Phil Bowman

The SGC model is a great fit for my stage of life. Pursuing a small business acquisition on my own would require significantly more time, effort, and risk. SGC provides a solution with available resources, a vetted process, and committed capital. With a busy family to care for, I’m not sure I would be able to pull off a successful search while working full-time. Additionally, I personally knew a past CIR that partnered with SGC and successfully bought a business—this gave credence to the SGC model and piqued my interest.

I’m seeking to acquire and lead a technical services company in West Michigan, with a focus on mission-critical sectors such as commercial equipment repair, building systems, and other specialized contractor services. I’m looking for a business with recurring revenue, high barriers to entry, and strong customer relationships that can serve as a platform for long-term growth and expansion. My goal is to be a hands-on owner-operator, building stability and scale while creating lasting value.

The shift from a high-demand corporate leadership role to a full-time business acquisition has been significant, in a good way. It has been a refreshing change of pace, however I’m eager to make tangible progress. The early stages to launch the search are critical and require a structured approach to find the new rhythm of my day-to-day. Patience with diligence is a key quality you must have as a CIR.

If you have an entrepreneurial drive and ambition, and want to own and lead a company, know this: you can make it happen. It doesn’t have to live as an idea or concept, and it doesn’t have to be a startup business. ETA is real and obtainable, especially when partnering with Sleeping Giant Capital. There are some great podcasts that feature owners that have taken the leap and have lived to tell about it—it’s empowering and infectious to hear other’s success stories—consume them. I also highly recommend two books: HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business (Ruback, Yudkoff) and Buy Then Build (Deibel).