Our Approach

Calico is a private investment firm founded by Morgan Strain and Steven Brayet focused on preserving and growing capital through operationally focused value investing. We are founders and operators first, investors second. Having started or built multiple businesses from the ground up to scale enterprises, we understand the importance of innovative ideas, diligent effort, and a shared culture. We look for these same values in all our investment selections.

Our unique approach centers on identifying businesses that exist on a foundational purpose, that are not highly cyclical or in a nascent space, and that have clear opportunities for us to add value beyond just our capital. The Calico Method is based on 3 core principles:

• Boots-on-the-Ground: Immediate operational support to drive rapid transformation and create the foundation for growth, including systems improvement, team training and augmentation, and refined go-to-market tactics.
• Growth Mindset: A focus on active customer engagement from all aspects of the business to drive a partnership approach and maximize wallet and market share.
• Shared Success, Shared Accountability: The development and inclusion of A-players in our companies while incentivizing them to drive transformational outcomes.

The Calico Method has proven successful for us time and time again, with exceptional results that have created value for all stakeholders, including our employees, customers, and vendors. We are actively looking to grow our family of investments and to partner with founders and families who have built great businesses in order to propel their legacy to new heights. Our investments range across industries and geographies, with strong experience in logistics, technology, and both commercial and home services.

If you are looking for long-term, operationally focused partners who have built companies like your own before, then reach out because we would love to talk.