Outro

In this episode, Alex Rawlings speaks with Robert Irving, CEO of Buffalo Growth Partners. Robert shares his journey from building and selling a fire & life safety business to scaling within private equity and launching his own independent sponsor firm.

⏱️ Timestamps & Key Topics

00:00 – Introduction
Robert’s journey across founding, exiting, and re-entering private equity.

00:30 – Building & Selling a Business

•  Grew to ~80 technicians and exited at 29 
•  Joined a PE-backed roll-up, completing 100+ acquisitions 

01:21 – Biggest PE Mistake: People

•  Misalignment of talent and roles 
•  Importance of matching personal goals with business needs 

02:42 – Off-Market Sale Process

•  Relationship-driven deal (~18 months) 
•  Shared vision and timing were key 

03:40 – Why Sell?

•  Rapid growth (3M → 12M revenue) 
•  Opportunity to scale within a larger platform 

06:57 – Winning Deals

•  Human connection over price 
•  Understanding seller motivations (legacy, growth, people) 

09:18 – Scaling a Roll-Up

•  Leadership staying close to frontline teams 
•  Challenges of tech and data integration 

10:47 – Key Lessons

•  Retaining founders drives value 
•  Equity rollovers create alignment 

12:14 – Frontline Reality

•  Change fatigue is real 
•  Strong leadership needed during integration 

14:13 – Founder Retention

•  Tailor roles to individuals 
•  “Right person, right seat” approach 

16:36 – Buffalo Growth Partners

•  Focus: service businesses (“guys in trucks”) 
•  Operator-led investment model 

18:30 – Off-Market Strategy

•  Dedicated outreach + industry credibility 
•  Aim to be the “first call” when owners sell 

21:21 – Recommendations

•  Brad Jacobs (M&A & scaling) 
•  Alpine Investors (people-first PE) 
•  Bill Gurley – Running Down a Dream

🔑 Key Takeaways

•  People alignment is the biggest driver of success 
•  Trust and credibility win off-market deals 
•  Retaining founders unlocks long-term value 
•  Execution and integration are critical 
•  Operator-led PE is gaining momentum 

Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.

🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/

🌐 Visit Raw Selection www.raw-selection.com

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