth, ensuring they can scale effectively and achieve market success. We aim for a typical hold period of 3-5 years, with the flexibility to extend up to 10 years when advantageous. Our holistic and flexible approach provides tailored support through hands-on expertise and direct investments via SPVs, ensuring sustainable growth and strategic advancement for the businesses we partner with.

What specific sectors do you focus on?

We specialize in the CPG, technology, and business services sectors. These areas align with our extensive networks, strategic partnerships, and robust resources, allowing us to provide support and guidance to the companies we choose to partner with. Our focus on these sectors is driven by our proven track record of success, including multiple successful exits that have demonstrated our ability to transform companies into major industry players.

Our expertise in these sectors enables us to leverage industry-specific knowledge and connections to accelerate growth and achieve market success. By concentrating on CPG, technology, and business services, we can offer tailored strategies and hands-on support, ensuring our portfolio companies benefit from our deep understanding and previous accomplishments in these industries. This sector-focused approach allows us to maximize value and drive sustainable growth for our partner companies.

What makes you different?

We are defined by our ability to seamlessly combine operational expertise with a partnership-first approach, creating synergies across all investment platforms—private equity, real estate, and venture/growth equity—and with all stakeholders.

  • Hands-On Involvement: We go beyond capital investment. Our team actively engages with portfolio companies and properties to provide strategic guidance, operational insights, and hands-on support tailored to the unique needs of each investment. This ensures every opportunity is optimized for its full potential, whether it’s scaling a business, developing a property, or supporting a special situation.
  • Midwest Values: Integrity, collaboration, and resilience form the foundation of our approach. Rooted in these principles, we build genuine, lasting relationships with partners, LPs, and management teams, ensuring alignment and shared success across all investment platforms.
  • Proven Expertise: Our team’s experience spans decades, industries, and market cycles, providing the flexibility to adapt to unique challenges and opportunities. From operational efficiencies in private equity to innovative development strategies in real estate and scalable growth in venture, we leverage our knowledge to deliver consistent and exceptional results.
  • Synergies Across Investment Platforms: By operating at the intersection of private equity, real estate, and venture capital, we unlock unique value for our stakeholders. Founders can benefit from LP networks to open doors to capital or customers. Property owners gain access to financial and operational expertise from seasoned private equity professionals. LPs are presented with diverse opportunities across asset classes, tailored to align with their investment goals. These synergies allow us to create greater impact and enduring value across our portfolio.

We don’t just invest—we partner, build, and grow. Our commitment to collaboration, innovation, and excellence ensures that every investment serves as a foundation for long-term success.

How We Make Decisions

How do you evaluate venture investments?

Our decision-making process for evaluating potential venture investments is multifaceted and thorough. We begin by assessing the deal’s viability, founders, business model, and market potential. We also examine the founders’ and team’s passion and commitment, as we believe strong leadership is crucial for success. Additionally, we emphasize cultural alignment, ensuring our values resonate with those of the companies we partner with.

Our evaluation combines both data-driven analysis and intuitive judgment, leveraging our extensive industry experience and rigorous analytical methods. We look for bootstrapped capital-efficient companies that fit our target market, have demonstrated growth potential, and align with our strategic initiatives. By blending analytical rigor with a deep understanding of these companies’ unique challenges, we ensure that our partnerships are set up for sustainable growth and long-term success.

How important is the financial track record of a company?

The financial track record of a company is a crucial factor in our evaluation process. A financial history provides insights into the company’s ability to manage resources effectively, sustain growth, and navigate market challenges. It demonstrates the company’s operational efficiency, profitability, and overall financial health, essential for assessing the viability and potential return on investment.

However, while a solid financial track record is important, we also recognize the potential of companies that may not yet have an extensive financial history but exhibit strong growth potential, innovative business models, and passionate leadership. We consider these factors alongside the financials to ensure a holistic evaluation. Our approach is to support bootstrapped, family-founder-owned companies ready to scale, providing them with the strategic guidance and capital needed to achieve their full potential.

How long does the decision-making process usually take?

The decision-making process typically takes between 6 to 12 weeks. This timeframe allows us to conduct a thorough evaluation. During this period, we perform detailed due diligence, including assessing the company’s financial track record, business model, market potential, and the passion and commitment of the founders and team.

We also emphasize cultural alignment, ensuring our values resonate with those of the companies we partner with. This holistic approach, combining data-driven analysis with our extensive industry experience, ensures that we make well-informed decisions that align with our strategic goals and the long-term success of the companies we invest in. Our goal is to balance efficiency with thoroughness to ensure that each investment decision is sound and beneficial for all parties involved.

Do the founders' or leadership team's vision and values influence decision-making?

