After decades of growing a business from the ground up, often starting from a single truck or one employee, and scaling it to multimillion-dollar operations, founders eventually face a pivotal question: what should I do now? For many founders, selling a business is not simply a financial decision. The company may carry their name, employ people who have worked beside them for decades, and serve customers who became personal relationships along the way. The question is, therefore, not simply what the business is worth. It is what happens to it after the founder leaves. And when these pivotal elements are on the line, the question here becomes not just when to sell, but how, and more importantly, to whom.
The reality is that options are often limited. Most lower middle-market companies don’t attract the attention of large private equity firms, and even when they do, many founders are reluctant to sell to purely financial buyers who may dismantle the operation, lay off long-term employees, or tarnish the name, history, and reputation that’s been painstakingly built over decades.
“Founders aren’t just looking for a payout,” says Alexander Aginsky, Managing Director of Aginsky Capital Group and CEO of two established facilities maintenance businesses. “They seek continuity, respect for legacy, and protecting the people and culture that made the business what it is.”
These small to mid-sized companies aim to sell to buyers with industry experience, rather than generic financial buyers. They hope to find buyers who can purchase their company at a price that not only values their financial performance, but also their reputation and legacy.
And that’s where strategic buyers like Aginsky come in. With over two decades in M&A and 15 years of direct experience in the facilities maintenance sector, Aginsky and his team bring a deep operational knowledge, paired with a real commitment to moving the industry forward. With this expertise in its arsenal, ACG has built scalable models and structured operational systems to offer a thriving platform in the fragmented facilities maintenance space.
Through portfolio companies ACG is acquiring businesses that fit its long-term vision: Total Facilities Maintenance (TFM) delivering comprehensive, high-quality services to national clients under one roof. By prioritizing long-term value over short-term arbitrage, ACG offers a targeted, thoughtful acquisition approach.
“We’re building something much bigger than a holding company,” Aginsky explains. “We’re creating a one-stop shop for facility services that can serve retail, healthcare, education, government, and industrial clients across the U.S. Large customers often don’t want 15 vendors covering 15 service categories across dozens of facilities. That means bringing in the best of the best: companies with a proven track record, strong recurring revenue, and a strong relationship with their clients.”
With a focus on the facility maintenance industry, including janitorial services, window washing, floor maintenance, general handyman services, landscaping, ground maintenance, and more, ACG generally looks for established facilities services companies with recurring revenue, durable customer relationships, healthy customer diversification, consistent profitability, leadership teams that share its approach to service and accountability, and a cultural fit that aligns with Aginsky’s emphasis on integrity and operational excellence. While ACG has previously leaned toward the Western US, the group is now evaluating opportunities nationwide with their current operation doing business across 40+ states, tapping into the massive $267 billion market, and widening its client portfolio.
For founders considering an eventual sale, those same criteria offer a useful roadmap: build recurring revenue, reduce customer concentration, develop leadership beyond the owner, and maintain clear financial reporting. The more a company can operate successfully without depending on the founder for every major relationship or decision, the more transferable and attractive it becomes to a buyer.
As ACG delves further into its mission as a strategic buyer, Aginsky isn’t insisting that founders walk away from their life’s work, and that’s an integral part of ACG’s philosophy that runs through every acquisition. Sellers can choose to retain minority equity, staying involved at a strategic level, or stepping back entirely, while still benefiting from the company’s continued growth. “It’s a win-win,” Aginsky says. “They get liquidity now, but if they choose to hold on to a minority stake, that piece can become significantly more valuable as we scale the business.”
This approach also solves a major issue for founders who care about the team that they’ve built and nurtured for years. Rather than laying off staff or gutting internal processes, Aginsky’s group preserves what works and improves what doesn’t. With a team of experienced industry operators, people who understand the realities of commercial maintenance, each acquisition is integrated thoughtfully and respectfully.
Preserving that legacy does not mean avoiding change. In many cases, the next stage of growth requires stronger systems, additional resources, broader service capabilities, and greater organizational depth. ACG’s approach is to distinguish between the elements that should be strengthened and scaled and those that need to evolve.
That may include retaining experienced local leadership, protecting long-standing customer relationships, supporting key employees, and maintaining the operating practices that have earned the company its reputation, while adding resources in areas such as finance, recruiting, technology, business development, and national account support.
“We’re not outsiders waltzing in,” Aginsky points out, “we’ve been in their shoes. We know what it takes to win contracts, retain employees, and keep clients happy. That’s why business owners trust us.”
Selling a business is never an easy process, emotionally or strategically. But for mid-sized service companies at the end of their founders’ journey, the right buyer can make all the difference – one that values what’s already been built, enhances it with operational expertise, and offers a clear path forward for the next generation of growth.
And for those wondering whether now is the time to explore that path, Aginsky Capital Group is here to make that decision effortless. “If you’ve built something great, we’re here to make sure it lasts and thrives,” he states.
