Helping Founders Exit on Their Own Terms.
Founded by James Michaelis — former eCommerce operator and Columbia Business School MBA — Shimmo Capital is a boutique advisory firm built for the lower middle market. We understand the margins, the metrics, and what acquirers actually value, because we have operated on the same side of the table as our clients.
Shimmo operates across four connected lines of business: sell-side M&A advisory, proprietary deal origination, an operating search fund, and a search fund investment practice — partnered with HedgeStone Business Advisors for institutional sourcing capacity.
Four Capabilities. One Firm.
Shimmo Capital operates across the full lower middle market transaction cycle — advising sellers, originating proprietary deal flow, acquiring businesses directly, and backing the next generation of operators.
Sell-Side M&A Advisory
We run disciplined sell-side processes for established lower middle market businesses. Confidential, structured, and designed to surface qualified capital — not tire-kickers.
Proprietary Deal Origination
Through our partnership with HedgeStone Business Advisors, we access deal flow that does not appear on the open market. Opportunities are curated and matched to stated mandates — not broadcast.
Operating Search Fund
Shimmo Capital actively pursues the acquisition of a single lower middle market business, operated directly by the principal. Focused on durable, cash-flowing companies with defensible market positions.
Search Fund Investing
We co-invest alongside independent and traditional search funds as a value-added capital partner. Our operating background informs how we evaluate searchers, structures, and target businesses.
Who We Serve
Independent Search Funds
Proprietary deal flow matched to your acquisition mandate, with a capital partner who understands the search model from the inside.
Traditional Search Funds
Co-investment and deal origination support for funded searchers pursuing quality lower middle market businesses.
Lower Middle Market PE Firms
Off-market deal origination through the HedgeStone network — curated to your sector focus and return profile, not broadcast to the market.
Family Offices
Direct acquisition opportunities in durable, cash-flowing businesses — structured for long-hold, principal-aligned ownership.
Ultra High Net Worth Individuals
Selective co-investment access alongside Shimmo Capital's operating search fund — for investors who want direct exposure to small business acquisition.
Business Owners Considering an Exit
A confidential, no-obligation valuation to understand what your business is worth — and what a structured process could return to you.
The HedgeStone Partnership
Shimmo Capital is partnered with HedgeStone Business Advisors, one of the largest business brokerage networks in the country. This relationship provides Shimmo with sourcing infrastructure and deal volume that a standalone boutique cannot replicate — while Shimmo remains the single brand and the face of every client relationship. The result is boutique execution backed by institutional origination capacity.
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