I'm Geoff. My wife Olivia and I are a local family hoping to buy one good business and run it ourselves — keeping the same team, the same customers, and the same care that made it worth building in the first place.
We're Geoff and Olivia, and we're raising two young boys right here in the St. Louis area. We're not a private-equity firm, investment banker or broker, and we're not looking to buy something, strip it down, and flip it. We want to find one special business that we believe in, buy it, and spend the next chapter of our lives running it the way you would have.
Olivia has a background in behavioral health — she connects with people for a living, and she means it. I've spent my whole career in various different enterprise sales and operations leadership roles. The companies I've worked for are best in class at what they do, but they all have the same problem: they care too much about money and not enough about people.
For our family, taking care of people isn't a strategy. It's how we go about our life. Treating other people well (a basic Golden Rule value system) is the most important thing to our family.
The best thing about a small business is the family-warmth that comes from treating people like people. We value that above any number on a spreadsheet (the other guys usually do not).
Your team is the business. I intend to keep them, learn from them, and become part of the work family — even when times get tough.
I'm not buying it to manage it from a spreadsheet. I'll be there every day, hands dirty, looking after the customers and reputation you spent years earning.
A "not right now" is completely fine. I'm happy to stay in touch for months or years until the timing feels right for you — no pressure, ever.
I tell you this not to impress you, but so you know the person asking to follow in your footsteps is someone who knows how to work — and how to take care of the people he works with.
A mission-driven CEO (someday soon) who connects with people. The growth engine for most businesses is landing and keeping new customers. That's the work I've done my whole career, and it's the one place I know I can add immediate value.
A clinical business solution lead on Mercy's Epic team, with a behavioral-health background and a gift for connecting with anyone. People-first isn't a slogan in our house — it's just her.
Coffee, lunch, or a phone call. I'd love to hear your story and how you built this.
No paperwork, no commitment. Just two people figuring out if there's a fit.
If the timing's right, we keep going. If it's not, we stay friends and stay in touch.
If it ever gets there, it's done with respect — for you, your team, and your name.
Hi there,
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about us. We're genuinely excited to get to know you, hear your story, and learn what makes your business special.
Family businesses are special because owners treat their employees like family. We want to preserve the small-business warmth — the soul of the business — that corporations and private-equity funds lack.
We understand your company is more than a business — it's your life's work. If you ever decide to entrust it to us, we'll carry it forward with the respect it deserves: the same team, the same loyal customers, and the knowledge that makes it all run.
We know a sale can come from all kinds of moments — retirement, a health change, burnout, or just being ready for what's next. If you're considering selling your business and want to make sure it ends up in the hands of owners who care about other people, our family would be honored to have your consideration.
With gratitude,
Geoff & Olivia Kennedy
That's my real cell — you'll get me, not a screener. I'm happy to grab coffee anywhere in the St. Louis area.