Westshore seeks to invest in the following transaction types:

Recapitalization. A recapitalization provides business owners with a “private liquidity event”, similar to an initial public offering, which provides owners with a public liquidity event. In a recapitalization, Westshore acquires a majority interest of a company from owners, while partnering with them to continue the growth of the company through internal growth initiatives and potential acquisitions. The nature of a recapitalization is to provide a partial liquidity event to owners so that they can diversify their net worth, eliminate personal guaranties associated with the company, retain their operating role in the business, and partner with a proven financial sponsor who can provide the necessary capital to grow the company in a way that they were apprehensive in doing by themselves. Many owners have all, or most of, their net worth tied up in their company and find themselves in a quandary of how to provide capital to the company while trying to diversify their personal net worth. In these instances, many owners believe they have to sell their business and retire from a company they have painstakingly built. However, with a recapitalization, an equity investor can provide an owner with liquidity, capitalize the business for growth, and afford them the ability to continue to derive value as a shareholder in their company as it grows under their leadership and Westshore’s capital backing.

Management Buyout. In a management buyout, Westshore backs an incumbent management team of a company to acquire the business from the current owner, who may be an entrepreneur, a family, or a corporation. Westshore would supply the vast majority of equity to the transaction and allow the management team to participate in ownership of the company with an equity stake, plus options, ranging between 10% - 20%, or more. The management team will be asked to put some money at risk for their ownership stake.

Management Buy-in. In a management buy-in, Westshore backs an experienced and capable manager in acquiring a company where the manager’s background and capabilities are relevant to the target company. Westshore would supply the majority of equity to the transaction and allow the manager to participate in ownership of the company with an equity stake, plus options, ranging between 5% - 15%. The manager will be asked to put some money at risk for their ownership stake.