Are you a business owner and now looking to retire? Not to worry, because as private equity sponsors fund that move to Florida, their acquisitions are made possible by the private credit firms which have cultivated a lower middle market lending strategy.

But lower middle market lending is, of course, not without its challenges. Intensifying competition from firms honing in on the space and a complicated macroeconomic picture have pushed pricing down to levels last seen in the giddy days of 2021.

In the latest episode of Cloud 9fin Michelle Handy, chief investment officer of First Eagle Alternative Credit’s Direct Lending business, joins 9fin senior reporter Shubham Saharan to talk about that corner of the private credit world.

They unpack the opportunities and obstacles in lower middle market lending, the benefits of having a large existing portfolio, while also touching on the growing asset-based lending market (not to be confused with asset-backed lending!).

For feedback on the podcast, or to learn how to get involved, send a note to [email protected]. Thanks for listening!