POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
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POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
#397 - Wiley Curran - Co-Founder @ CPC - Building A Perpetual Holding Company Of Lower Middle Market Businesses
POWERS
1 hour 22 minutes
1 week ago
#397 - Wiley Curran - Co-Founder @ CPC - Building A Perpetual Holding Company Of Lower Middle Market Businesses
Today, I sit down with my good friend Wiley Curran to break down the story behind CPC, a family-built perpetual holding company that buys and holds businesses indefinitely.
We also discuss how CPC approaches acquisitions, management incentives, and organizational design to create enduring value across industries.
We discuss:
The evolution of CPC from a family chemicals business to a multi-company holding group
Why long-term ownership outperforms short-term investing strategies
How to build companies around customer intimacy and employee satisfaction
The “five key battles” CPC uses to evaluate and improve every business
Lessons learned from buying, integrating, and supporting 14 companies over time
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:12) - Running a CEO search
(00:08:26) - The story behind CPC
(00:23:39) - The importance of customer intimacy
(00:37:02) - CPC's long-term vision and employee engagement
(00:40:33) - Executive ownership and equity
(00:41:29) - Structuring equity buyouts
(00:42:58) - Valuation and liquidity rights
(00:44:49) - Investment strategy and business acquisition
(00:47:11) - Sourcing and evaluating business opportunities
(00:50:14) - Onboarding and integration of new businesses
(01:03:09) - Customer lifetime value and profitability
(01:09:13) - Board meetings and CEO summits
(01:14:36) - AI experiments and business impact
(01:18:30) - Future vision and personal goals
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POWERS
POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