Yes, the founders’ or leadership team’s vision and values significantly influence our decision-making. We believe alignment in vision and values is crucial for a successful partnership. When evaluating potential investments, we assess whether the founders and leadership team share our commitment to doing well by doing good along with growth, innovation, and ethical business practices.

We look for leaders who are passionate, committed, and have a clear vision for their company’s future. This cultural alignment ensures that we can work collaboratively towards common goals, fostering a productive and harmonious relationship. Additionally, to support the growth and success of our portfolio companies, we often bring in our own experienced operators or take temporary leadership roles. This hands-on approach allows us to provide strategic guidance, streamline operations, and build the company effectively as it scales. By partnering with companies whose vision and values resonate with ours, we create a strong foundation for mutual success and long-term growth.

What if a proposed deal doesn't align with your investment criteria?

Transparency and respect are at the core of our operations. If a proposed deal doesn’t align with our investment criteria, we provide clear feedback, outlining the reasons for our decision. We also offer insights and recommendations that might help the company in its future endeavors or refine its approach for potential partnerships.

Our Process

What is your investment process and how long does it take?

Our venture investment process is thorough and designed to ensure the best outcomes for both our firm and the companies we partner with. The process typically takes between 6 to 12 weeks. It begins with an initial screening to evaluate the company’s business model, market potential, and the passion and commitment of the founders and leadership team. We then move into an in-depth due diligence phase, analyzing the company’s financial track record, operational efficiency, growth potential, and market position. We also place a significant emphasis on cultural alignment to ensure our values and vision are compatible.

Following due diligence, we collaborate with the company to develop a comprehensive growth strategy, identifying key areas for improvement and potential opportunities for expansion. To facilitate growth, we may bring in our own experienced operators or take temporary leadership roles, providing hands-on support to streamline management practices and foster innovation. Based on the insights gained, we make a final investment decision, combining data-driven analysis with our extensive industry experience. Once an investment is made, we continue to support the company with strategic guidance, resources, and operational expertise to ensure sustainable growth and long-term success. This structured process ensures well-considered investments aligned with our strategic goals, fostering strong and successful partnerships.

How do you use SPVs on a deal-by-deal basis?

We use Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) on a deal-by-deal basis to align the interests, resources, networks, and experience of our Limited Partners (LPs) with each investment opportunity. This approach allows us to tailor investments to the specific needs and potential of each company, providing customized support and capital.

By employing SPVs, we can selectively engage LPs who bring relevant industry expertise and strategic value to each deal. This structure ensures that our investments benefit from a robust network of experienced professionals, enhancing the growth and success of our portfolio companies. Additionally, the deal-by-deal basis of SPVs allows for greater flexibility and targeted investment, avoiding the constraints of traditional fund structures and ensuring that each partnership is optimally positioned for mutual success.

What should we expect post-investment?

Post-investment, we provide ongoing, hands-on support to ensure the growth and success of our portfolio companies. Our involvement goes beyond financial investment; we actively engage with the company’s leadership to implement strategic initiatives and operational improvements. This includes leveraging our extensive network, resources, and industry expertise to drive growth, enhance customer relations, and facilitate acquisitions.

We can also bring in experienced operators to take temporary leadership roles as needed to streamline management practices, improve financial operations, and foster innovation in product development and sales strategies. Additionally, we offer continuous strategic guidance, helping to navigate critical growth transitions and address unique challenges at pivotal lifecycle stages. Our commitment is to be a dedicated partner, working closely with the company to achieve sustainable growth and long-term success.

Terms

How much do you usually invest into a company?

We typically invest between $500k to $5 million in equity per deal. However, we have the flexibility to invest smaller or larger amounts depending on the specific needs and potential of each company. Each investment is reviewed on a deal-by-deal basis, allowing us to tailor our capital contribution to align with the company’s unique growth strategies and market opportunities. This flexible approach ensures that we can provide the right level of support to help companies scale effectively and achieve their business objectives.

Do you have strict ownership requirements?

We understand that every venture is unique, and our ownership terms reflect this. While we have general guidelines, they remain flexible to accommodate the individual requirements and growth plans for each deal. Our primary objective is to strike a balance that ensures alignment of interests and the long-term success of the deal.

Will you lead rounds?

Yes, Beckett Industries will lead rounds where it makes sense. We are prepared to take a leadership role in investment rounds when our involvement can significantly contribute to the company’s growth and success. Leading a round allows us to bring our strategic vision, extensive network, and hands-on expertise to the forefront, ensuring that the investment aligns with both our goals and those of the company. Additionally, we are also happy to follow in investment rounds, collaborating with other investors to support the company’s strategic initiatives and long-term objectives. This flexibility allows us to contribute meaningfully, whether we are leading or participating alongside other investors.

Will you sign my confidentiality agreement / NDA?

We respect the confidentiality of the information shared with us. While we are open to reviewing and signing confidentiality agreements or NDAs, we have standard protocols in place to ensure the protection of sensitive information throughout our discussions and due diligence process.

