Succession & Exit Planning

VHC (Velvet Hammer Capital) is a family-owned private equity firm and trusted succession planning partner for business owners across Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, and South Florida. Whether you're weighing a business owner exit strategy, planning a generational business transition, or simply starting to think about what comes next, we help founders navigate one of the biggest decisions of their careers.
You Built It. Let's Talk About What Comes Next.
Every business owner eventually faces the same question: what happens when I'm ready to step back? For some, that means a full business sale. For others, it's a partial exit or recapitalization that provides liquidity while staying involved. For family-owned companies, it often means navigating a generational transition — passing the business to the next generation, or preparing it for new ownership entirely.
VHC exists to make that process feel less like an ending and more like the next chapter — one where the business you built keeps thriving, on your terms.
We don't just fund businesses, we invest in people.
Common Paths to Exit or Succession
Every situation is different, and VHC works with owners across the full spectrum of succession planning and exit strategy needs:

• Full business sale — a complete transition of ownership for owners ready to step away

• Partial acquisition or recapitalization — liquidity today, continued involvement tomorrow

• Family succession support — capital and structure to support a transition to the next generation

• Management buyout support — helping existing leadership take ownership with the right capital partner

• "Just exploring" conversations — many owners aren't ready to sell, but want to understand their options and timeline

Why Business Owners Trust VHC With Their Exit
Succession and exit planning is personal — it's not just a financial transaction, it's the culmination of years (sometimes generations) of work. That's why our approach is built around trust, not just terms:

• Patient capital, not a fire sale. We're not looking for a quick flip — we invest for the long term, which means we're motivated to see the business (and your legacy) succeed well past closing.

• Founder-first structuring. Every deal is shaped around what matters most to you — whether that's your team's future, your name staying on the door, or a gradual transition instead of an abrupt one.

• Real conversations, not black-box process. We take time to understand your goals before we ever talk numbers.

• Experience on both sides of the table. Our board and leadership have personally built, scaled, and exited businesses — we understand what's at stake because we've lived it.

Is It Time to Start the Conversation?
You don't need to have a firm timeline or a finished plan to reach out. Many of the best succession planning and exit strategy conversations start years before an actual transaction — simply understanding your options early gives you far more control over the outcome.
If you're a business owner in Florida, West Palm Beach, or Jupiter thinking about succession, an exit, or simply want a second opinion on your options, we'd welcome the conversation.