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Episode Summary
Most owners hear “private equity” and picture one of two things: a payday or a bloodbath. Neither version is the whole story. Bobby Kingsbury at MCM Capital walked me through what private equity actually is, where the money comes from, how deals get structured, and what separates a partner who builds with you from a fund that shows up to rip and replace. We got into the funnel (his firm reviews 400-500 deals a year to close two), the leverage math, and why a typical PE firm puts 30-35% equity in and borrows the rest while MCM prefers a 50/50 split. The piece I wish I’d known when my dad and I were burning out in our old copier business is the leveraged recap and the second bite of the apple: you take chips off the table now, roll a piece forward at a low basis, and ride the next exit alongside a partner with deeper pockets. Bobby also dropped the line that’s been stuck in my head ever since. Management is the meat and potatoes. The PE firm is the salt and the pepper. Worth a listen if you’ve never actually bothered to learn how the buyer side of your exit works.
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## Top 10 Takeaways- Private equity is a liquidity option, not just a sale. The owner who knows the difference negotiates better.
- Your buyer’s money comes from pensions, endowments, and LPs expecting a return in 4-8 years. That clock is on you too.
- Most funds put 30-35% equity in and borrow the rest. More leverage means higher returns and higher risk for everyone.
- Multiples are a function of size, industry, customer concentration, and gross margin. Smaller businesses trade lower.
- PE firms look at 400+ deals a year to close two. If you’re not ready, you’re one of the 498.
- Deals die on price, cold feet, and a future story the buyer can’t underwrite.
- The buyer isn’t paying for your historical numbers. They’re paying for a future they think they can build.
- If you want 100% out, you need a strong number two in place. Otherwise your buyer brings their own CEO.
- A leveraged recap takes chips off the table now and gives you a second bite when the business sells again.
- Vet your PE firm like they’re vetting you. Ask to speak with the CEOs they bought from. If they’re all gone, that’s your answer.
Sound Bites
“You don’t want to time the market. You want to exit your business when you are ready.” (@00:14:50) — Bobby Kingsbury
“The historical numbers are exactly that, historical. We’re not buying the past. What we’re buying is the future.” (@00:19:17) — Bobby Kingsbury
“We look at a business as a stew. The management is the meat and potatoes, and we are the salt and pepper.” (@00:32:15) — Bobby Kingsbury
“We’re not that smart. We did not build that business from the ground up. We did not run it for the last 20 to 25 years.” (@00:36:23) — Bobby Kingsbury
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event in your life. Make it right and have no regrets.” (@00:40:18) — Bobby Kingsbury
About This Episode
Bobby Kingsbury joined MCM Capital in 2008 after a six-year professional baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and a stint on the 2004 USA Olympic team. MCM is a Cleveland-based lower middle market private equity firm focused on niche manufacturing and value-added distribution businesses in the $2-8M EBITDA, $15-75M revenue range. Bobby runs deal execution, portfolio management, and limited partner relationships. This is one of the earlier conversations on the show, and it’s a clean primer on how PE firms are structured, how they think about valuation, and what owners should ask before they ever sign a letter of intent.
Resources Mentioned
- MCM Capital Partners — Bobby’s firm. Lower middle market PE focused on niche manufacturing and value-added distribution. — mcmcapital.com
- Bobby Kingsbury — Direct contact: bobby@mcmcapital.com
Connections
Phase + Module:
- Module 1 — Ownership Goals — Knowing whether you want out, want a partner, or want a second bite shapes the entire deal conversation
- Module 3 — Owner’s Playbook — Vetting your buyer is owner-level work, not advisor work
Milestones:
- Milestone 5 — Market Value — Where multiples by size, industry, and margin profile actually land
- Milestone 6 — Transaction Value — What a PE buyer will actually pay after diligence
Concepts referenced:
- Normalized EBITDA — The number the multiple gets applied to
- The Multiple & WACC — Why size and industry move the multiple up or down
- Enterprise Value vs. Equity Value — The math underneath the headline price
- Value Gap — The cost of exiting before the business is ready to be bought