Our Strategy

Investing in long term success

Our Values

Partnership

We align the interests of stakeholders in a company to create win-win relationships.

Patience

We have a long-term investment horizon that enables us to invest where others may not.

Trust

We are transparent in our approach between all stakeholders in a company.

Our Approach

We look for and invest in fundamentally sound companies. We approach each transaction objectively and take the time to listen and understand seller’s objectives. We align stakeholder interests, goals, and commitments to build a foundation upon which our companies can grow. We add value to investee companies through our expertise, talent, capital, and energy, taking on either an active or passive role in managing investments depending on the situational needs. We believe investing is about people, relationships, and partnerships, which is why we tailor our approach for each individual situation.

Transaction Types

Founder Divestiture
We have experience in transactions where existing founders/owners are seeking an exit for succession or retirement purposes. We recognize owner/operator-dependence is common with many businesses – we have a demonstrated track record of transitioning owners out quickly.
Recapitalization

In situations where multi-generational shareholders wish to diversify their holdings or fund partial liquidity, we can provide a solution to ensure optimal outcomes and minimize business disruption.

Management Buyout

We support strong management teams who wish to participate in the ownership transition of a business. We work alongside management and owners to ensure our collective interests are aligned while facilitating an ownership change.

Corporate Divestiture

CIEL Capital has the resources and experience to complete the divestiture of “non-core” businesses within a corporate entity, facilitating the transition to a standalone business.

Our Process

Structure
Risk Management
Value Creation

We structure transactions with flexibility and creativity to meet seller objectives and align stakeholder interests.

Certainty

We offer fair valuations, with clearly defined terms, that lead to certainty of closing.

Structure

We structure transactions to maximize cash on closing to get sellers capital out.

Simplicity

We provide simple deal terms and transaction process leading to closed deals. We do not overcomplicate the process.

Speed

We are able to move quickly as we have the people, experience and financial resources to close deals.

We understand that risk is inherent in businesses – we have the experience to understand and manage business risks and can close deals where others cannot.

LIMITED HISTORICAL GROWTH

Growth can plateau in a business for several reasons. We inject energy, professionalism, and supportive resources to ignite growth.

OWNER / OPERATOR-DEPENDENT

Founder run businesses are often heavily dependent on the owner/operator. We work with existing management to ensure a smooth transition to new ownership.

CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION

Where others see risk, we see an opportunity to add value to and further entrench key customer relationships.

SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

We help leadership identify, evaluate, and invest in technology needs and applications, with a focus on successful implementation.

We leverage our collective experience, networks, and external resources to create value in our investee companies.

PROFESSIONALISM

We bring a level of professionalism to our partner companies; taking an active role to support existing management where necessary.

BEST PRACTICES

The combined knowledge of the CIEL Capital team and our access to external resources has allowed us to develop a playbook for managing and adding value to our investments.

OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION

We have the necessary resources and experience to assist our partner companies with operational improvement initiatives that add lasting value.

CONSULTATIVE APPROACH

We serve as an extension of our partner companies’ management teams, providing support wherever required and allowing management to focus on running and growing their companies.

Our CAPABILITIES

We have developed partnerships that bring best-in-class resources to small & medium sized companies.

  • Financial Diligence
  • Tax Advisory
  • Operational Improvements & Implementation
  • Consulting & Strategy
  • Leadership Training
  • Entrepreneurial Development Program
  • Government Grants
  • Financial Oversight & Audit
  • Capital Rising (Debt & Equity)

Target Profile

  • $2-10M EBITDA
  • Niche business with high industry specialization with a high cost of failure
  • Based in Canada
  • Proprietary, differentiated, or branded products/services
  • High barriers to entry
  • We do not invest in startups, real estate, or resource extraction
Speak to a CIEL member