Views From the Market Episode 139 - Hadley Family Capital: A Family Office that Supports Searchers
Jul 18, 2025
River Ewing, Director at Hadley Family Capital, shares insights from his journey in family business and investments. He discusses the evolution of family offices, highlighting their unique flexibility in funding searchers. River emphasizes the growing Canadian search fund ecosystem and the significance of strong governance in investments. He also recounts the turnaround of an industrial automation firm and the traits Hadley looks for in searchers. Anticipating a rise in self-funded searches, he underscores the importance of thoughtful diligence from investors.
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From Garage Foundry To Family Office
- River describes his grandfather starting a foundry in a garage that grew into an aerospace manufacturing business sold to Alcoa and later acquired another firm.
- The family still owns the aerospace manufacturer and expanded into other operating companies and real estate as the family office evolved.
Buying And Turning Around A Company
- River recounts buying an industrial automation company out of bankruptcy as his first operating role and leading a successful turnaround.
- He says the experience taught him a tremendous amount and validated hands-on small-business operations experience.
Clear Traditional Search Sweet Spot
- Hadley targets traditional search deals in the $1–5M EBITDA range and prefers businesses with strong governance and a board.
- They favour first-time CEOs and stick closely to tried-and-true search fund characteristics rather than alternative structures.