Dream Big, Start Small
We are a group of entrepreneurs focused on small businesses with big potential

Our Culture

list-check    Ethics above all else

list-check    True long-term perspective

list-check    Win-win situations for all stakeholders

list-check    Reasonableness and pragmatism

list-check   Creativity and love of ideas

list-check    Frugality on non-ROI expenses

list-check    Prudence with capital

list-check    No egos allowed

list-check    Happy employees = happy customers = happy investors

list-check    Dream big, start small

Operations Strategy

The Coles Bay Group takes a very simple but patient approach to ownership transitions:

STABILIZE

• Retain founders for short but well-orchestrated transition
• Assure stakeholders it’s “business as usual”
• Stand up CFO-caliber financial tools and analyses
• Manage cash flow like a hawk

OBSERVE

• Learn operations inside-out
• Get to know all key constituents
• Assess team’s strengths and weaknesses
• Study cases for and against various growth avenues
• Assess operational capacity for growth plans,
tipping point for facility move etc.

BUILD

• Strengthen team with realigned executive
assignments and key hires
• Develop incentive plan
• Prepare sales & marketing platform
• Implement strong business processes
• Deleverage business
• Ensure capitalization and liquidity
are sufficient for growth

Investment Criteria

We are primarily focused on opportunities meeting the following criteria…

list-check    Small, privately-held operating companies with $0.5-1.5MM EBITDA

list-check    Founder/owner succession buyout

list-check    Owner(s) willing to help in active management transition

The Coles Bay Group is generally industry agnostic and very open minded. We would look at any worthwhile investment
which meets returns criteria, including starting a new business within a proven industry.  Our primary geographic focus is Canada and the United States, but we are open to investments in other English language countries.

is your business a good fit for the coles bay group?

We’d love to hear from you…

Team

OPERATING PRINCIPALS

  • Michael Sutherland Brown
    Michael Sutherland BrownMANAGING PRINCIPAL
    • // Founder of CBG
    • // President of All Type Electric
    • // Director of Multin Electric
    • // Former investment banking professional at Perella Weinberg Partners, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America
    • // International experience: Singapore, Saudi Arabia, LA, NY, SF, DC, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria
    • // Passionate about relationships, ideas, problem solving, lifelong learning, world travel, skiing and cooking
  • Alex Eu
    Alex EuPRINCIPAL
    • // Founding CBG investor
    • // Co-President of Multin Electric
    • // Co-founder of Libero Sports and serial growth equity investor
    • // Former private equity (The Chernin Group) and investment banking professional (Perella Weinberg Partners)
    • // Loves fishing and the outdoors, and has been flying within Alaska since the age of 15

Other Board Members

Former CEO and current public company board member
Senior partner at Big 4 accounting firm
Managing director at leading consulting firm
Private company investor and board member

Get in touch

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