Wimsey vane
private investments in outstanding small businesses
Wimsey Vane is a private investment company that invests in outstanding small businesses to support them through periods of transition. Our founders are long-time friends: an entrepreneur who led his start-up through a roll-up of multiple competitors and a successful exit, and an investor who has dedicated his career to supporting and mentoring entrepreneurs around the globe. Alongside an investment of capital, providing liquidity to existing owners, we support the transition of leadership to a new generation by partnering with in-place management teams as they take the reins in the business.
Our Approach
Our strategy is to partner with established management teams leading successful businesses in mature industries.
We know how hard it is to build a great business, because we’ve done it. At the same time, we understand that many businesses providing critical value to customers, employees and other stakeholders are more “tortoise” than “hare.” This might make them less attractive to traditional private equity investors and therefore more difficult for owners to realize value as they seek to exit.
We also understand how important it is to leave your team and customers in good hands; you want to make sure a new owner won’t tear down what has taken years to build up. We’ve been through that, too. But we know from experience that even the strongest teams need support and guidance during a leadership transition, which often can only be provided by hands-on ownership.
We believe these intersecting challenges create opportunity, and we believe our extensive track record investing in, building and managing small businesses gives us a unique ability to operate successfully in these situations and achieve a positive outcome for everyone involved.