On January 8, 2019, Recycle Guy Holdings, LLC acquired the assets of Circle City Dumpsters from Rod’s Quality Concrete, Inc of Whiteland, IN. The combined companies will continue to service the Indianapolis and surrounding areas with prompt and professional solid waste management services. The founder of Rod’s Quality Concrete, Rod Vore will remain focused on Read more about Recycle Guy Acquires Circle City Dumpsters[…]
SAVE THE DATE!! We will once again be gathering in Lafayette, IN on the last Thursday of July. (this web page will be updated as we firm up details) Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019 Location: Holiday Inn City Centre, 515 South Street, Lafayette, IN Time: 8:30 AM Registration & Tradeshow, Lunch & More Space & Read more about 2019 Annual Meeting[…]
I have been authoring an annual narrative of my businesses since age twenty two. I started the process with my loan officer in mind. The audience quickly morphed to include my future self. I wanted to address the anticipated question: “What were you thinking?!” I launched Little Engine Ventures in the summer of 2016 and Read more about Annual Letters of Private Partnerships[…]
I am a sucker for algorithms that simplify my life. When it comes to investment analysis of thousands of companies I find a simple rank-sort helps me prioritize from a nearly infinite set of possibilities. Step 1: Value the business. (this is where all the work is.) Step 2: Estimate the price. Step 3: Divide Read more about Rank-Sort[…]
This month I had a new partner point out that we spend more time evaluating a specific manager than a specific company. It’s true. Our Executives-on-Deck may spend 3-9 months tagging along on numerous lunches and coffees with a wide variety of people before joining our payroll. A particular business might be judged in a Read more about People Power[…]
We have all heard the phrase ‘quality over quantity,’ right? Well, I recently heard the statement ‘quantity before quality’ and really appreciated it. Before mastery, one must persist through a substantial quantity. A child’s first shot at the basketball hoop is poorly formed and only miraculously made. People are not born master pianists. A true Read more about Persistence Before Mastery[…]
Little Engine Ventures (LEV) recently acquired Lafayette Tool & Die of Lafayette, IN from Larry and Judy Skinner. Judy will begin a transition toward retirement and Larry will remain on staff and serve as the lead toolmaker. “The introduction to Daryl and his model with Little Engine Ventures was good timing. I was not sure Read more about Little Engine Ventures Acquires Lafayette Tool & Die[…]
A friend of mine recently broke his neck surfing. He caught a wave, rode it the distance, and essentially forgot to stop. The thrill captivated, carried and ultimately ejected him headfirst into the sand like a javelin. I still imagine the inertia of his body folding around his ears as he goes limp in the Read more about Surfing a Wave of Razorblades[…]
Much has been written of selecting an investment manager. What about managers selecting investors? Some of my favorite authorship on this subject is from Warren Buffett in his 1960’s partnership letters. In these annual letters he repeats the concern about compounded costs incurred by employers of large institutions who overlay their own reputational risk upon Read more about Selection of Business Partners[…]
Today, I was referred to a potential small business buyer and manager. He has some cash but is looking for an equity partner… maybe. While I’m grateful for the referral, I also sniffed out a few problems. Being the nice guy that I am, I wanted to save the individual from some serious bruises from Read more about An Email to Executive Referral[…]