Lower Middle Market Brief

How does The Riverside Company build and scale successful middle market businesses?

In this episode of the Lower Middle Market Brief, host Jack Pitts sits down with Grant Marcks, Partner, Origination at The Riverside Company, to discuss private equity investing, deal sourcing, and building scalable businesses.

Grant shares Riverside's approach to buy-and-build investing, what makes an attractive platform investment, and how the firm creates value through acquisitions and operational improvements.

They also discuss opportunities in franchising and business services, what founders should consider before selling, and why relationships remain so important in deal origination.

Connect with Grant and The Riverside Company:

Grant Marcks on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-marcks-722bb671/

The Riverside Company on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-riverside-company/

Website:
https://www.riversidecompany.com/

62 lower middle market deals in one week.

This week on the Lower Middle Market Brief, Jack Pitts breaks down the transactions announced from August 24–30, 2026, including new platform investments, add-ons, strategic acquisitions, sponsor exits, and fundraising.

Highlights include Nayax’s $350 million acquisition of IPS Group from Windjammer Capital, Hidden Harbor’s investment in Escape Fire Protection, multiple sponsor-backed add-ons across software, industrials, business services, and healthcare, and GenNx360 Capital Partners closing its $865 million fourth fund.

New episode of the Lower Middle Market Brief.

This week, Jack Pitts breaks down 35 lower-middle-market private equity deals and capital events announced from August 17 through 21. The episode covers new platforms, add-ons, exits, fundraising, and financing, including deals from Compass Group, Uplift Investors, and Turnspire Capital Partners, plus Broadwing Capital’s $440 million debut fund. A quick, no-fluff recap for private equity and M&A professionals.

In Episode 1 of the Lower Middle Market Brief, I break down the private equity deals announced from August 7 through August 13.

We cover new platform investments, add-on acquisitions, exits, and fundraising, including deals across industrial services, healthcare, HVAC, insurance, software, and environmental services.

If you’re working on a deal I missed, send it my way. New episodes every week.