Insights

As one CEO once said, “M&A is the cherry on top of the cake. The cake has to stand on its own first.” That’s how we think about it too. Our role is to help founders create more value by sharpening what already works, not to rely on acquisitions as the main strategy.

The most durable growth is earned, not bought. It’s the same philosophy we bring to every company we partner with.

Why Organic Growth Lasts Longer

Organic growth signals that a business is doing something fundamentally right. Expansion comes from serving existing customers better and reaching new ones because of the product’s strength. Every new sale is a vote of confidence from the market.

Growth by acquisition can look fast on paper, but it often comes with risk. Integrations are messy. Cultures clash. Customers get confused. Research shows that most acquisitions fail to deliver the promised benefits, with failure rates estimated as high as 70% to 90%. By contrast, growth that comes from within is steadier, easier to control, and builds trust over time. A company with loyal customers, a strong product, and an agile team is harder to disrupt than a patchwork of acquisitions.

Thinking Like Founders, Not Suits

Private equity has a reputation for relying on leverage and cost-cutting to drive returns. That old playbook is losing effectiveness. In today’s world of higher interest rates and compressed multiples, real value is created by building stronger businesses, not by financial engineering.

We approach each investment the way a founder would. We work shoulder to shoulder with management, helping refine strategy, shape go-to-market plans, and invest in the product. The best private equity firms act more like entrepreneurs than financiers, and the data is clear. Investors who think like founders create more lasting value. The most successful ones build trust with management, co-create an operational plan, and then help execute it. That is exactly the role we aim to play.

The Levers of Organic Growth

Founders often know the levers they can pull to grow, but they don’t always have the resources or bandwidth to pull them all at once. That’s where we come in.

Sales and Marketing Acceleration We help sharpen sales processes, expand channels, and refine messaging. Often, even great products have untapped revenue because the sales engine isn’t fully built.

Product Innovation We invest in the roadmap, improving features and building new ones that customers actually ask for. Companies that keep innovating stay mission-critical in their niche.

Pricing and Packaging Pricing is one of the most powerful levers for growth. A small change in pricing can drive significant profit gains. Aligning price with value, introducing tiers, or repackaging offerings can create growth without adding costs.

Customer Expansion The most efficient growth comes from selling more to existing customers. Upsells and cross-sells increase average contract value and deepen customer ties.

Retention and Lifetime Value Keeping customers longer can be transformative. Even a small improvement in retention can massively boost profitability. Retention is the foundation of recurring revenue.

New Verticals and Markets Once a business is strong in one segment, expanding into adjacent verticals can open the next chapter of growth. These are natural extensions of what already works, not risky leaps into the unknown.

Each lever is about maximizing what is already there. This is growth that builds with the grain of the business, not against it.

When M&A Makes Sense

We are not against acquisitions. We simply see them as complementary to organic growth. When the core business is strong, a well-chosen acquisition can add real value. Maybe it brings a missing feature customers want, or opens the door to a new market. In those cases, M&A is the icing on the cake.

But acquisitions only work when they align tightly with the strategy of the business. Otherwise, they distract from what matters most. Our companies never stop growing organically, even when we pursue acquisitions. Inorganic moves should always enhance what is already strong, not replace it.

What We Look For

Our focus on organic growth shapes the kinds of companies we partner with. The businesses that excite us usually share a few traits:

- A proven product that does one thing extremely well in a niche market - Predictable recurring revenue and high customer retention - Evidence of steady, founder-driven growth with untapped potential - Leaders with deep domain expertise and grit - Sound financial footing and consistent profits

These are often “boring but essential” companies that dominate their corner of the market quietly but powerfully. They don’t need to reinvent themselves. They just need the right support to unlock the next level of growth.

Our Ethos

At Willowbrook, we measure success by how much better the business becomes after we partner with it. We think like founders, not financiers. We believe great companies are built by improving products, serving customers, and expanding intelligently, not by playing spreadsheet games or forcing acquisitions.

If an acquisition adds value, we’ll pursue it. But the heartbeat of our strategy is organic growth. That is the kind of growth that compounds, lasts, and creates businesses that stand the test of time.