eric sippel

Building a High-Functioning Board of Directors for Lower Middle Market Success In the lower middle market, where agility and precision drive growth, a strong and collaborative board of directors can be the ultimate game-changer. A well-constructed board isn’t just about governance—it’s about unlocking value, fostering innovation, and scaling strategically. Here are a few key principles for assembling a winning board from our experience at Rise Run Capital: 1. Strategic Alignment: Members should share a deep understanding of the company’s mission and vision, with the expertise to help navigate unique market challenges. 2. Diverse Skill Sets: Include a mix of operational, financial, and industry-specific expertise to ensure well-rounded guidance. Diverse perspectives lead to better decision-making. 3. Collaborative Culture: A board thrives on trust, open communication, and shared goals. Creating a culture where directors can challenge ideas constructively while working cohesively is critical. 4. Active Engagement: Beyond quarterly meetings, high-performing boards bring value by proactively engaging in key initiatives, mentoring leadership, and opening doors to strategic opportunities. At Rise Run Capital, we’ve seen firsthand how a high-functioning board can drive transformative outcomes for lower middle market companies. By aligning talent, fostering collaboration, and maintaining a clear focus on long-term value creation, companies can create the foundation for sustainable growth. #Leadership #BoardOfDirectors #LowerMiddleMarket #Collaboration #ValueCreation #RiseRunCapital

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The M&A market has been impacted by regulatory challenges that have widened spreads and created uncertainty in deal closings. Anusha Rodriguez, Head of Research & Due Diligence and Head of Alternative Investments for Oppenheimer Asset Management, is joined by Jake Turner, an Associate Portfolio Manager at Kite Lake Capital Management, to discuss the drivers of merger arbitrage and the potential risks and returns. Together, they cover catalysts for deals such as technological innovation, revenue cliffs, growth expectations, and synergies. Additionally, they evaluate cross-border deals and consider regulatory complexities and geopolitical tensions. https://bit.ly/45clwYu #ThePowerofOppenheimerThinking #LetsTalkFuture #EventDrivenInvesting

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Once considered the unpopular and neglected counterpart to men's leagues, women's sports now draw a new, profitable fan base. The excitement has been predominately centered around women’s basketball and soccer, which have shifted from being mainly grassroots-driven to attracting significant commercial investments. The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is anticipated to reach revenues of up to $200 million this year, doubling its 2019 figures. Additionally, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) saw a 33% year-on-year revenue increase in 2023. While the valuations of men's professional teams continue to rise, the commercialization of women's professional sports is in the early innings and has the potential to achieve extraordinary success. Learn more about the commercialization of women’s sports in our latest insight: https://lnkd.in/ePH8n-rF #paris2024 #womensports #prosports #privateinvestments #olympics For financial advisors only. IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: https://lnkd.in/e3VJtU2q

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It is getting pretty interesting out there! With recent interest rate cuts and action in the bond market, plus a wide range of equity valuations - from very attractive to 𝘭𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘺 - the case for an allocation to arbitrage makes a lot of sense. In our post below we outline the tailwinds we see for merger arbitrage.

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With nine months of VC activity now in the books, the market continues to face challenges from a sluggish IPO environment and extended exits. Join Scot Wingo, General Partner of the Triangle Tweener Fund, and EisnerAmper Managing Director alan wink for a 30-minute Q3 capital markets update covering key market trends, investment strategies, and emerging opportunities. Register here: https://okt.to/hTx0yS #webinar #capitalmarkets #trends #Quarterlyupdate

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Why does Employee Ownership work? Ellen Frank-Miller, PhD's recent Op-Ed at ImpactAlpha sums up the Employee Ownership "playbook" perfectly. And now that the top-secret EO "playbook" is out there, I might as well amplify Ellen's prescription for all to see: - Award meaningful ownership stakes to employees; - Transform operational practices to give employees more control over decisions that affect them and more autonomy to do their jobs the best way they know how; - Upskill frontline supervisors to help them manage their teams collaboratively and shed the command-and-control style that’s so counterproductive to achieving shared goals; - Activate the above-and-beyond employee behaviors that power better financial results; and - Enjoy superior returns for investors, wealth-building for employees, and all the community benefits that come from healthier businesses, workers, and families. Employee Ownership is nothing more but nothing less. This is the "playbook" that we are following at Southeast Acquisition Capital, along with a select few emerging and established managers, with surely many more to come. -- At its most basic level, employee equity is just a deal term or a part of an HR benefits package. True Employee Ownership happens when equity is paired with fundamental changes in the way that employee owners perceive their relationship to their employers (developing "organizational identification"), as well as changes to their actual work output (through a "social exchange obligation"). Or in non-academic terms, we refer to this simply as "employee owners thinking, acting, and feeling like owners." I've always said that I can't wait for the day that Southeast Acquisition Capital loses a deal to another firm pursuing Employee Ownership buyouts, because from then on we can just call them "buyouts", and Employee Ownership -- both the equity piece and the quality jobs piece -- will have truly become "market" and many more millions of employee owners will be better off for it. Thanks for the shout out, Ellen Frank-Miller, PhD, and I look forward to working more with the Ownership Impact Index by WORC (Workforce & Organizational Research Center)! Apis & Heritage Capital Partners KKR Ownership Works Mosaic Capital Partners Teamshares American Working Capital, LLC Verit Advisors https://lnkd.in/eremKFj5

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Now on substack: our research paper on BREIT's liquidity and valuation, along with the story of this research being stifled for a whole year. https://lnkd.in/gH6BW8TX