What It’s Like to Work With Us

What makes your venture investment platform different?

We stand out due to our unique focus on bootstrapped, family-founder-owned companies that need modest capital to scale. We fill the niche between early-stage venture capital and later-stage private equity, targeting businesses that are navigating critical growth transitions and addressing unique challenges at pivotal lifecycle stages. Our commitment to shared ownership drives strategic initiatives, enhances customer relations, and facilitates acquisitions, creating significant value for the companies we invest in.

Our playbook enforces a rigorous framework designed to streamline management, improve financial practices, solidify banking relationships, enhance team capabilities, and foster innovation in product development and sales strategies. We source funds from LPs on a deal-by-deal basis, allowing for selective investment participation and avoiding the constraints of traditional fund structures. With over 30 years of experience and a proven track record—including raising over $200 million in capital, creating over $825 million in revenue, and completing over $1 billion in transactions—our GPs bring extensive knowledge, expertise, and a hands-on approach to every investment.

How do you help your companies raise money?

We leverage our extensive network, industry expertise, and strategic partnerships to help our portfolio companies raise capital. We assist in crafting compelling investment pitches and presentations, highlighting the unique value propositions and growth potential of each company. Our team provides guidance on structuring deals and identifying the most suitable investors, ensuring that the fundraising efforts align with the company’s strategic goals.

Additionally, we often bring in our own experienced operators or take temporary leadership roles to streamline operations and enhance the company’s appeal to potential investors. By sourcing funds from LPs on a deal-by-deal basis, we can also directly contribute to the fundraising process. Our hands-on approach and deep understanding of the market help our portfolio companies secure the necessary capital to scale and achieve their business objectives.

How will you support me in future financings?

We provide comprehensive support to our portfolio companies in future financings. We leverage our extensive network of investors, strategic partners, and industry contacts to help you connect with potential funding sources. Our team assists in preparing detailed financial models, compelling investment pitches, and comprehensive business plans to present to investors, ensuring that your company’s value proposition is clearly communicated.

We also offer strategic advice on deal structuring and negotiations, ensuring that future financings align with your long-term growth objectives. Our involvement may include bringing in our own experienced operators or taking temporary leadership roles to enhance your company’s operational efficiency and attractiveness to investors. By continuously providing hands-on support, guidance, and access to our resources, we help ensure that you are well-positioned for successful future funding rounds, enabling sustained growth and long-term success.

How do you help your companies hire?

We understand the importance of having the right talent on board. We assist our companies by leveraging our expansive network to identify potential hires, provide insights on organizational structuring, and offer best practices for talent acquisition and retention. We also facilitate introductions to top-tier recruitment firms when specialized roles need to be filled.

How do you help your companies acquire customers? How do you help companies grow?

We adopt a hands-on approach when it comes to customer acquisition and growth. We assist with refining go-to-market strategies, provide introductions to potential clients within our network, and share best practices from our vast experience with portfolio companies. Furthermore, we offer guidance on scaling operations, optimizing sales funnels, and enhancing customer experiences to ensure sustained growth.

Do you take board seats?

While we are deeply involved and committed to the success of our portfolio companies, our decision to take board seats is based on the specific needs and agreement with the company in question. When we do take a board seat, it’s with the intent of offering strategic guidance, governance, and support to ensure the company’s long-term growth and success.

The Basics

What industries and asset classes do you focus on?

Real Estate

Our mission-driven real estate strategy transforms underutilized properties into high-performing, sustainable assets. We focus on urban infill projects, walkable locations, and opportunities tied to Catholic Church properties, leveraging our unique relationships with the Church and the University of Notre Dame. Prioritizing designs that enhance value through sustainability, efficient unit layouts, and community walkability, we target properties that can accommodate 150+ units in primary, secondary, and emerging tertiary markets.

Venture Capital

We provide growth equity and strategic guidance to Bootstrapped Entrepreneurs Building CPG, B2B Software, and Service Companies. We target capital-efficient companies with $1M–$100M in revenue and sustainable margins. With flexible investment structures ranging from $1M to $5M and a focus on minority or majority stakes, we provide tailored support to help businesses scale sustainably and strategically.

Private Equity

We take an opportunistic and flexible approach to private equity, focusing on driving growth, operational efficiency, and long-term value. By targeting roll-ups, carve-outs, turnarounds, and distressed opportunities, we transform underperforming businesses into scalable, thriving enterprises. Our investments, ranging from $5M to $20M, focus on companies with $10M–$100M in revenue, emphasizing majority control while maintaining flexibility for minority stakes with influence.

Are you hiring for any internal roles?

