Connecting business owners with the right buyers
Explore a partnership that could deliver life-changing liquidity, preserve what makes your business special, and let you retain meaningful ownership in what comes next.
Start a confidential conversationThe C3 story
I’m Ross Cochran. I started as a business owner, building a construction company from the ground up. In 2022, I sold it to private equity and kept a meaningful investment alongside the buyer.
I then moved to the other side of the table, spending the last four years in mergers and acquisitions, working directly with founders and evaluating and acquiring businesses.
Along the way, I had the opportunity to be part of the small team that took a business through a roughly $500 million sale process. I sat alongside the CEO and CFO, meeting with some of the largest private equity firms in the country and participating in the conversations throughout the process.
What do you want the next 5, 10, or 20 years of your life to look like? And could the right transaction help you get there?
That’s the conversation I enjoy. Sometimes the answer is to sell. Sometimes it’s to take money off the table, keep meaningful equity, and find a partner to keep building. Sometimes the best answer is to do nothing at all.
Who we work with
For business owners
An acquisition can give you liquidity today while leaving room to stay involved and share in the business’s future growth.
For buyers
C3 helps buyers connect with founder-owned businesses that fit their investment criteria and partnership approach.
Our approach
First, we talk about what you want. Then we explore whether an acquisition or partnership could help you get there.
We start with your business and your life: what you enjoy, what you’d like to change, and what you want the years ahead to look like.
We consider buyers whose interests and approach match the opportunity, then discuss potential introductions with you.
A direct conversation helps both sides understand the opportunity and decide whether it makes sense to move forward.
No. An introductory conversation can help you understand potential options, even if a transaction is years away.
Yes, depending on the transaction. An owner may sell part or all of the business, reinvest a portion of the proceeds alongside the buyer, and continue leading it. How much you retain and the role you play are part of finding the right fit.
Rolled equity means investing a portion of your sale proceeds into the business alongside the buyer. If the business grows and sells again, that retained investment can create another payout, often called a “second bite.” In some transactions, it can be as large as or larger than the first payout. The outcome depends on growth, ownership, debt, and the terms of both transactions; it isn’t guaranteed.
We first learn about the business and your goals. Before making an introduction, we discuss the potential buyer with you and agree on what information to share.
Let’s talk
If you’ve built a great business and wondered what your options could look like, I’m happy to have an owner-to-owner conversation.
No pitch. No commitment. Just a conversation with someone who’s been on both sides of the table.