00:51:40 · Ramsey Sahyoun
[00:51:40] S1: Yeah, I think like one of the surprising things, like we always, when we started this, like we wanted to keep the holding company small, and I think we do still have a small holding company team relative to the size of the business with 40 people, although the folks in Sweden might say that we have a big holding company team relative to the Swedish serial acquirers. We look up to how small they keep their corporate teams. But I think just building out the team was kind of a... I think that's been a surprising thing, like just how much... How important that is. Like I mentioned Sydney earlier, like, you know, she's just been a... Just a game changing person that I hired, you know, five and a half years ago now. And, you know, there are a lot of other people that we've brought on over the years that have had just incredible impacts on on the business. And so so I think that's been attracting people like that and training them and developing them. You know, we we wouldn't have done 47 acquisitions last year if it was just Jeff and I running around trying to do them. And we were able to do it. And I think we'll be able to do that pretty consistently. And it's because we have a great team of people that can represent the company well and can work with business owners through these transactions. And so, I think that's been the main change is just going from like me cold calling, you know, cold calling business owners and emailing business owners to developing a team that does that effectively, and probably better than I ever did now. So yeah, I think that's been a fun part of it.
00:53:46 · Mikk, Ramsey Sahyoun
[00:53:46] S0: As we're closing very soon, I have three questions here. I'll just say them out. You will just choose what you what you want to answer because I don't know what to ask like. There is one which is like Ramsey today versus Ramsey at 2017, like, when starting the firm. What what have changed maybe belief wise? What holds back people doing so many deals? Because, again, not too many firms are doing 47 acquisitions per year. And the last one is, what do most people misunderstand about Evergreen? Just you can choose one. Like, these were just the questions I had on my on my on my list which I wanted to ask. [00:54:21] S1: Maybe I'll go in reverse order there. What what do people misunderstand about Evergreen? I think people people see our our acquisition velocity, and they're like, oh, man. Evergreen's just buying everything. And what they don't see is, like, we're probably the most disciplined acquirer in this... In the in the managed IT industry. We just see so many more opportunities than than anybody else because we put a lot of effort into that. So I I think that's that's something that... I think people see the high volume of of acquisitions, but they don't see the things that we pass on or... They they they don't... I think they don't see the discipline in in our acquisition engine. And then what were the other? [00:55:08] S0: You today versus you ten years ago because a lot has changed.
00:55:08 · Mikk, Ramsey Sahyoun
[00:55:08] S0: You today versus you ten years ago because a lot has changed. [00:55:12] S1: Ten years ago. Yeah. I I I didn't wanna manage people. Like, if you talk to me ten ten years ago, like, met my wife when we started Evergreen, like like, we met around the same time. And she remembers me always saying, like, God, I just never wanna manage a single person. And now that's not... Now I manage a lot of people, and it's it's fulfilling, like, seeing people succeed and and working with people that you really like. And so I think that that's been a a big It was very much like, just wanted to... Just want me and Jeff to, like, just do this by ourselves and, like, you know, this holding company model is so scalable and, you know, I... We'll never have to, like, manage anybody. It'll be great. But, like, I think, like, me today is more like, I I love our team. I love the people that I get to work with, and managing great people is is fun because you get this insane leverage out of what they can do. So that's one. [00:56:18] S0: Okay. Excellent. Very glad I asked the asked the questions and... Or you wanted something to add? Sorry for interrupting. [00:56:25] S1: No. No. I think you had one more. [00:56:27] S0: I I had one more, but I think you answered the one which was like, is the belief which is maybe holding a lot of people or firms back when it comes to M and A and the amount of deals you're doing? But I think you answered when it comes down to the team and you've been just doing that for such a long time. [00:56:45] S1: Totally, totally. Yeah, for sure.
00:56:45 · Ramsey Sahyoun, Mikk
[00:56:45] S1: Totally, totally. Yeah, for sure. [00:56:48] S0: Okay, Ramsey. Thanks a lot for doing this. Very, very happy. We met in Stockholm now, got to do this. I'm sure we'll meet again. I'll come back to U. S. Much more often. Fascinating what you've built, and thanks a lot for sharing the story and the fact that you went into details and shared so much. I'm sure it provides a lot of value for people who buy businesses. [00:57:14] S1: Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank thank you for having me. I'm just super super impressed with, like, the research you did on on on our company. I I... You know, there are a lot of people in our industry that that don't know nearly as much about Evergreen as as as you do. So I I just, yeah, I just appreciate the the interest and and the kind words about about our company, appreciate the opportunity to talk to you. [00:57:39] S0: I hope you enjoyed this episode of Buyers and Builders. Please remember to subscribe wherever you're listening and leave a review. It really helps the show reach more buyers and operators. And if you already haven't, go back and listen to some of the other episodes of Buyers and Builders. This podcast is built for people who buy, build and hold great businesses long term. Every guest you hear on this show has real hard won experience acquiring and operating companies. And the goal is, again, very simple, to give you ideas you can actually use in your own journey.