While internal hiring is infrequent, Beckett Industries is always looking to connect with exceptional talent across our three investment platforms. Additionally, we actively support our portfolio companies, properties, and businesses in sourcing and hiring top-tier talent. If you’re passionate about real estate, venture capital, or private equity and believe you can make an impact, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to us.

Who are Beckett Industries' investors?

Beckett Industries is backed by a diverse and trusted investor base, including angels, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, and institutional partners. Over the years, our GPs have successfully raised over $200 million, leveraging our investors’ collective expertise and resources to support growth across our real estate, venture, and private equity platforms. This diversity allows us to provide flexible and substantial financial support to projects and businesses while aligning with our mission-driven philosophy of “doing well by doing good.”

Where are your offices?

Beckett Industries is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, reflecting our deep commitment to the Midwest and the opportunities within this region. However, our reach extends nationwide, with team members and partners distributed across the United States. This strategic presence ensures we maintain a strong pulse on diverse markets and remain connected with industry leaders across our real estate, venture, and private equity platforms.

How can property owners, founders, or business owners contact you?

We value relationships and referrals from trusted partners, including property owners, developers, entrepreneurs, investors, and others within our network. However, we also encourage direct outreach from those aligned with our mission of creating impactful, sustainable, and high-performing projects and businesses.

While a direct referral may result in a faster response, we review every inquiry—whether through a warm introduction or cold outreach. Please visit our contact page and let’s start the conversation.

Does Beckett Industries invest internationally?

While our primary focus is on the U.S., particularly the Midwest, we remain open to international opportunities that align with our mission-driven philosophy and investment criteria. For global projects, especially in real estate or venture, we collaborate with trusted partners to ensure alignment and success.

What is Beckett Industries’ investment philosophy?

Our philosophy is rooted in “doing well by doing good.” We aim to create lasting value by combining operational expertise, mission alignment, and a partnership-first approach. Across all three platforms, we focus on opportunities that balance financial returns with meaningful societal and environmental impact.

What makes Beckett Industries different from other investment firms?

We stand out due to its multidisciplinary expertise across real estate, venture, and private equity. We combine a mission-driven philosophy, hands-on operational involvement, and a collaborative approach to deliver exceptional results. Our ability to align financial success with sustainable impact ensures that we build enduring value for all stakeholders.

How can LPs or potential investors get involved with Beckett Industries?

We partner with a diverse mix of Limited Partners (LPs), including institutional investors, family offices, and individuals, who share our vision and values. If you’re interested in exploring investment opportunities across our platforms, please visit our contact page to start the conversation. We look forward to aligning our expertise and resources with your goals.

Our Portfolio

Happy
Dad

An easy-to-drink hard seltzer with low carbonation, simple and refreshing flavors, and no strange aftertaste.

Craize Snacks

Dangerously delicious crackers.

Libby
Wine

The highest quality, best tasting non-alcoholic wine.

Nirvana Super

Nirvana Super Water, Infused With Life-enhancing HMB.

Diamond Brew

America’s First Brewless™ Coffee

Country Pet Naturals

Premium pet food made in New Zealand.

Fudgy Pops

Meet the reinvented richest-ever fudge pop.

Sorbabes

Soft frozen fruit bars with a crunch.

Chuck Waste

Waste diversion and renewable energy 
platform.

FlexTal

The #1 Flexible Talent Matching platform.

You!

Reach out and pitch us.

Our Venture Team

Danny
Beckett Jr.

Managing Partner

20+ yr operator, Ex-motocross pro, VC. 7 startups (4 VC), 3 exits. Helped drive ventures to $500M+ in revenue and raised over $100M+ in capital.

Brian Polencheck

Partner

20+ yrs in CPG, exec with an exit to Advantage Solutions. Former FDM partner and President, VP of Sales, consultant, and category manager.

Jim
McClurg

Partner, COO

Aquinas College grad, 20+ yr operator, executive, and founder with exits. 27-year Industrial Engineer at UPS.

Tom
Stocks

Partner

Wabash Alum, MBA Chicago Booth, 30+ yrs in finance & M&A. Expert in growing lower middle market firms, $500M+ in transactions.

Join The
Team→

New Hire

We’re always looking for talented individuals to join our team. Bring your expertise, energy, and vision to help us drive meaningful growth.

Beckett Industries is a private alternative asset management firm focused on investing in the lower middle market across three asset classes, including real restate, venture/growth equity, and private equity. We’re founders, operators, advisors, and investors — your first call when you need help, and the earlier we can talk, the more helpful we can be.

Beckett Industries is a private alternative asset management firm focused on investing in the lower middle market across three asset classes, including real restate, venture/growth equity, and private equity. We’re founders, operators, advisors, and investors — your first call when you need help, and the earlier we can talk, the more helpful we can be.

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Beckett Industries is a private alternative asset management firm focused on investing in the lower middle market across three asset classes, including private equity, real estate, and venture/growth equity.