The right partner for your business’s next chapter

Search Party Capital was formed to acquire an exceptional business and use technology to help the business grow.

Core Values

Conversations with business owners will be guided by the following values:

Transparency

I will always be clear about my motivations and will answer your questions with full transparency

Respect

You built your business from scratch, and I will conduct our conversations from a place of tremendous respect for what you created.

Collaboration

I want to provide value to you: I can share industry learnings and thoughts on how technology will impact your business in the coming years

Principal

Chris grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming and his first entrepreneurial venture was reselling bulk candy to his fourth grade classmates. Getting shut down by school authorities taught him about the risks of operating in a regulated environment.

Chris has spent the majority of his career in technology, where he has built and grown digital products. Most recently he worked at Meta (fka Facebook) building software to help Meta’s executives with planning and resource allocation.

Chris formed Search Party Capital because of his desire to operate and grow a great business.

Chris is looking for his next entrepreneurial experience, and he’s buying an existing business rather than starting a business from scratch. He’s looking for businesses where technology could be leveraged to take the business to the next level.

Chris Tyler

Funding Partners

Search Party Capital is funded by investors who oversee over $500 million in aggregate capital.

FAQs

What is Search Party Capital?

Search Party Capital is a search fund. Investors have provided Chris with two years worth of capital to search for a business to acquire. In exchange for funding the search, investors receive right of first refusal on the business that Chris acquires.

Because Search Party Capital has raised money from large, sophisticated investors, it's able to move quickly when financing and closing a transaction. The target transaction size is roughly $10mm - $50mm but could be higher for the right company.

Why are you interested in my business?

If Search Party Capital reached out, it means we believe that your business is high quality and primed for future growth.

The outreach process starts with industry selection, where Chris identifies industries and industry niches that he feels will have significant tailwinds in coming years. Then he looks for strong companies in that industry that have a strong position and might benefit from greater use of technology in the coming years.

Why should I consider selling my business to you?

The advantage of selling to a search fund entrepreneur rather than a private equity firm or strategic buyer is the ability to work with a single individual rather than a large institution as you transition your business to its next owner.

Working with a search fund entrepreneur also gives you more flexibility in staying involved with the business after the sale.

Can I be involved with the business after the sale?

Yes, there are two ways you can stay involved in the business:

The first is equity ownership: you can choose to roll some of your equity into the new ownership structure.

The second is participating in operations: this could include a board seat or an advisory role at the company.

Maintaining a strong seller relationship after the sale of the business is important to Chris. If you'd like to stay involved after the sale, we'll work together to find a solution.

How do we figure out what my business is worth?

You’ll work with Chris and his investors to arrive at a valuation that feels fair to both sides. The valuation will most likely be a multiple of EBITDA or Revenue and will take a variety of factors into account, including past and projected growth, EBITDA margins and more.

What’s with the name?

Search fund names tend to have a similar sound and feel: White Mountain Associates. Winter Stream Capital, etc. The predictability led someone to create this site to generate new names. Chris wanted a name that was different and memorable.

Why Search Party? We're conducting a structured process to find something (but it's a great business to buy, not a missing person). We are also committed to having fun throughout the process.

References

Chris’s openness to feedback and ability to manage through complex situations were truly remarkable. Chris served very senior Meta leaders with the software he built, and his communication and strategy skills made him very successful.

John Koch

Director of Engineering, Meta

Worked with Chris at