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About Kinsley Street Investors Group: Our team of professionals have a passion for unlocking the value of micro and small-cap companies. We believe the universe of publicly-traded companies encompasses unique stories that are largely underfollowed by Wall Street. Our role is to be the gateway for our clients to the individual and institutional investment community as they execute their business model and command a superior market valuation. As IR professionals, we have many years of experience telling the most complex stories in a very compelling way. KSI represents clients based in the U.S. as well as international companies seeking increased exposure and visibility in the U.S. markets. For our global clients, we serve as a key liaison to the U.S. investment community and are able to provide access and responsiveness to investors on their own time zone. For an international company to be successful in the U.S. markets, they must provide the same level of access and transparency as their U.S-based counterparts. Regular and consistent visibility is critical in order to eliminate the concerns and perceived risks typically associated with international investments. KSI can serve as a trusted representative of your company here in the U.S. markets to assist with elevating your company and accessing the expansive investment dollars available to global companies www.kinsleystreet.com

The M&A market has been impacted by regulatory challenges that have widened spreads and created uncertainty in deal closings. Anusha Rodriguez, Head of Research & Due Diligence and Head of Alternative Investments for Oppenheimer Asset Management, is joined by Jake Turner, an Associate Portfolio Manager at Kite Lake Capital Management, to discuss the drivers of merger arbitrage and the potential risks and returns. Together, they cover catalysts for deals such as technological innovation, revenue cliffs, growth expectations, and synergies. Additionally, they evaluate cross-border deals and consider regulatory complexities and geopolitical tensions. https://bit.ly/3Xa44BS #ThePowerofOppenheimerThinking #LetsTalkFuture #EventDrivenInvesting

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Opportuna and infinitas capital highlighted in Bloomberg's latest article on the evolving secondaries market, which speaks to the demand for innovative approaches to liquidity in private markets. We think there is 15-20y of backlog in both the US and Europe. 👉 For those interested in deeper insights and the trends shaping private markets, I share exclusive updates through my Beehiiv newsletter. Join our community here: https://lnkd.in/e4Y4qjhN 👉 For those interested in selling a stake or simply knowing more about the asset class, you can contact us here: https://lnkd.in/e5f658cG #VentureSecondaries #FamilyOffices #BloombergFeature #Newsletter #PrivateMarkets

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The day after: with election uncertainty behind us, investors will focus on future clarity on policy priorities and implementation vs. what was proposed. 5 quick takeaways from me, David Kelly and Stephanie Aliaga: 1. A Republican controlled Congress increases the potential for significant policy changes, including tax cuts, deregulation and higher tariffs. The size of the Republican majority in both chambers will be key, as will Trump’s own priorities once in office. 2. U.S. equities remain supported, particularly on the back of robust growth and broadening earnings. However, risks around higher long-end yields and tariff implications don’t seem to be reflected in market prices and could generate volatility ahead. 3. At times, policy and market returns can take diverging directions. The performance of the Energy Sector and Clean Energy under the Trump and Biden administrations are a great example (see chart below). There's more to stock returns than politics and policy - macro context, global commodity prices, interest rates, risk appetite, and starting valuations matter more over a longer stretch of time. 4. Bond yields likely to remain volatile and elevated on the back of fiscal concerns, while trade uncertainties contribute to dollar strength and FX volatility. 5. Markets can thrive under various government configurations and diversification can help balance portfolios against unknown risks. #markets #economy #election

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The M&A market has been impacted by regulatory challenges that have widened spreads and created uncertainty in deal closings. Anusha Rodriguez, Head of Research & Due Diligence and Head of Alternative Investments for Oppenheimer Asset Management, is joined by Jake Turner, an Associate Portfolio Manager at Kite Lake Capital Management, to discuss the drivers of merger arbitrage and the potential risks and returns. Together, they cover catalysts for deals such as technological innovation, revenue cliffs, growth expectations, and synergies. Additionally, they evaluate cross-border deals and consider regulatory complexities and geopolitical tensions. https://bit.ly/3yPiPA8 #ThePowerofOppenheimerThinking #LetsTalkFuture #EventDrivenInvesting

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The M&A market has been impacted by regulatory challenges that have widened spreads and created uncertainty in deal closings. Anusha Rodriguez, Head of Research & Due Diligence and Head of Alternative Investments for Oppenheimer Asset Management, is joined by Jake Turner, an Associate Portfolio Manager at Kite Lake Capital Management, to discuss the drivers of merger arbitrage and the potential risks and returns. Together, they cover catalysts for deals such as technological innovation, revenue cliffs, growth expectations, and synergies. Additionally, they evaluate cross-border deals and consider regulatory complexities and geopolitical tensions. https://bit.ly/3ySyzCA #ThePowerofOppenheimerThinking #LetsTalkFuture #EventDrivenInvesting

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The M&A market has been impacted by regulatory challenges that have widened spreads and created uncertainty in deal closings. Anusha Rodriguez, Head of Research & Due Diligence and Head of Alternative Investments for Oppenheimer Asset Management, is joined by Jake Turner, an Associate Portfolio Manager at Kite Lake Capital Management, to discuss the drivers of merger arbitrage and the potential risks and returns. Together, they cover catalysts for deals such as technological innovation, revenue cliffs, growth expectations, and synergies. Additionally, they evaluate cross-border deals and consider regulatory complexities and geopolitical tensions. https://bit.ly/3ReagFk #ThePowerofOppenheimerThinking #LetsTalkFuture #EventDrivenInvesting

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