JDE Capital Advisor: Maxine Clark
JDE Capital is thrilled to include the incomparable Maxine Clark among our advisors. As the Chief Inspirator at The Delmar DivINe, Maxine lead a transformational
JDE Capital is a woman-led fund seeking to invest into or acquire one growing business.
JDE Capital is a woman-led fund seeking to invest into or acquire one growing business.
JDE Capital is an individual, hands-on, seasoned investor and operator looking to offer executive excellence and investment capital to one promising business. JDE is funded by high-caliber institutional investors and experienced executives who have an extensive track record of growing small-to-medium-sized businesses.
JDE Capital is a woman-led fund seeking to invest into or acquire a growing business.
JDE Capital is an individual, hands-on, seasoned investor and operator looking to offer executive excellence and investment capital to a promising business. JDE is funded by high-caliber institutional investors and experienced executives who have an extensive track record of growing small-to-medium-sized businesses.
The JDE Capital difference
Hover over each box to learn more
The JDE Capital difference
Click each box to learn more
RESPECT
RESPECT
You've built something special and it is our goal to preserve that magic, as well as honor the entrepreneurial grit and perserverance that was required to build it.
INTEGRITY
INTEGRITY
We are looking for a company that already exemplifies a values-based, ethical culture. Together, we will ensure that these principles continue to guide and direct us throughout the investment process, as well as while we grow the company post-investment.
GROWTH
GROWTH
You may have reached a point in your business where you're just not sure what you want to do next. Or the operations of your company have pulled you away from what you love doing the most. We will build upon what you have created to take your business to the next level together by investing capital and operational excellence into your company.
FLEXIBLE TERMS & TRANSPARENCY
FLEXIBLE TERMS & TRANSPARENCY
Every investment must meet the needs of both the owner and investor, and we will strive to meet your preferences, lifestyle and estate planning needs.
We also understand the importance of trust and transparency. We will guide you through the investment process step-by-step, and we are happy to provide you with referrals to brokers and lawyers with M&A experience for guidance and advice.
LONG-TERM FOCUS
LONG-TERM FOCUS
Unlike most private equity and venture capital firms, we are not seeking to "flip" your company in 3-5 years. We are excited to focus on growing your business for years to come - with no pre-determined exit date.
BALANCED HARD WORK
BALANCED HARD WORK
You've put years of blood, sweat and tears into this company and we will do the same. 100% of our focus will be on your company and we aren't afraid to get our nails dirty. That being said, we also have lives and families, just as you do, and we strongly believe in achieving a healthy balance to allow time to focus on those important priorities.
RESPECT
RESPECT
You've built something special and it is our goal to preserve that magic, as well as honor the entrepreneurial grit and perserverance that was required to build it.
INTEGRITY
INTEGRITY
We are looking for a company that already exemplifies a values-based, ethical culture. Together, we will ensure that these principles continue to guide and direct us throughout the investment process, as well as while we grow the company post-investment.
GROWTH
GROWTH
You may have reached a point in your business where the operations of your company have pulled you away from what you love doing the most or you're just not sure what you want to do next. We will build upon what you have created to take your business to the next level together by investing capital and operational excellence into your company.
FLEXIBLE TERMS & TRANSPARENCY
FLEXIBLE TERMS & TRANSPARENCY
Every investment must meet the needs of both the owner and investor, and we will strive to meet your preferences, lifestyle and estate planning needs.
We also understand that this company might feel like a family member to you, and we don't take that lightly. We will guide you through the investment process step-by-step, and we are happy to provide you with referrals to brokers and lawyers with M&A experience for guidance and advice.
LONG-TERM FOCUS
LONG-TERM FOCUS
Unlike most private equity and venture capital firms, we are not seeking to "flip" your company in 3-5 years. We are excited to focus on growing your business for years to come - with no pre-determined exit date.
BALANCED HARD WORK
BALANCED HARD WORK
You've put years of blood, sweat and tears into this company and we will do the same. 100% of our focus will be on your company and we aren't afraid to get our nails dirty. That being said, we also have lives and families, just as you do, and we strongly believe in achieving a healthy balance to allow time to focus on those important priorities.
