Lower Middle-Market Investment Banking
RKJ Partners is a Denver-based investment banking firm dedicated exclusively to buy-side advisory for independent sponsors and entrepreneurial acquirers — where specialized expertise and proprietary deal flow create meaningful competitive advantage.
Who We Are
Almost exclusively buy-side, targeting companies generating $1MM–$5MM EBITDA.
Opportunities unavailable on the open market through direct owner engagement.
A true partner committed to helping clients source, evaluate, and close the right opportunities.
Active LOIs and closed transactions across multiple mandates and geographies.
We operate as an extension of your deal team, providing the sourcing engine, analytical horsepower, and execution expertise required to close high-quality transactions in the lower middle market.
Our focus is narrow by design. We target operating companies in a segment where proprietary outreach, disciplined evaluation, and relationship-driven engagement create meaningful competitive advantage.
With more than 95% of our engagements focused exclusively on the buy-side, we bring unmatched specialization to every mandate — understanding the nuances of independent sponsor structures and delivering tailored solutions that generalist advisors cannot match.
What We Do
We identify off-market targets through targeted research, direct owner engagement, and long-standing industry relationships — creating exclusive access before competitive processes emerge.
We coordinate financial, operational, and legal reviews — providing structure, experience, and analytical rigor to help clients move efficiently from initial interest to binding agreements.
We leverage deep relationships across lenders, private equity firms, family offices, and mezzanine providers to help clients secure financing perfectly aligned with their strategy.
How We Work
Our buy-side process follows a structured progression designed to build momentum, deepen engagement with sellers, and drive execution toward a successful closing — balancing speed with thoroughness.
Establishing clarity, alignment, and momentum. Foundation-building to ensure all outreach is precisely targeted.
Transitioning from broad origination to focused evaluation and advancement of qualified opportunities.
Advancing priority targets toward actionable outcomes and binding commitments with full process management.
RKJ is built for repeat engagement. Many clients partner with us across multiple transactions and portfolio initiatives.
The Power of Precision
A clear pattern emerges across our active mandates: the breadth of a search directly impacts both the volume of targets identified and the ultimate success of the process. Highly targeted searches consistently produce more efficient outcomes, higher-quality engagement, and faster progression to LOIs and closed transactions.
| Searcher | Search Focus | Industries | Targets | LOIs | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A — California | Service-based, 25mi of Los Angeles | 36 | 1,128 | 3 | Active Search |
| B — Florida | Service-based, 25mi of Miami | 12 | 252 | 3 | Negotiating LOI |
| C — New York | Paving companies, 15mi of NYC | 1 | 7 | 2 | Under LOI — $5.7MM |
| D — Indiana | Textile companies, Nationwide | 1 | 6 | 2 | Under LOI — $4.1MM |
| E — New York (Tri-State) | Service-based, NY/NJ/CT | 6 | 15 | 1 | Awaiting Signature |
Track Record
B2B sales development firm acquires AI-powered sales enablement platform to create unified multi-channel solution driving more predictable pipeline growth.
SBA-certified federal professional services firm expands human capital capabilities by acquiring specialized recruiting platform serving alternative investment and technical sectors.
Private investment firm establishes strategic platform in the label and packaging sector to pursue a rollup strategy in a fragmented market.
Holding company gains immediate access to contracted revenue, established carrier base, and existing customer relationships across U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Atlanta PE firm establishes scalable platform in intermodal sector with established port network across all major East Coast ports and inland rail hubs.
Professional services firm significantly enhances ability to pursue sensitive government contracts by acquiring Stratecon's Top Secret clearance and established DHS, DoJ, and DoD relationships.
Leadership
Cyril possesses more than 22 years of professional experience spanning investment banking, private equity advisory, entrepreneurship, and interim executive leadership.
Prior to RKJ, he served as an investment banker with Wachovia Securities, involved in leadership roles across transactions totaling more than $3 billion in value — spanning buy-side and sell-side M&A, fairness opinions, recapitalizations, and capital raises across debt, equity, and mezzanine structures.
He has also served as interim CFO for multiple clients and previously operated as President and Founding Partner of Jones + Ingram Logistics, an asset-based truckload carrier and freight brokerage.
Gregory brings more than 22 years of in-depth knowledge and transaction experience delivering relevant advice to senior executives ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to growing middle-market businesses.
Prior to RKJ, he served in senior leadership and advisory roles at The Home Depot, providing executive-level guidance on M&A, Capital Strategy, Corporate Finance, and as Head of the Economic & Market Analysis team. He also served as Principal and interim CFO for Gyre Capital Management.
Gregory began his career at Salomon Brothers' High Yield Capital Markets group in New York City, and continued at Wachovia Securities focusing on middle-market buy-side and sell-side M&A.
Why RKJ
Focused exclusively on identifying and cultivating opportunities aligned with your investment criteria — not managing sell-side mandates simultaneously.
Direct relationships with business owners before competitive processes emerge — resulting in fewer bidders, better pricing dynamics, and improved negotiating leverage.
Comprehensive evaluation frameworks and strategic guidance through complex negotiations — ensuring clients move through diligence with clarity and confidence.
Access to specialized lower middle-market capital providers — lenders, SBICs, family offices, and mezzanine funds — who understand independent sponsor structures.
RKJ operates as part of the client's deal team, allowing sponsors to focus on high-level decisions while RKJ drives day-to-day execution and process management.
Many clients engage RKJ across multiple transactions. We are committed to your success across the full lifecycle — from first acquisition to portfolio company growth.
Let's Connect
If you are an independent sponsor or entrepreneurial acquirer seeking a partner who understands your model and the competitive dynamics of the lower middle market, we invite you to connect with RKJ Partners.