Access Holdings’ Post

Happy Independence Day from our team to yours! At Access Holdings, we believe the middle market is the backbone of the U.S. economy. It's our privilege to partner with and empower American middle market entrepreneurs as they deliver exceptional service nationwide.   We wish everyone a joyful and safe 4th of July!

We recently wrapped another successful Leadership Summit, where we focused on building modern enduring businesses in the middle market. Highlights from this year’s Summit emphasized the importance of data-driven decision making, the power of digital transformation, and the need for leaders to embrace change and drive their organizations to modernize. Thank you again to our attendees and everyone who made this event so successful!

Access is thrilled to see our partners sharing their unique journeys with customers nationwide! The founder of PUPS Pet Club, Daniel Rubenstein, recently joined DOGTV’s "Pets Add Life" podcast to share how PUPS and WagWay Group are elevating the standard of care for pets and pet parents. Together, PUPS and WagWay are creating an innovative one-stop shop for comprehensive pet wellness services. Check out the podcast to learn more about PUPS and WagWay’s exciting growth!

Access Holdings recently welcomed our new class of summer interns!  We’re thrilled to provide these 16 talented individuals with professional development opportunities across various teams within our firm this summer.    Access interns will have the chance to acquire hands-on experience in the private equity sector, ranging from engagement in our mentorship program to contributing to the advancement of our portfolio company and firm research.   We are excited for a great summer ahead!

That’s a wrap for our 2024 Leadership Summit! On the final day of the Summit, we convened a session of leaders across our portfolio companies to share their experiences with Access Holdings’ differentiated approach. During the “Access Talks” session, Managing Director Nik Kapauan led our team and partners in discussions around how they are leveraging capabilities within the Access ecosystem to use in their businesses. Chief Data Officer Matthew Johl introduced attendees to Access’ own AI avatars, Alys and James. Our partners at WagWay Group shared how they are using new digital capabilities to enhance the pet parent experience, and our partners at Foundation Partners Group shared how they are using Access’ analytics and lead generation capabilities to enhance organic growth campaigns. We also welcomed Spotless Brands Board Member Michael J. Bender, who joined Partner Steve C. to discuss talent and leadership behaviors that are needed to be successful in today’s new normal. Thank you to all of today’s attendees for their valuable contributions and for ending this year’s Leadership Summit on an exciting note. We’re already looking forward to 2025!

Building enduring businesses means building partnerships that last, and our annual Leadership Summit embodies our pursuit of this goal.    Day two of our Summit programming featured speakers engaged with the entire Access ecosystem on topics such as lessons on building the modern enterprise and exit readiness.    Managing Director Nik Kapauan also introduced the Access Modern Business Framework, which guides our strategy for innovation and growth across our portfolio.    During his keynote presentation, Andrew Jessen, Managing Director and Co-Head of M&A at William Blair, offered his perspective on how modern enterprises across the middle market can maximize their exit value.  We appreciate the opportunity to share knowledge, learn from experts, and create connections during these events and understand this is critical to both our and their continued growth and innovation.

Yesterday, we kicked off our third annual Leadership Summit!   The event brings together our portfolio company leadership and team members for networking, collaboration, and discussions focused on defining a modern business. Over the next two days, we will explore why modernization is crucial, define the characteristics of a “modern business,” and demonstrate how to leverage our partnerships and tools to achieve this goal.    Ahead of the start of our event, we held an Access Creating Executives (ACE) Program training session led by Kevin McTigue, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, who applied his executive education skills to drive discussions around the use of AI in brand management and advertising.    Following their session, the ACEs took part in some exciting lawn game competitions.    We also welcomed our partners and team with a kick-off reception and the unveiling of our Modern Business Expo to commence the week ahead.

This week, we are kicking off our Leadership Summit and will gather our platform leaders, advisors, and the Access team. During the event, we will focus on how the challenges facing middle market businesses today can present opportunities to advance modern digital tools and automated processes to build enduring businesses. Access Holdings Founder Kevin McAllister and Managing Director Nik Kapauan recently expanded on this theme in our latest Access Insight, “Building Modern Businesses.” In the piece, Kevin and Nik outline the “Access Modern Business Framework,” six building blocks that provide our perspective on how companies can continue to innovate and scale in the new digital paradigm. We are excited to share this Insight and look forward to a week of thoughtful discussion and learning with our partners. Read the entire Insight here: https://lnkd.in/gTnQVB7U

Congratulations to Zeus Fire and Security for being named one of the top 15 companies in the SDM Magazine Top 100 for the second year in a row! The annual list recognizes the largest security businesses in the country.   We are excited to continue supporting the Zeus team as they advance their mission of protecting people, property, and profits.   Read more about the recognition here: https://lnkd.in/egC-hgPs  

On this Memorial Day, we want to take a moment to reflect and honor all the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country. To all of those who have served and continue to serve, we thank you. Your courage has left an immeasurable impact on the American livelihood.