Renaud Besançon is the founder of Ceres Industries Capital, one of Europe's leading independent sponsor firms. Free from the constraints of traditional funds, Renaud's team targets "non-vanilla" mid-market acquisitions (€20m-€75m EBITDA), often closing them at 30-40% discounts. After 20 years as a sponsor, with a 30-year WIP investor database, Renaud details how he blends "back-to-basics" PE centered on operational value creation with deal-by-deal pioneership in France.

References and how to contact today's guest:
Renaud Besançon | LinkedIn

Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

Connect with Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
• Visit Minds Capital

Credits:

• Edited by Anton Rohozov

Serial entrepreneur Nick Huber turned a grueling college moving startup into a self-storage real estate empire. By mastering remote work and offshore labor, he cut payroll costs by 70%, lifted sales conversion rates by 35%, and built a defensible operating moat. Chronicling his playbook on Twitter earned him 400,000 followers, and he used that influence to acquire and grow Somewhere.com for $52m.

References and how to contact today's guest:
Nick Huber | LinkedIn

Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

Connect with Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
• Visit Minds Capital

Credits:

• Edited by Anton Rohozov

Kevin Ramsier's bought his first company for $60,000 and exited it for $77 million - growing EV by more than 1,000x! He also shares the story about a $55m exit, only 18 months after acquiring it for $16m. With a silky voice and sharp insights, Kevin explains how hiring strong operators drives scale and protects his family from constant relocations. A proud evangelist of the deal-by-deal model, he candidly reflects on striking out on 18 consecutive LOIs over the past year.

References and how to contact today's guest:
Kevin Ramsier | LinkedIn

Minds Capital invests equity into deals by independent sponsors and searchers. For independent sponsors with a deal under LOI, visit Minds Capital to start a conversation. Our website also contains more information about this podcast and for prospective investors.

Connect with Minds:

• See past + future interviews on the YouTube channel
• Connect with hosts Will Smith and Niklas James
• Visit Minds Capital

Credits:

• Edited by Anton Rohozov