ACG Cleveland Special Editorial 2022: Motivating managers when facing a sale is key to easing transition

CW Industrial Partners, LLC has invested in lower middle-market businesses for more than 20 years. In our view, the key factor to being a successful owner is the quality, commitment and engagement of senior management teams, in particular the CEO. When you are the first institutional owner of a private company, it can be a challenge for management to navigate the uncertainty of PE ownership that will lead to another sale. Managers are not only faced with the pressure of leading the company, but the challenges and unknowns related to an exit.