At Dakota Capital, we believe partnership with management is foundational to successful private equity investing. We focus on a strong relationship with management and attain our investment returns through growth, not financial engineering.
Buying a Company can be a defining moment in a manager’s life. It is one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys experienced in business. Whether it is acquiring the company you manage or another target in your industry, Dakota Capital provides the support to realize your dream of ownership.
As our current portfolio executives will attest, we leave day to day operational control with management. Our principal roles are to support management in the growth of the Company, to help establish corporate goals and provide strategic advice on business, financial, and management issues.
Life Afterwards
With Dakota Capital, management’s independence and control is maintained. It is not our desire or role to control the day to day activities of the Company. Our primary concern is for the Company to be attuned and meet the needs of the customers.
Our role with management serves as a facilitator to guide and counsel management to their optimal potential. Functionally, we facilitate an annual planning session in which a plan is developed by the management team and translated into specific goals and measures. Monthly management meetings are held to address concerns and issues that arise in the business. Planning, measuring, and open communication is the basis of our relationship with management and serves as a catalyst for growth.
We believe in growing our investments. Overwraps Packaging is a prime example of how we provided resources to grow the Company. Specifically, after closing a new eight color press was purchased for close to two million dollars. This investment provided the platform to grow into additional markets and capabilities that have driven a growth rate of over 50%.
Our patience and dedication to a firm’s growth is critical to our success. Dakota Capital is unlike other private equity firms, we do not enter a transaction with a predetermined exit strategy. Our preference is to hold a company for at least 10 years.
Resources
In addition to capital resources, our portfolio has access to our extensive information technology infrastructure for web based applications, Siebel Software, Hyperion financial software and data mining applications. This platform enables our management teams to drive performance from their operations, sales and marketing.
Great businesses may have more opportunities than resources. Dakota Capital brings resources to attack these opportunities. We provide additional resources to supplement management for special needs. Historically, these types of projects have ranged from mapping production processes to developing marketing plans for specific segments.
In addition to the technology and supplemental resources, Dakota Capital also acts as a sounding board for the organization, empathetically listening and talking through difficult issues that may impede a Company’s performance and growth.
Dakota Capital 