Sleeping Giant Capital

Doug is co-founder and managing partner of Sleeping Giant Capital.
He stewards the firm’s distinctive mission and principles and drives the continued innovation of Sleeping Giant’s pioneering place-based model. Doug leads Sleeping Giant’s investment thesis development and underwriting, investor relations, and university partnerships.

He serves on the boards of Portland Products and ProStamp.

Passionate about life-changing education, Doug is co-founder and director of the Leadership and Business Strategy (LBS) program at the Western Michigan University Haworth College of Business.

Prior to founding Sleeping Giant Capital, Doug worked in management consulting with Monitor Deloitte, advising clients on pricing strategy and at Young & Rubicam in strategic planning. He holds a BA from Kalamazoo College, an MA from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

His research has won multiple awards and has been published in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals, including recognition for the best dissertation in the field of management.

Doug spends his free time mountain biking with his son and cooking for his family. He lives in Kalamazoo with his wife and two children.

Marshall Bakker joins Sleeping Giant Capital as Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than a decade of experience in financial strategy and transaction advisory. Prior to joining Sleeping Giant Capital, Marshall served as a leader at Plante Moran, a national advisory firm, where he guided buy and sell-side financial due diligence for private equity and strategic clients across manufacturing, distribution, service and retail industries. Known for his attention to detail and ability to identify key risks, Marshall has advised on complex transactions and helped clients navigate critical decisions with confidence.

Marshall earned a B.A. in Accountancy from Calvin University, holds a CPA and is an active member of ACG West Michigan. At Sleeping Giant Capital, he oversees financial reporting, capital allocation and acquisition diligence, while building systems that enable replicable decision-making and lean operations. His leadership advances our vision to be the succession partner of choice in West Michigan for business owners as aspiring owner-operators.

Outside of work, Marshall enjoys time at the Lake Michigan shoreline, camping and biking with his wife and four boys.

Marshall resides in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Kamola Makhmudova is a Financial Analyst at Sleeping Giant Capital. Since joining the firm in spring 2023, she has supported investment sourcing, evaluation and diligence across nearly every deal the firm has reviewed.

Her primary responsibility is building and stress-testing detailed LBO and operating models to assess potential returns, downside risk and capital structure decisions for majority buyout opportunities. Through this work, she supports CEOs-in-Residence and Sleeping Giant leadership through the entire deal process.

Prior to joining Sleeping Giant Capital, Kamola served as a Student Alumni Ambassador at Western Michigan University, where she fundraised and represented the university in a professional capacity. She holds a BBA in Finance with a minor in Leadership and Business Strategy and a Master of Science in Finance from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. Kamola enjoys reading in her free time and loves living in downtown Kalamazoo.

Chelsea has 20 years of experience in marketing, communications and client relations. At Sleeping Giant Capital, she leads the marketing strategy, manages talent pipelines for the CEO-in-Residence and Acquire Executive Education Coaching programs and provides deal sourcing support to aspiring CEOs. Chelsea earned her degree in communications and public relations from Michigan State University and brings a relationship-driven mindset, strong communication skills and thoughtful leadership to her work. A committed community leader, she is a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids, a past Rotary president and currently serves on its Charities Foundation board.

Outside of work, Chelsea enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, hitting the ski slopes and embracing her favorite role—mom to three active boys: Connor, Maxwell and Wesley. She and her husband Jeff, both proud Michiganders, have called Ada home for the past 13 years.

Isaac supports marketing and search initiatives. He is currently pursuing a degree with a double major in Marketing and Leadership and Business Strategy from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. He is also an active member of DECA at WMU. Isaac enjoys exploring how his passion for creativity and strategy can be utilized to create a positive impact in business scenarios. In his free time, Isaac enjoys playing sports, reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

Ruth supports investment sourcing and diligence efforts. She is currently pursuing a degree with a double major in Accountancy, and Leadership and Business Strategy from the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University. She is an active member of NABA at WMU, Ruth previously served on the organization’s executive board as Treasurer-Elect and Vice President of Event Planning. With a strong interest in finance and operational strategy, she enjoys applying data-driven insights to real-world business challenges. Outside of work, Ruth enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending concerts, camping, and traveling.

Team

CEOs-in-Residence

Doug Lepisto

Marshall Bakker

Kamola Makhmudova

Chelsea Dubey

Isaac Skinner

Ruth Castaneda

Derrick McIver