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Acquiring Minds

How to Build a Holdco Foundation: Patiently

Feb 27, 2025
Barker Squire, Owner of CraneWorks, shares his journey from Marine Corps leadership to successfully growing a crane servicing business threefold in six years. He discusses the importance of staying adaptable during seller meetings and the challenges of government contracts. Barker delves into the nuances of self-funded searches for acquisitions and the significance of maintaining company culture and safety in a high-risk industry. He also envisions building a holdco, emphasizing the value of strategic leadership transitions and employee empowerment.
01:20:09

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Barker Squire highlights the significance of gradual growth and operational optimization in successfully tripling CraneWorks' size over six years.
  • His military background provided essential leadership skills that empowered him to effectively manage and inspire his growing team in business.

Deep dives

Gradual Growth and Foundation Building

Barker Squire emphasizes the importance of slow but steady growth in his business, CraneWorks. Instead of rushing into acquisitions, he focused on solidifying and optimizing the operations of CraneWorks after acquiring it in 2019. This strategy allowed him to triple the company’s size while ensuring a strong foundation was established. By patiently developing the business over six years, Barker positioned himself to explore future acquisitions with a solid operational framework in place.

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