29 Jun Amherst Advises on Sale of EOS Worldwide
Amherst Partners, LLC (“Amherst”) is pleased to announce that The Firefly Group (“Firefly”) has acquired a majority ownership interest in EOS Worldwide (“EOS” or the “Company”). Amherst acted as the exclusive financial advisor to EOS on this transaction.
About EOS
Livonia, Michigan-based EOS Worldwide is a leading provider of systematized business improvement processes for entrepreneurial businesses. EOS delivers an end-to-end system of concepts, tools, and training, as well as support from more than 200 professional implementers worldwide. These tools enable business owners and management teams to identify challenges to their business operations and create clear, simple, actionable plans to achieve their vision for the organization. Founded in 2000 by Gino Wickman and Don Tinney and popularized by Wickman’s best-selling book Traction, EOS has helped more than 48,000 entrepreneurs and their leadership teams run better businesses and lead better lives.
About The Firefly Group
The Firefly Group, a lower-middle market investment firm with offices in Indianapolis and St. Louis, specializes in partnering with high potential management teams to build profitable and sustainable companies throughout the Midwest.
About the Transaction
Engaged to help EOS find the right partner to help support its ongoing growth, Amherst kicked off a robust process to identify a buyer with relevant experience and a vision for developing this type of professional services organization. The nature of EOS’ business, with its emphasis on helping clients to create honest, open, passionate workplace environments that allow their businesses to thrive, made finding a buyer that embraced these values a vital consideration in the search process.
The Company’s leadership team immediately recognized the potential of a partnership with Firefly, whose long-term, collaborative approach has resulted in a track record of helping companies across a variety of industries create lasting value. Moreover, for Firefly, the acquisition has personal significance as it follows several years of the successful implementation of the EOS system across the firm’s other portfolio companies.
Mike Paton and Kelly Knight, the Company’s CEO and President, respectively, remain significant owners of EOS and will continue in their existing leadership roles. Founders Gino Wickman and Don Tinney retain ownership interests in the Company, as well, and will remain active within the EOS community. New Canaan Funding provided financing for the deal.
