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Jake LaJoie, Finance Expert in Atlanta, GA, United States
Jake LaJoie

Finance Expert in Atlanta, GA, United States

Member since August 7, 2020
Jake has a unique combination of private equity, investment banking, corporate finance, and operations experience. Over the course of his career, he has completed 16 principal investments totaling $480 million of equity and more than $15 billion of M&A and corporate finance transactions. He enjoys the excitement of freelance consulting because each engagement is different and intellectually stimulating.
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Career Highlights

Case studies

Expertise

Employment

  • Managing Member

    2020 - PRESENT
    Sileo Capital, LLC.
    • Founded the firm and launched in March 2020. Recruited and assembled a team of private equity and operating professionals.
    • Established a consulting practice that includes financial, strategic, and operational consulting across a wide array of industries.
    • Negotiated the firm's first LOI leading to a $25 million capital raise to acquire a majority interest in an infrastructure construction services firm.
    • Secured the firm's first consulting engagement advising a restaurant start-up on strategic and financial initiatives, including capital-raising structure and valuation.
    Focus areas: Private Equity, Consulting

  • Partner

    2016 - 2019
    Corlex Capital, LLC.
    • Structured and led the acquisition of a $3.0 million licensing agreement to franchise a 35-year old restaurant concept based in the Southeastern US.
    • Led four restaurant consulting engagements that included strategic, operational, and financial advisory work with an average tenor of six months. Identified growth initiatives, operational inefficiencies, and opportunities.
    • Sourced over 20 investment opportunities and led the firm's Investment committee judging the viability of over 75 potential transactions.
    Focus areas: Investment Consulting, Investing

  • President and Managing Director

    2012 - 2016
    Panton Equity Partners
    • Partnered with another private equity firm and sourced and led the acquisition of a $225 million infrastructure construction services firm.
    • Completed all phases of an acquisition of a utility and construction services firm in a $16 million transaction including modeling and analytics, due diligence, transaction documentation, and sourcing, structuring, and negotiating debt capital.
    • Involved in post-acquisition management of four platform investments (serving on the boards of each). Acted as liaison with investors and lenders. Sourced and led an accretive add-on acquisition for one of the platform companies.
    • Led the sale of a utility and telecommunications construction firm that generated a 5.1x ROIC (235% IRR). Worked closely with the sell-side advisor to develop forecast projections, marketing materials, and participated in management presentations.
    Focus areas: Principal Investing

  • Chief Financial Officer

    2009 - 2012
    Shakey's USA, Inc.
    • Directed finance and accounting operations for a 65-unit restaurant company with over 650 employees. Budgeting, forecasting, FP&A, accounting, managing business metrics, IT, procurement, tax, treasury, insurance, and all general accounting functions.
    • Analyzed revenue composition that led to two new revenue streams; wholesale sale of product and delivery. Negotiated wholesale terms and developed pricing, cost, and IT strategy for delivery roll-out, including the online platform and profit matrix.
    • Analyzed and worked with other members of senior management to rationalize overhead, reducing G&A margin by 170 basis points while growing system unit count and sales by 15% and 32%, respectively.
    • Managed relationships with investors, including significant contributions to quarterly reports and annual shareholder meetings. Led annual financial audits. Provided all diligence materials to third-party valuation firm for annual equity valuation.
    • Conceptualized and oversaw the development of a new prototype with an investment cost of 50% of the existing prototype, which became part of concept re-positioning and principal franchise growth vehicle.
    Focus areas: Marketing, Human Resources (HR), IT, Operations, Financial Analysis, Accounting

  • Vice President

    2007 - 2009
    Argonne Capital Group, LLC.
    • Sourced and closed a family-owned restaurant franchisor with $30 million of system sales. Led analysis, due diligence, and post-acquisition management. Assisted in raising debt and equity. Served as interim CFO—hired permanent management.
    • Performed transaction analysis and executed an acquisition of a 143-unit restaurant chain. Sourced and negotiated debt financing. Assisted in audit, tax, legal, and environmental due diligence.
    • Served as a member of the board of advisors for two portfolio companies.
    Focus areas: Investing, Principal

  • Associate

    2003 - 2007
    Roark Capital Group
    • Served as a part of the investment team that raised the largest, first-time fund in the Southeast ($415 million of equity commitments).
    • Developed all aspects of and presented investment memoranda for committee approval of over $175 million in equity capital. Made recommendations on hundreds of investment opportunities.
    • Secured debt capital commitments and negotiated documents for a $30 million revolving line of credit, $100 million warehouse facility, and a $15 million working capital line for portfolio company.
    • Served as a member of the board of directors for a specialty finance portfolio company.
    Focus areas: Principal Investing

  • Analyst

    2002 - 2003
    MapleWood Partners
    • Analyzed and modeled four add-on acquisitions for a $250 million auto parts wholesaling company.
    • Modeled and structured transactions in the restaurant, consumer goods, packaging, and distribution industries.
    • Sourced potential investment opportunities through networking with intermediaries and corporate executives.
    Focus areas: Private Equity

  • Associate

    1998 - 2002
    Bank of America
    • Promoted from analyst to senior analyst, then one of only two senior analysts promoted to associate.
    • Developed corporate finance solutions for clients including a $650 million privatization of a packaging company resulting in an LBO of the company.
    • Built projection models to assess viability of long-term financial plans, historical performance trends, and capital structure.
    • Prepared and delivered presentations offering in-depth company, industry, capital, and advisory market analyses.
    • Performed transaction and trading comparable analyses to validate purchase or sale multiples for M&A transactions.
    • Developed accretion/dilution models to check sensitivities of offering prices, deal structure, and potential interlopers.
    • Conducted credit analysis, portfolio management, and wrote internal approval memoranda for a portfolio comprised of ten companies in six different industries.
    • Completed analyst training program with a specific focus on credit products and highly leveraged transactions.
    Focus areas: Debt, Credit Analysis, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

Education

  • Bachelor of Science Degree (Cum Laude) in Finance
    1995 - 1997
    University of Florida - Gainesville, Florida, USA

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