By Mandy Patterson, Managing Director, Owner Resource Group
When you partner with Owner Resource Group, it’s because you want to accelerate your growth. And add-on acquisitions can be an efficient means (one of many) to do so. So I’d like to pull back the curtain on what we actually do during sourcing at Owner Resource Group, because business founders deserve to know what they’re signing up for when we work together.
I’ve been on the sourcing team at ORG for over a decade. My job is to get to know the business owner and understand their goals. Long before there’s a term sheet, a diligence checklist, or a closing date, there’s a conversation (usually a lot of conversations). I’ve learned over the years that the quality of those early conversations determines a lot about the partnership.
We Seek to Really Understand Your Industry
One of the things that makes our approach different is that we don’t wait until we’re interested in a company to start building relationships in an industry. Year after year, we attend trade shows, association meetings, and industry events in segments we care about.
What that means for a founder is that by the time we’re meeting with them, we already know their industry, the players, and the dynamics enough to have a productive conversation. In most cases, we already have relationships with business owners and management teams in the space. Instead of starting from zero, we’re picking up a conversation that, in some cases, started many years ago at a conference or over a cup of coffee.
We Do the Heavy Lifting Up Front
If you’re a founder considering a transition, or considering acquiring another company as part of your growth strategy the last thing you need is more work piled on your desk while you have a business to run.
Here’s what we take on:
- Building the target list: We start by understanding your criteria, and I mean your criteria, not a template. What matters to you? Geography? Specific capabilities or technologies? A certain customer base? A cultural philosophy? We turn that into a focused list of potential targets that fit what you’re looking for.
- Doing the outreach: We make the calls, send the emails, and attend the events. We establish the initial relationships with potential targets and their management teams and we do this thoughtfully, and genuinely. We’re having real conversations, and we’re honest about who we are and what we’re exploring.
- Checking in with you consistently: This isn’t a process where we disappear for six weeks and come back with a shortlist. We’re in touch regularly, sharing what we’re learning, and asking the most important question: Do you still believe this is a great fit for your business based on what we’ve uncovered so far? If the answer shifts, we adjust.
- Bringing you in at the right moment: There comes a point in every sourcing process where the only person who can truly judge whether a target is a cultural fit is you. We don’t drag you into every call. We bring you in when we’ve done enough groundwork that your time is being used well, and when the question on the table is one only you can answer: Is this the kind of company and the kind of people you want to build with?
It’s collaborative by design. We’re building with you, checking in at every meaningful step, and making sure the process reflects your priorities, not just ours.
We Handle Diligence and Financing
Once we’ve identified the right target and you’re comfortable moving forward, the work shifts.
Our team manages and completes the diligence process. That means the financial review, the operational assessment, the customer and supplier conversations, the legal work – all of it. We coordinate it, we push it forward, and always keep you informed throughout.
We Stay for the Integration
Here’s something I think founders don’t always expect: we don’t disappear after the close.
Integration is where a lot of acquisitions quietly succeed or loudly fail. It’s where two companies have to become one. Systems, teams, cultures, and customer relationships have to find their footing. We’re involved, practically and collaboratively, helping the pieces come together in a way that respects what both companies have built.
What This Adds Up To
What we’re really offering as a partner is a process where the heavy lifting is done for you, where your voice is heard at every step that matters, and where the relationships we’ve spent years building become your advantage.
I’ve been doing this work for a long time. And the founders that I’ve seen have the best outcomes are the ones who found a partner they trust to do what’s best.
If you’re starting to think about what’s next, even if you’re not sure what that looks like yet, I’d welcome the conversation.