Jennifer Ehlen-Albrecht
Founder & Managing Partner
Jennifer Ehlen-Albrecht is a business executive and board advisor with expertise in business strategy, operations, sales and innovation. Her professional experience in private equity, venture capital and as the founder and CEO of multiple start-ups also provide for a thorough understanding of growth strategies, fundraising and M&A. She is known for her creative approach to business growth through sales and acquisitions and her thorough understanding of optimal organizational design and management practices.
Jennifer has collectively launched five companies, invested in dozens, and has grown and advised established busineses ranging in size from a few $mm in annual revenue to hundreds. A sales professional for most of her career, Jennifer is an expert in B2B and B2C sales campaigns, from high-level strategy and target market identification to the detailed work required to program an automated CRM system. She also understands how to leverage her M&A and investment background to support the growth of her companies through bolt-on investments acquisitions and partnership opportunities.
Jennifer has received various recognitions for her work in M&A and the entrepreneurship community. She was included as one of “100 St. Louisans You Should Know” by St. Louis Small Business Monthly. She was also named a “Most Influential Businesswoman” and was listed as one of the area’s “Top 40 under 40” business professionals by the St. Louis Business Journal. Jennifer was also named as the Distinguished Young Alumni of the year by the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University in 2013. Her work with BGI and PWE has been covered by Fortune, Forbes, Huffington Post and Crains.
Her passion for educating others has led her to speak at academic institutions such as Cornell University, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and Webster University; industry conferences such as Denver Startup Week, St. Louis Startup Convention, the Leading Edge Alliance of Accounting Firms; and global women’s organizations such as the Global Women in Gaming conference in Las Vegas, NV.
Jennifer Ehlen-Albrecht
Founder & Managing Partner
Jennifer Ehlen-Albrecht is a business executive and board advisor with expertise in business strategy, operations, sales and innovation. Her professional experience in private equity, venture capital and as the founder and CEO of multiple start-ups also provide for a thorough understanding of growth strategies, fundraising and M&A. She is known for her creative approach to business growth through sales and acquisitions and her thorough understanding of optimal organizational design and management practices.
Jennifer has collectively launched five companies, invested in dozens, and has grown and advised established busineses ranging in size from a few $mm in annual revenue to hundreds. A sales professional for most of her career, Jennifer is an expert in B2B and B2C sales campaigns, from high-level strategy and target market identification to the detailed work required to program an automated CRM system. She also understands how to leverage her M&A and investment background to support the growth of her companies through bolt-on investments acquisitions and partnership opportunities.
Jennifer has received various recognitions for her work in M&A and the entrepreneurship community. She was included as one of “100 St. Louisans You Should Know” by St. Louis Small Business Monthly. She was also named a “Most Influential Businesswoman” and was listed as one of the area’s “Top 40 under 40” business professionals by the St. Louis Business Journal. Jennifer was also named as the Distinguished Young Alumni of the year by the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University in 2013. Her work with BGI and PWE has been covered by Fortune, Forbes, Huffington Post and Crains.
Her passion for educating others has led her to speak at academic institutions such as Cornell University, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and Webster University; industry conferences such as Denver Startup Week, St. Louis Startup Convention, the Leading Edge Alliance of Accounting Firms; and global women’s organizations such as the Global Women in Gaming conference in Las Vegas, NV.–
Advisors
Maxine Clark
Founder & former Chief Executive Bear
John Howe
Former CEO
Opal Jones
President & CEO
Jim Eberlin
Founder
Tracy Hart
President
Art McCoy, PhD
President & Founder
Karla Bakersmith
Founder & former President & CEO
Craig Albrecht
Managing Director
Laurna Godwin
Owner & President
Maxine Clark
Founder & former Chief Executive Bear
John Howe
Former CEO
Opal Jones
President & CEO
Jim Eberlin
Founder
Art McCoy, PhD
President & Founder
Karla Bakersmith
Founder & former President & CEO
Craig Albrecht
Managing Director
Laurna Godwin
Owner & President
Tracy Hart
President
What we are looking for
Important note: we are looking for a company with many (not all) of these attributes
Industry
- Pet services, specialty retail, specialty food, B2B services, software
- Growing
- Fragmented (few dominant players)
- Multiple avenues to grow (organic sales, acquisitions, partnerships)
- Minimal cyclicality
Company
- Headquartered in the US (preferably in the midwest)
- Strong, growth-oriented culture
- Diverse, loyal customer base
- Existing or opportunities for recurring revenue streams
Team
- Management team is motivated to grow or exit
- Committed functional leadership
- Excellent reputation in the community
Financials
- Profitable or clear path to profitability
- Existing or future potential cash flow margins of >15%
- History of solid organic revenue growth
- No single customer >20% of revenue
Our process
We will work expediently to determine if an opportunity exists that makes sense for both parties, with honesty and transparency at the forefront of every step.
