Unlocking the Power of Small Business.
We partner with small business founders and operators who have built successful companies through hard work and doing right by their people.
We help carry their businesses and legacies forward.
WHO WE PARTNER WITH
Real Businesses. Essential Work. Enduring Value.
We invest in the real, critical services businesses that are the backbone of the American economy. Companies that will never be replaced by technology or AI, but will be made stronger by embracing it. From HVAC and plumbing to fire safety, hazardous material compliance, and commercial maintenance, these are the businesses that keep homes and businesses running and communities safe.
We invest in founders and operators who started with their hands, who have a deep loyalty to their people, and who have spent years building something they're proud of. Below are some business owner transition points where we typically enter the conversation:
Retirement
After decades hard work, retirement is a something to be celebrated. Business owners want a partner who will protect their legacy and the team behind it.
Succession Planning
The next generation isn't ready or isn't interested. A partnership with AEP gives businesses a clear path forward, with the professional infrastructure to keep growing without the founder at the center of everything.
Growth Partner
Many businesses are ready to grow, but capital and operational bandwidth are holding them back. We bring both as a true partner, not a passive check-writer. We roll up our sleeves alongside the team.
OUR APPROACH
We Partner. We Build. We Respect What Founders Created.
We partner with small businesses where we identify opportunities that align with our expertise and experience. We drive sustainable, long-term value with a deep respect for all the nuances that come with building and growing a successful small business through a proven, phased approach.
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We take a focused approach, partnering with only a small number of companies at a time, and only with strong operators who share our values and have earned deep loyalty within their companies and communities. This allows us to truly support the founders and executives we work with, staying highly involved in operational and growth initiatives.
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We prioritize a smooth transition of ownership by putting people first, earning the trust of the entire company through open, transparent communication and a clear, shared vision for long-term growth. That clarity builds genuine, organization-wide alignment and fosters real excitement and engagement at every level.
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We believe operational infrastructure with clear processes and systems unlocks sustainable long-term growth. We leverage our experience to develop KPIs, then reverse-engineer the technology, systems, processes, and policies needed to drive integrated efficiency, measurable improvement, and transparency across the business. This builds operational excellence internally, but more importantly, aligns with the customer value chain to enhance service and experience at every level, setting the stage for scalable growth.
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Once the operational infrastructure is in place, we formally roll out strategic growth initiatives across core company activities to drive sustainable, accretive long-term growth, together. We leverage AEP's ecosystem and partners to invest in critical growth areas, including sales and marketing, M&A, and geographic and service expansion, while continuing to prioritize legacy and culture.
OUR TEAM
Operators First. Investors Second.
Our team prioritizes operating experience and hands-on execution. We’re not a group of passive investors who have never actually touched a small business. We blend M&A and investment expertise with entrepreneurs and operators who can help drive value, not just model it.
Jackson Rimpas
Co-Founder / Partner
Jackson brings nearly a decade of M&A and private equity experience to AEP, having led and advised on over 30 transactions across a range of industries and ownership structures. His expertise in investment execution, strategic value creation, and lower-middle market advisory is the foundation of how AEP structures and evaluates every deal.
Luke Prendergast
Co-Founder / Partner
Luke is an entrepreneur and operator at heart. He has built and scaled multiple businesses nationally, including the founding of a successful fire service franchise, and brings a second-generation family business perspective that shapes everything we do. Luke's operational depth ensures that AEP never loses sight of what actually makes small businesses work.
Bobby Finan
Partner
Bobby is a 2x exited entrepreneur and operator. He built a distilled spirits production facility from the ground up, managed a distribution network across 27 states, and scaled a national trade show and events business. Bobby lives and breathes small business, and brings deep expertise in sales and marketing, regulatory compliance, operations, new market development, and light manufacturing.
FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
The Decision To Sell Is Never Quick, So Neither Is Our Approach.
Selling a business is one of the most significant and personal decisions an owner will ever make. We honor that by leading with relationships, not transactions. We meet in person, visit the business, and build genuine connections with the people who drive its day-to-day success. We don't rely on video calls. The strongest partnerships are built on trust and shared values, so we take the time to understand each company's people, culture, and purpose, and ensure real alignment before moving forward.
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Most founders will only go through an ownership transition once in their lifetime. This is the most important part of the journey. The goal is to sit down and really listen to and understand the seller's priorities in finding the right partner and ensuring long-term goals are aligned. During this phase, the focus is on mutual alignment and ensuring a right fit for both sides. Confidentiality agreements are always put in place out of respect for the seller's life's work and their people.
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When there is alignment, the AEP team is assembled and the executive network is leveraged to work expeditiously through diligence with the seller and the seller's team to put together an offer. Typically, a transaction can close within 45 to 90 days of signing a letter of intent, so long as proper access is granted to run the diligence process.
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While there is no one-size-fits-all playbook with partner companies, the pillars of success during an investment centralize around people, processes, technology, and data. We work with the seller's team long before a deal is done to establish an agreed-upon strategy with measurable goals to guide the partnership post-close.
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While closing of a transaction is often celebrated (and deserves to be), it is the beginning of the Journey. We put our team into action and often work with third party partners with subject matter expertise to expedite certain aspects of our post-close value creation plan.
