An Entrepreneur-Led Firm

A new chapter for the business you spent a lifetime building.

Forge American is seeking to acquire and personally operate one exceptional service business—preserving what works while thoughtfully building what comes next, with the patience and care of a permanent owner.

Entrepreneur-led. Family-backed. Built for the long term.

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Who We Are

Building something worth passing down.

Forge American was created to acquire one exceptional, essential business—one that has been built carefully over decades—and carry it forward as its next long-term owner. We are not building a portfolio or pursuing a quick exit. We are looking for one company to operate full time, strengthen over time, and steward for the next generation.

At the center of Forge American is Adam Hodgson, an entrepreneur, husband, and young father who wants to build something tangible and enduring for his family. The birth of his daughter sharpened that ambition. Rather than continue managing capital on behalf of others, Adam decided to pursue the opportunity to own and operate a business that could support his family for decades to come.

Forge American is a 50/50 partnership between Adam and his grandfather, a former small-business entrepreneur. His grandfather provides patient, passive capital and experienced perspective, while Adam serves as the full-time operator responsible for leading the business day to day.

Because we invest our own capital, every decision is made with the discipline and care of a true owner—not according to a fund timeline or predetermined exit date. Adam and his family are prepared to relocate wherever the business is based, put down roots in the community, and remain personally committed to its employees, customers, and continued success.

Adam Hodgson with his wife and daughter
Our Focus

What we're looking for.

Your Situation
  • Thinking about retirement, a new venture, or stepping back
  • Want a clear, well-managed succession plan
  • Care about preserving what you've built, not just cashing out
  • Looking for an alternative to a traditional private equity sale
The Business
  • Essential, recurring, or contract-based revenue
  • Track record of consistent profitability
  • Limited customer concentration and low churn
  • Operating in a stable, non-cyclical niche
The Team You've Built
  • Strong, collaborative culture
  • Committed managers and technicians
  • People we can trust to keep running the business day to day
Financial Profile
  • $750K+ in annual EBITDA
  • Consistent, verifiable profitability
  • Reasonable capital expenditure and working capital needs
The Transaction
  • Open to selling a majority stake or 100% of the business
  • Terms structured around what matters most to you
  • Flexible on timeline and transition involvement
Geography
  • Nationwide — no regional preference
  • We're prepared to relocate to be on-site and run it in person
Our Process

A simple closing process.

A first conversation to hear your story, learn about the business, and see if there's a real fit on both sides.

If we both want to continue, we sign an NDA and take a first look at basic financials. This leads to a non-binding indication of interest and a scheduled in-person meeting.

I'll come visit your business in person — to understand it firsthand, meet the team, and walk through what the process looks like from here.

We agree on price and key terms in writing, structured around what matters most to you.

A thorough, respectful review of the business's financials, operations, and team — with regular check-ins so there are no surprises.

We finalize the agreements, transfer funds, and begin the next chapter — together.

Meet the Founder

The person behind it.

Adam Hodgson

Adam Hodgson

Founder & Search Fund Principal

Adam grew up in Minnesota and studied Finance at the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University. He began his career in investment banking before moving into private equity, where he has helped deploy approximately $1 billion of capital into operationally intensive industrial and infrastructure businesses across the U.S. and Europe.

Along the way, Adam stepped outside the investor's seat to get real operating experience — serving as an interim executive at a national field services business operating across the continental U.S., where he helped lead a turnaround following a management change: realigning commercial strategy, redesigning incentive structures, and supporting a balance-sheet recapitalization that stabilized the business.

The Forge American Promise

How we'll treat what you've built.

Legacy, protected

We understand what it takes to build a business over years or decades. Our goal is to protect that legacy, not dismantle it for a quick return.

Hands-on ownership

We're not a fund evaluating a portfolio from a distance. We plan to run this business ourselves, every day, for years to come.

People, first

Employees, customers, and partners are treated with the same respect and continuity they've come to expect — before, during, and after any transition.

Contact

Let's start a conversation.

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