How we think about capital.
Our strategy is simple to describe and disciplined to execute. Debt and equity capital for established lower middle market businesses, sized for relationship, structured for alignment, and underwritten for the long term.
Three relationships. One standard.
We did not start 1880 to be everything to everyone. We built it to be the right partner for the people we already know how to serve.
- I.For Companies
Capital aligned with the long term.
Founders, families, and management teams need a partner who will be accessible when it matters and patient through cycles. We size our checks so we can stay engaged, not just disbursed. Our structures are built to support growth without forcing exits.
- II.For Sponsors
Certainty, speed, and a partner who shows up.
We have spent careers across credit, M&A advisory, and principal investing. We give direct answers, move quickly through diligence, and stand behind our term sheets. Sponsors should not be managing their capital provider during the close.
- III.For Investors
Returns earned the right way.
An SBIC structure provides LPs access to SBA-guaranteed leverage, enhancing returns on a fully aligned, diversified portfolio of lower middle market loans. We invest where we have edge and report with the transparency our investors expect.
The shape of a fit.
Six parameters define what we do. If your situation maps to most of them, we should talk. If not, we will tell you directly.
While opportunistic nationally, our primary focus is the Midwest and adjacent markets, anchored in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee. Our active footprint spans the Mid-Atlantic through the Southeast and into Texas, with a bias toward opportunities east of the Mississippi River.
The work after the wire is the work that matters.
From first call to funded.
A disciplined six-step process. Sixty to ninety days from first conversation to wired capital.
- I.Day 1
Initial Conversation
A direct conversation with a principal. No gatekeepers, no junior screens.
- II.Week 1
First-Pass Review
A quick, honest assessment of fit. We respect your time.
- III.Week 2
Term Sheet
We provide a credible early view of what's possible, and then back it up. Clear terms, direct dialogue, and no re-trading on facts already on the table.
- IV.Weeks 2-4
Underwriting
Comprehensive third-party diligence. Thorough, not endless.
- V.Week 5
IC Review
Formal Investment Committee review with the full team involved.
- VI.Week 6
Commitment Letter
Final commitment in writing. Underwriting complete, terms locked, ready to fund.
- VII.Weeks 7-8
Close & Beyond
Funded and committed. Monthly reporting, direct principal access, board engagement.
See if there is a fit.
One direct conversation with a principal. No screens, no scripts.