External Acquisition Execution Partner for Independent Sponsors

Source the Deal. Structure the Capital. Close with Confidence.

De 15:6 serves as the external acquisition execution partner for independent sponsors — sourcing proprietary opportunities, structuring the capital, and quarterbacking the transaction through closing.

Book a Call See How It Works

Your vision. Our execution infrastructure.

68%
of IS sponsors with exits returned 3× or more to investors
Citrin Cooperman 2025 IS Report
79%
target $2M–$5M EBITDA — the most underserved LMM segment
Citrin Cooperman 2025 IS Report
74%
of IS sponsors say competition is increasing
Citrin Cooperman 2025 IS Report
The De 15:6 Acquisition Path

Your acquisition thesis stays yours. We provide the execution infrastructure around it.

B
Buy Box Defined Criteria, size, sector, structure
↗
Off-Market Opportunity Proprietary sourcing aligned to criteria
≋
Evaluation & Light QoE Preliminary analysis before capital conversations
◈
Capital Strategy Structure engineered around deal economics
⬡
Capital Stack Assembled Debt, equity, seller financing coordinated
✓
Transaction Closed Capital-provider process managed to closing
How We Fit Into Your Process

Build the Deal.
Don't Build the Whole Machine.

Independent sponsors shouldn't have to build an institutional acquisition team just to execute one transaction. De 15:6 plugs into the sponsor's existing process as an external execution partner — extending sourcing, financial analysis, capital strategy, and transaction coordination without requiring institutional headcount.

12–24mo
Average time from first search to closed transaction for acquisition entrepreneurs
Independent Sponsor / LMM Industry Benchmarks
$50K–$200K
Typical burnt deal cost per failed transaction — legal, diligence, advisory, and time
Peony / Papermark DD Cost Benchmarks 2026
1,000–3,000
Prospects required to identify and close a single qualifying acquisition
ClearlyAcquired Acquisition Industry Data
SOURCE

Proprietary Off-Market Opportunities

Aligned to your buy box — identified before they reach the broader market, screened before your time is spent.

STRUCTURE

Capital Structures Engineered for the Deal

Acquisition and capital structures built around the economics of the specific transaction — sized for debt capacity, DSCR, and investor requirements.

EXECUTE

Transaction Coordination Through Closing

Capital-provider coordination and transaction process management from first conversation to funded closing. The sponsor manages the seller. We manage the capital process.

You own the thesis. The buy box. The seller relationship. The investment decision. We provide the execution infrastructure.

Book a Call
How We Work

One Acquisition. One Integrated Process.

De 15:6 plugs into the acquisition process wherever the sponsor needs additional execution capacity — from proprietary sourcing through capital strategy and closing.

01
Source

Source

Proprietary off-market opportunities matched to your buy box

02
Evaluate

Evaluate

Preliminary financial analysis and Light QoE

03
Structure

Structure

Determine the appropriate acquisition and capital structure

04
Capitalize

Capitalize

Coordinate debt, equity, seller financing and other capital sources

05
Close

Close

Manage the capital-provider process through transaction closing

01 Source
02 Evaluate
03 Structure
04 Capitalize
05 Close

Proprietary Off-Market Sourcing

We identify acquisition opportunities that match the buyer's defined criteria before they reach the broader market — providing access to businesses that are not actively listed, marketed, or being shopped to multiple buyers simultaneously.

Sourcing is aligned to a defined buy box: sector, size, geography, ownership structure, and deal type. Every opportunity is evaluated against that criteria before it reaches the sponsor.

Buy Box Development Off-Market Outreach Opportunity Screening Preliminary Fit Assessment

Preliminary Analysis & Light QoE

Before capital conversations begin, we conduct preliminary financial analysis to validate EBITDA, identify adjustments, and establish deal economics. Light QoE surfaces the issues capital providers will find during full diligence — before they find them.

This protects the sponsor's credibility and positions the opportunity accurately from the first capital provider conversation.

EBITDA Normalization Add-Back Analysis Revenue Quality Review Risk Identification Financial Modeling

Capital Structure Engineering

We determine how the acquisition should be financed — before approaching any capital provider. Deal structure is built around transaction economics, debt capacity, DSCR requirements, and investor return expectations.

Structure determines which capital providers fit the transaction. Wrong structure wastes time and relationships. The right structure is built upstream.

Capital Stack Design DSCR Modeling Sources & Uses Return Modeling Stress Testing

Capital Raising & Coordination

We identify, approach, and coordinate the appropriate capital providers for the specific transaction and structure — family offices, private credit, SBIC funds, and structured equity — managing each relationship through the process.

Every capital provider receives materials positioned for their investment criteria. The process is managed — not delegated.

Capital Provider Identification Deal Positioning IC Materials Term Sheet Negotiation Process Management

Transaction Process Orchestration

We manage the capital-provider process through transaction closing — coordinating diligence, documentation, and capital-provider requirements while the sponsor manages the seller and deal dynamics.

Capital process management is what separates transactions that close from transactions that drift.

Diligence Coordination Documentation Review Closing Coordination Timeline Management
How We Engage

Deal Flow. Capital. Or Both.

You're an independent sponsor with an acquisition thesis and the ambition to close the right transaction. We provide the external execution infrastructure to help move from proprietary opportunity to funded closing.

