Core Values
Pursuit of Excellence
We're driven to continually improve our individual and partnership performances. We do not allow ourselves to settle for simply acceptable performance. We are willing to lead, create and innovate, not follow and imitate. While the high standards we have for our investments and ourselves would be expecting a lot at other companies, it's part of the culture at Ampersand.
Respect for the Entrepreneur
We invest in management teams and work hard to support them with our experience and expertise. While we don't back down from making tough decisions and taking firm positions, we never forget that management teams, not investors, manage companies. Our role is to suggest and advise, not dictate or demand.
Teamwork and Consensus Decision-making
A private equity partnership, like an entrepreneurial company, can only succeed on the strength of a balanced, integrated management team. That's why every investment must be endorsed by the entire Ampersand team. We also take a team approach to portfolio company development by encouraging dialogue and allowing different skill sets to bear and build our shared experience.
Straight Talk
We pride ourselves on direct, clear communication both inside and outside the firm. In an industry where spin all too frequently overshadows substance, Ampersand has a reputation for "just the facts" objectivity. What we lose in the short run due to our lack of promotional flair, we make up for in the long run through enhanced credibility. Decades of experience teach us that the integrity underpinning this process works and saves time.
Constructive Impatience
We exist to create, not criticize, and to make things happen, not obstruct. We encourage new ideas, and when in doubt, we are biased towards action. We apply this philosophy through a standardized planning process, which we use to manage ourselves and our portfolio companies.