Chellis Capital invests in

Small-mid sized private businesses

Real estate

Public equities

We bring a value investor mindset with the ability to be operationally active depending on the situation.

We can offer a highly flexible and tailored approach to structuring a transaction. This can include managing a transition & operations post close if applicable.

Private Businesses

What makes us unique

  • We invest our own equity capital - there is no ‘third party’ approval needed to close a deal. This also means it is our skin in the game for the long term.

  • We are open to different owner / management transition scenarios. We have experience in both investing & operations meaning we can be as involved as desired based on the situation. We can work with either an active owner needing to be transitioned or working with an existing team in place.

  • We are open to various transaction structures and recognize that one size does not fit all.

  • Your business generates $0.5-3.0M of EBITDA or free cash flow and has demonstrated reasonably consistent profitability over time.

  • Your company operates in an industry we can understand and provides a product or service that provides clear value to it’s customers (B2B or B2C).

  • You place value on finding the ‘right’ home for your business.

We could be the right partner if

Investments

Industrial Business

(Private - Canada)

Display Business

(Private - Canada)

The largest vacation rental operator in the Space & Treasure Coasts of Florida (Cape Canaveral - Vero Beach)

A leading vacation rental operator based in Clearwater Beach Florida.

Passive minority investment

Passive minority investment

Real Estate

We are open to real estate with the following characteristics:

  • Attractive cash flow / cap rate relative to the risk and appreciation potential

  • Priced near or below replacement cost

  • With attractive long term supply / demand fundamentals

Investments

  • Multi-family

  • Vacation rentals (short term)

  • Mobile homes

Public Equities

We are interested in businesses which:

  • Are managed by capable and trustworthy individuals who understand how to intelligently allocate capital

  • Have identifiable barriers to entry and operate In industries we can understand

  • Generate attractive free cash flow and are financed prudently

  • Are valued attractively to provide attractive risk / reward

Investments include a portfolio of <10 publicly traded securities. The objective is to hold a concentrated number of businesses with limited turnover. We believe in truly ‘owning a business’ vs. ‘trading a stock’.

Where appropriate, we will engage with management.

Who we are

Stephen Groff, CFA - Founder

Steve graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University and went on to spend 14 years in investment management at CI Investments & Fidelity Investments. As a portfolio manager directly managing multi-billion dollars of AUM across retail & institutional mandates, he won numerous awards including Morningstar Breakout Fund Manager of the Year, TopGun Investment Mind, Fundgrade A+ Awards & Lipper Fund Awards.

Driven by the desire to become more ‘hands on’, he made the transition and spent two years with a private equity group focused on the lower mid-market, where he was involved with operations and owner transitions. Steve has also been engaged in entrepreneurial ventures at various stages, helping further build out hands on operational experience.

Steve lives in Toronto with his wife, three children (who’s names combine to create the word Chellis) and 2 golden retrievers.

Interested in starting a conversation?

Give us a call at (647) 707-1576 or email us at steve@chelliscapital.com

What we will (and won’t) do

Will Do

  • Do what we say 

  • Respond to you within 48 hours

  • Be polite, treat all parties with respect & maintain confidentiality

  • Where applicable, provide the business with the financial & operational support to ensure it succeeds - your legacy and team are in good hands

  • Work to create a win-win structure that is commercially reasonable and executable

Won’t Do

  • Not respond - If something is not for us, you will hear from us promptly and be given a reason why. Furthermore, if it not a fit for us, but we know someone who may be interested we will gladly help out

  • ‘Retrade’, seek commercially unreasonably terms or not follow through on a commitment post close

  • ‘Flip’ a business or engage in activities designed to ‘dress it up’. We are long term holders & unlike private equity or search funds, we never need to sell