I
I Need Deal Flow

Proprietary Off-Market Sourcing

You have capital — you need the right opportunity

You're an independent sponsor or acquisition entrepreneur with your capital relationships in place. What you need is access to proprietary opportunities that match your buy box — before they reach the broader market.

  • ✓ Buy box definition and criteria alignment
  • ✓ Systematic off-market outreach and identification
  • ✓ Preliminary financial screening before your time is spent
  • ✓ Opportunity delivery matched to your acquisition criteria
Discuss Your Buy Box
II
Full Execution Partnership

Source-to-Close Advisory

The flagship engagement — end-to-end execution infrastructure

You're an independent sponsor who needs the full picture — proprietary deal flow, financial analysis, capital structure, and a managed raise executed through closing. De 15:6 operates as your external acquisition team for the transaction.

  • ✓ Proprietary off-market sourcing aligned to your buy box
  • ✓ Light QoE and deal economics validation
  • ✓ Capital structure engineered around the specific deal
  • ✓ Capital raise managed from outreach through closing
Book a Strategy Call

Whether you need deal flow, capital, or both — De 15:6 provides the external execution infrastructure around the transaction you're already trying to win.

Book a Call
Capital Architecture

Capital Is Not Assembled at Closing.
It Is Engineered Upstream.

We engineer acquisition capital around transaction economics, risk, debt capacity, and investor requirements — before the raise begins. Every layer of the capital stack is sized and sourced to the specific deal.

"The capital stack is not a template. It is the financial architecture of a specific transaction — built around what the deal can support, not what the sponsor prefers."

Discuss Capital Strategy
Acquisition Capital Stack Illustrative — varies by transaction
Senior Debt
Private credit, bank, direct lender
Senior
SBIC / Junior Capital
Mezzanine, subordinated debt, SBIC fund
Mezz / SBIC
Seller Financing
Seller note, earnout, rollover equity
Seller Aligned
Structured Equity
Family office, HNW, structured preferred
Equity
Sponsor / Buyer Equity
Independent sponsor contribution
Sponsor
Not every transaction requires every layer. The capital stack is designed around what the deal can support.
Capabilities

Execution Capabilities. Built for the IS Model.

From first opportunity through funded closing — each capability is designed to extend the independent sponsor's execution capacity without requiring institutional headcount.

01

Off-Market Sourcing

Proprietary acquisition opportunities aligned with your buy box — identified before they reach the broader market.

02

Light QoE

Normalize EBITDA and identify financial issues before capital providers evaluate the opportunity. Protects credibility, accelerates the raise.

03

Financial Modeling

Model the transaction, financing requirements, and downside scenarios. Build the case capital providers need to get to term sheets.

04

Capital Architecture

Determine how the acquisition should be financed. Size each layer of the capital stack around deal economics, DSCR, and investor requirements.

05

Capital Raising

Identify, approach, and coordinate appropriate capital providers. Family offices, private credit, SBIC funds, and structured equity matched to the transaction.

06

Process Orchestration

Manage the capital-provider process through closing. Diligence coordination, documentation, and timeline management — end to end.

Why De 15:6

Built for the Deal-by-Deal Acquisition Model.

Independent sponsors don't need another software platform. They need execution capacity around the transactions they are already trying to win.

⬡

Institutional Process. Without Institutional Overhead.

The rigor of a PE firm's capital process, delivered for a deal-by-deal operator. No fund infrastructure required.

↑

Capital Strategy Integrated Into the Transaction

Capital structure is built alongside deal evaluation — not added after LOI. Structure determines which capital providers fit, and fit determines whether the raise closes.

◎

Proprietary Sourcing + Financing Capability

Access to off-market opportunities and the capital advisory capability to finance them in the same engagement.

→

Process-Driven Execution

Every engagement operates from a defined process. Capital raises that drift lose momentum. Process is what keeps transactions moving.

⬡

An External Team Built Around Your Acquisition

De 15:6 works alongside the sponsor's existing team and relationships, providing hands-on execution capacity without requiring the sponsor to build a full internal acquisition infrastructure.

Market Context

The IS Market Is Growing. Execution Capacity Is Where Sponsors Win or Lose.

Independent sponsors now represent a meaningful and growing share of LMM acquisition activity. The opportunities are there. The capital is available. The differentiator is having the execution infrastructure to close.

Non-SBA Capital Family Office Private Credit SBIC Funds Structured Equity $2M–$5M EBITDA
68% of IS sponsors with exits returned 3× or more Citrin Cooperman 2025
79% target $2M–$5M EBITDA — most underserved segment Citrin Cooperman 2025
Julius Brown III
Julius Brown III
Founder, De 15:6 Capital Advisory

De 15:6 Capital Advisory was built to serve independent sponsors operating in the lower-middle market — functioning as the external acquisition execution partner for sponsors who have a thesis and the ambition to close, but need execution infrastructure around the transaction.

The firm's focus is the $2M–$5M EBITDA segment. We source proprietary opportunities, conduct preliminary financial analysis, engineer the capital structure, coordinate capital providers, and quarterback the transaction process through closing. The sponsor leads the deal. We build the infrastructure around it.

Book a Call
Let's Talk

An Independent Sponsor
Ready to Execute?

If you have an acquisition thesis and need the execution infrastructure to close — sourcing, capital strategy, and transaction coordination — let's discuss how De 15:6 can plug into your process.

Book a Call Discuss Your Acquisition