Building businesses
We are business builders, first and foremost. Prior to making an investment, we work closely with management to identify key initiatives that will significantly increase the company’s growth, profitability and cash flow. We use a variety of strategic and tactical approaches, augmented with outside resources where appropriate, that can help a lower middle-market company take its operating performance to the next level. These tools and initiatives are tailored to each situation, but typically include market share gains, margin improvements and improvements in capital efficiency.
Active partnership
We are active partners, not passive investors. We believe a successful investment is based on active partnership between the management team of a portfolio company and the principals of our firm. Adding value beyond simply providing capital is a guiding principle for Verus Investment Partners. We work closely with our management teams to help drive the key initiatives that will significantly increase a company’s growth and profitability. Our job is to provide the necessary resources to achieve those objectives. While we rely on superior management teams to lead their businesses, we work closely with our teams and bring our experience, resources and human and financial capital to help our companies succeed. We provide meaningful equity ownership and long-term incentive compensation opportunities to make sure everyone’s interests are directly aligned.
Transparency
We believe that clear communication, metric-based standard operating procedures and mutual accountability increase the likelihood of success. This philosophy drives continuous improvement at our firm and within our portfolio companies. Transparency also affords early identification of a problem. When coupled with a fact-based analysis of the problem, early identification typically results in a more cost-effective solution. This culture of transparency facilitates a true partnership between Verus and our management teams, investors and financing sources. Our principle of transparency determines how we structure control over decision-making, capital structure, budgets and compensation decisions.
Diversity, Partnership, and Collaboration
Verus firmly believes in the value of diversity, partnership, and collaboration to improve investment returns. The benefits of having a diverse employee base – in race, ethnicity, gender, background, and/or age, brings more knowledge, perspectives, and experience to both our investment team and our portfolio company management teams.