Everyone should enter this relationship feeling confident that we will thrive together. We’ll spend several hours getting to know each other and our goals, and confidentially share initial attributes of the company. If you are close to St. Louis, MO, these meetings will happen in-person. If you are located outside of the St. Louis region, we will chat via zoom initially and I will travel to visit you in-person when it makes sense for both of us.
We’ve learned that it’s best to get down to brass-tacks sooner than later, so to speak. If both parties are interested, we will sign a confidentiality agreement (NDA) and request some basic financial information about the business.
At this point, we will share a preliminary valuation and some thoughts on how we might invest and join the company, and give you some time to digest.
When you ready, we’ll come back together to discuss and determine if there is a path forward to work together.
If we both remain interested, we’ll submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) that lays out key terms of our partnership, including financial and operational. This offer is non-binding until both parties sign.
It is important that both parties have retained a third-party advisor (lawyer or business broker) by this point (if not before) to help understand terms.
We’ll discuss and negotiate as expediently as possible to arrive at a price and structure that is favorable for you and accomplishes your personal and financial goals. Signed LOI to closing should take 30 – 45 days.
Once we’ve all agreed, we’ll sign the LOI.
After we sign the LOI, we will submit an information request list that includes financials and pertinent questions about operations, structure, employees, etc.
We encourage you to do the same! We will also gladly provide you with a list of references to speak on our behalf, including (but not limited to) contact information for the advisors listed above.
Throughout this process, we will meet regularly to discuss the broad terms of the sale and to formulate a transition plan. You can expect transparency and honesty throughout this process as we work together as a team to best position the company for future success.
After all diligence has been completed, we’ll finalize all of the legal documentation, complete any wire transfers and CELEBRATE!
Growth Strategies
How will we grow your business? Hover over each box to learn more about just a few of our growth strategies.
Growth Strategies
How will we grow your business? Click on each box to learn more about just a few of our growth strategies.
ORGANIC
ORGANIC
We'll take a look at what you're already doing and ask ourselves these questions:
"What should we do more of?"
and
"What should we STOP doing?"
If the company has retail operations, we will determine whether to add more locations, franchise, or expand the business model.
We'll also explore ramping up sales through appropriate channels, amplifying marketing and expanding inbound sales efforts.
CHANNEL PARTNERS & NEW MARKETS
CHANNEL PARTNERS & NEW MARKETS
We will do a deep dive into strategies to increase revenue by leaps and bounds. This includes identifying potential partners and joint ventures to resell via direct sales or wholesale. We will also explore ways to increase revenue through new product lines, new markets, and/or new geographies.
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
There's a good chance that your company is not the only one doing what you're doing. There is also a good chance that there are other companies doing something that might not be exactly the same, but could be complementary to your business. We'll explore various strategies to determine if there is an appropriate M&A path to grow your company.
INVESTMENT CAPITAL
INVESTMENT CAPITAL
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. We will determine whether the business requires additional infusions of capital to act on the growth strategies we are most excited about, and leverage our network of experienced investors to raise the necessary funds.
ADVISOR NETWORK
ADVISOR NETWORK
A mentor of ours likes to say, "Help helps!". Together, we will identify where there may be gaps in the team and access our deep bench of vetted executives, advisors and consultants to fill FTE, PTE, 1099 and volunteer/advisory positions necessary to support our growth initiatives.
Companies We've Worked With
We've operated, advised and mentored dozens of companies.
Here are just a few businesses we have been fortunate to work with.
News
Growth Strategies: Mergers & Acquisitions
There are so many strategies that can be used to grow a business, and M&A is a big one. That being said, we’ve noticed that
Investment Criteria: Company attributes
We want to work with a US company with a strong, growth-oriented culture, a diverse, loyal customer base and recurring revenue streams (or logical opportunities
The JDE Capital Difference: The confidence to grow
How do you plan to grow your business? You may have reached a point where you’re just not sure what you want to do next.