Working with SJF
We sit on your side of the table.
SJF Ventures seeks investment opportunities with management teams where mutual interests and strategy are well aligned so that all parties are working together from day one to achieve common goals. The investment partnerships are based on respect for entrepreneurs and the challenges they face. Entrepreneurs should expect honest feedback from SJF during the due diligence process in order to assess the likelihood of an SJF investment. They should expect an SJF team member to listen carefully and serve as a thoughtful sounding board after an investment has been made. And they should expect SJF to value not only its own interests but also those of all other stakeholders.
In helping to build a firm, SJF’s principals work closely with entrepreneurs to identify growth opportunities, develop industry relationships, obtain debt and equity capital, execute company acquisitions, and accelerate marketing initiatives.
Examples of SJF working with portfolio companies:
“I didn’t want to take venture capital. I thought the VC industry was predatory. I didn’t like what it stood for, and I didn’t think venture capitalists would share my vision…But the Elpis group told me about a new type of VC. They introduced us to SJF.”
- Mark Wilson, CEO, Ryla Teleservices
“Community Energy was impressed by the expertise, diligence and deep network SJF Ventures demonstrated in leading our $6 MM Series A round. After the investment, SJF has been active on the board in the recruitment of new independent Directors, strategic insights on expansion, industry and finance referrals, and market intelligence. They also supported our plans for a capital efficient corporate model that intelligently leverages the project finance capital markets. With SJF Ventures, we were fortunate to find an investor aligned well with CEI on building a values-driven enterprise that rapidly scales solar power and renewable energy utilization.”
- Brent Alderfer, CEO, Community Energy, Inc.
“As we execute our growth strategy, we are pleased to have SJF Ventures as an investor and value their history, long-term commitment and deep expertise in cleantech, sustainability, reuse and recycling.”
- David Edmondson, CEO, eRecyclingCorps
“When we spoke with a number of VC firms about expansion capital, SJF quickly stood out as an investor that would add value and serve as a trusted friend to the firm. It has been the type of partner that we were seeking.”
- Joe Zawadski, CEO, MediaMath
“SJF has been a tremendous asset to Rustic Crust. From the time of their initial investment to our most recent round of financing, SJF has proven to be a true partner. The experience that SJF has brought to the board room and the support they have shown the company has been an important element for achieving the level of success that we are currently experiencing. They have proven to be an invaluable asset as we raised additional capital, explored acquisitions, hired additional management, and have grown the company.”
- Brad Sterl, President, Rustic Crust
“I was nervous about working with venture. I was halfway expecting the worst, but Arrun and I struck a great chord from the get go and he just felt like the right partner. He was honest and spoke to me straight.”
- Fred Dirla, CEO, FieldView Solutions
“We had much larger Boston and California funds vying to lead our Series A, but decided to choose SJF because of their solar expertise, shared values, and willingness to work hard for groSolar’s success. With SJF’s help, we brought on other great investment partners including Calvert and NGP Energy Technology Partners, acquired three companies in OR, MD and CA, and have become one of the nation’s largest residential solar integration companies.””
- Jeff Wolfe, CEO, groSolar
“SJF Ventures has been a great venture capital partner and board member for ED MAP. They share our philosophy of creating a win-win workplace in rural Appalachia that provides superior service and educational resources to our customers. They have rolled up their sleeves and helped on M&A, financing, option plans, management recruitment and strategy… helping accelerate ED MAP’s growth as a leading service and technology provider to secondary education institutions.”
- Max Mark, CEO, ED MAP
“We had capital from a strong local investment community. However, we really liked SJF’s years of experience and deep connections in our industry. We were attracted to the idea of bringing on an institutional investor who shared our vision and could help us realize it.”
- Chris Martin, CEO, CleanScapes
When we looked for an equity investor for our company that shared our values and vision, SJF Ventures was the natural choice. They saw the promise early that B. B. Hobbs could help its agricultural customers produce more fruit and vegetables on less land with less water and fertilizer. They have worked on our board to help us achieve sustainable growth to new markets throughout the Southeast and to build a company that we can be proud of.”
- Bryan Hobbs, President, BB Hobbs
“We met SJF in 2002, during our process of raising a series B round. Dan Hoversten was a managing partner at the time. We were attracted to SJF for a few reasons. First, Dan was knowledgeable about our space, as he had owned a rental car company. Second, SJF’s LP’s were banks. We had hoped the relationship would help us obtain much needed financing for working capital. Finally (most importantly), SJF’s focus on job creation/retention was very important to Salvage Direct. We operate a call center and also have many administrative processing positions. The area we’re located in had faced hard economic times. The work ethic and dedication the company receives from our employees is excellent. The capital SJF provided enabled us to stay in this geographic area and continue growing our company and creating jobs. This in turn provided the local folks with good compensations packages, and advanced training utilizing current cutting edge technology. SJF’s focus on job creation in rural areas matched our company’s situation and growth plans. Together we have been able to create an additional 100 jobs.”
- Bob Joyce, President, Salvage Direct
Portfolio Company Videos on Partnering with SJF for Business Growth
Jeff Wolfe, CEO, groSolar
Chris Martin, CEO, CleanScapes
Mark Wilson, CEO, Ryla Teleservices