Acquiring and growing a business around Charlotte

Entrepreneur, operator, and proud to call Charlotte home — looking for a business where I can step in and build on what's already working.

My Story

I've spent my career building things — now I want to carry one forward.

I moved to Charlotte as a teenager and it became home. After college I moved around, built companies, and worked at some large ones too. But the work I loved most was always hands-on — close to the team, close to the customer, seeing results directly.

I founded Tindie, an electronics marketplace that grew to serve NASA and Fortune 500 companies before being acquired by Siemens. I also served as a Senior Product Manager at Netflix.

Those experiences taught me how to build, how to scale, and how to operate with discipline. Now I'm back in Charlotte, and I want to put all of that to work for a business that deserves it.

Founded Tindie

Electronics marketplace — NASA, Fortune 500 customers. Acquired by Siemens.

Netflix

Senior Product Manager. Shipped products at global scale.

Charlotte is home

Moved here as a kid, came back after years away. This is where I want to build.

Quick to close

Personal equity + outside debt means I move fast and keep it simple.

What I Look For

A business I can commit to for the long term.

I want to buy a business, take a hands-on management role, and build on what you've created. Not to flip it — to continue it.

100% ownership

The entire business is available. I want to be all-in, not a partial investor.

$3M – $20M revenue

Established enough to have real operations, focused enough for me to know everyone.

3+ years profitable

A track record of success. I'm building on a foundation, not starting from scratch.

Why Me

“When I buy a business, I'm not looking at a spreadsheet — I'm looking at someone's life's work.”

I know what it feels like to build something from nothing and to care deeply about the people who helped you do it.

I want to be in the building. I want to know the team. I want customers to barely notice the transition, except that things keep getting a little better.

Operator, not investor

I show up every day. This isn't a portfolio company — it's my job.

Your team stays

The people who built this business are the reason it works. I want them to stay.

Rooted in Charlotte

I live here. My family is here. I'm not managing this from somewhere else.

My Promise

One buyer, one company — and what happens after.

I'm looking for exactly one business. Not a portfolio, not a roll-up — one company I'll run myself, in person, for the long haul. When I find it, my search is over.

The name stays. The team stays. The way you treat customers — the thing that kept people coming back for decades — stays. I'm not buying a business to change what works; I'm buying it to carry it forward.

And the process is open-book: I buy with my own equity plus an SBA loan, which means a bank verifies the deal, the price is grounded in the company's real financials, and the owner sees every step. No games, no retrading, no surprises at the closing table.

Get in Touch

Let's have a conversation

If you're thinking about selling, or if you know someone who is — no pressure, no pitch. Just a conversation.

emile@emilepetrone.com