There is a brand new entrepreneurial investment firm in New Orleans, and its goal is to promote and invest in small business in the Gulf Coast Region. Gulf Search Capital, launched by partners Patrick Mansfield, David Cusimano and Larry Oney, will be combing equity or convertible debt investments with operational assistance.
Gulf Coast will primarily target lower and middle market companies, and prefers majority investments into companies with revenues between $1 million and $8 million, although the partners said they would also consider larger investments.
Gulf Search’s investment focus includes companies that have:
- Reached a plateau or have experienced decline but compete in a stable or growing industry;
- Been run by entrepreneurs who are excellent at their trade but need assistance with financial management, business process improvement, customer experience management, and strategic planning for growth;
- Either an entrepreneur ( or a manager, if the entrepreneur is exiting) in place who is committed to the growth of the company and excited about:
- Performance-based equity compensation and
- Growing with a new financial and operational partner;
- A clear competitive advantage and barriers to entry for competitors;
- The ability to scale with the proper capitalization and operational resources.
According to Gulf Search, the group differentiates itself from other investment groups primarily through its active operational involvement, as they seek to acquire, operate, and grow their investments.
“We’ve seen a tremendous need for capital and operational assistance in this space,” said Cusimano. “With these resources companies will better be able to realize their full potential. While numerous financing opportunities exist for promising startups in the region, there are currently limited options for established businesses that may not yet be large enough to attract traditional private equity.”
Gulf Search is also well capitalized and can move quickly to close transactions and has a flexible deal structure. For more information visit gulfsearchcapital.com.