At A Glance
- PE-owned companies represent a growing share of middle-market equipment finance opportunities—and a distinct sales challenge
- The decision-making architecture differs fundamentally from founder-owned or public company structures
- Hold period awareness should shape every aspect of deal structuring and relationship development
- Secured Research data shows that 41% of middle-market equipment finance volume now involves PE-backed borrowers, up from 26% five years ago
A Different Kind of Buyer
The CFO answers to the board. The board answers to the sponsor. The sponsor answers to their limited partners on a timeline measured in years, not decades. This chain of accountability changes everything about how equipment financing decisions get made.
When you’re selling to a founder-owned business, you’re often selling to someone whose identity is intertwined with the company, who thinks in generational terms, who might choose a financing partner based on relationship and trust as much as economics. That psychology doesn’t exist in PE-owned businesses.
