Straight answers to the questions we hear on the first call. If yours isn't here, call. There's no NDA and no paperwork for a conversation.
What is Forbing?
A holding company owned by three people, Nolan, Carter and Mason. We put our own money into fire and life-safety companies in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana and we keep them. There's no fund behind us and no date we have to sell by.
Is this private equity?
No. Private equity buys companies with other people's money and has to sell them in five to seven years to pay those people back. We buy with our own money and we don't sell. That's the whole difference, and it's why we started this.
How much of my company do you buy?
Usually 65 to 85 percent. You keep the rest. You get a check at closing for the part you sold, and you get paid every year on the part you kept. If the company grows, your piece grows with it.
Do I have to stay after closing?
For a platform company, yes. We partner with you because you want to keep running it. If you're ready to walk away, we're probably not the right buyer. For a smaller company that joins one of our platforms as an add-on, it's your call: stay with the team, step back over time, or hand it off. We agree on the plan before anything is signed.
Who do I report to?
Day to day, nobody. You run your company the way you always have. We talk every month about the numbers and the plan, and we're on the phone whenever you want us. We handle the money, the back office and the next acquisition; you handle the customers and the crew.
What changes in the first week?
Almost nothing you can see. Your name stays on the trucks. Every technician and office employee keeps their job. Your customers, your pricing and your daily decisions stay yours. What moves to us is accounting, payroll, HR, insurance and license paperwork.
What happens to my employees?
They keep their jobs. Good technicians are the hardest thing to find in this trade, and nobody buys a fire company to lose them. Most of our plan is about keeping them and finding them more.
Will my customers or employees find out we're talking?
Not from us. Every conversation is private. If we get to a deal, we plan the announcement with you, on your timing, and you're the one who tells your people.
What does Forbing actually do for me?
Three things. We take the paperwork off your desk: books, payroll, HR, insurance, licensing, the bank. We bring the money, so when you want to add trucks, hire, or buy the competitor across town, the answer is yes. And we do the buying: we find the add-on, negotiate it, finance it and fold it into your company.
Can I still buy a competitor?
Yes, and that's one of the best reasons to partner with us. Buying a company on your own means finding the money, running the process and doing the integration while you're still running jobs. We do the first three. You get the customers and the crew.
What kind of companies are you looking for?
Fire and life-safety companies doing roughly $5M to $20M a year, with a good share of recurring work: inspection, testing, monitoring, service. An owner who's proud of what he built and wants it to last. For add-ons there's no minimum.
How long does it take?
About ninety days from the first call to closing, if we both want to move. Intro call, a short NDA if you want one, basic numbers, a letter of intent inside a couple of weeks, then diligence. You know where you stand at every step.
What do you need from me to start?
A phone call. If it goes well, the last three years of financials and a rough picture of your customers and your team. That's enough for us to tell you whether it makes sense and roughly what a deal looks like.
What if I want to retire in a few years?
Then we plan for it. Plenty of owners partner with us at fifty-five and hand the keys to their number two at sixty-two. We'd rather know the plan now than be surprised, and we'll help you build the bench to make it work.
What if I'm not ready yet?
Call anyway. Most of the best partnerships start years before a deal, and there's no cost to talking. We'd rather meet you now and stay in touch than hear about you after you've signed with someone else.