City skyline representing business growth

A growth equity partnership is an arrangement where we join your business as a co-owner in exchange for bringing marketing expertise, AI systems, and digital growth infrastructure — instead of charging a consulting fee. You get CMO-level marketing leadership and execution with no cash outlay. We get an equity stake that pays off when the business grows.

A Different Kind of Partnership

Most service businesses that come to us have the same story: exceptional operators who built something real on referrals, word of mouth, and hustle — but who've hit a ceiling because marketing was never systematized. They're leaving serious money on the table.

In a growth equity partnership, we don't send an invoice. We take an equity stake and embed ourselves as your marketing co-owner — bringing 20+ years of Fortune 500 CMO expertise, AI-powered growth systems, digital transformation, and proven customer acquisition infrastructure. You keep running the operations you've spent years perfecting. We build the commercial engine that accelerates the value of everything you've built.

Together we scale the business and share in the value created at exit or through dividends. No cash fees. We win when you win — and that alignment changes everything.

What We Bring

  • CMO-level marketing strategy and annual planning
  • AI-powered scheduling, dispatch, and customer follow-up automation
  • Digital marketing strategy (SEO, paid search, review management)
  • Website redesign and conversion optimization
  • Customer acquisition and retention systems
  • Brand positioning and competitive differentiation
  • CRM and marketing technology implementation
  • Referral and membership program design
  • Executive reporting and KPI dashboards
How It Works

Three Steps to Shared Growth

Our partnership model is straightforward. We find the right business, build the right engine, and grow together.

We Identify the Opportunity

We look for established service businesses with strong operations and a clear marketing gap. If the fundamentals are there and marketing is the bottleneck, that's our sweet spot.

We Build the Growth Engine

We bring CMO-level strategy, AI automation, digital marketing systems, customer acquisition infrastructure, and brand positioning. Everything that takes a business from good to dominant in its market.

We Share the Upside

In exchange for our expertise and ongoing involvement, we take an equity stake. No cash fees. We win when the business wins — at exit, through dividends, or through the increased value we build together.

What We Look For

The Right Partner Looks Like This

Established and Profitable

$2M–$20M in annual revenue, cash-flow positive, strong repeat customer base. We're not turnaround specialists — we need a business that already works.

Marketing Is the Bottleneck

Great operations, strong team, reliable service delivery — but limited digital presence, weak brand, or no systematic customer acquisition. That gap is our opportunity.

Owner Wants to Grow or Exit

An owner who's thinking about scale, an eventual exit, or bringing in a partner to take marketing off their plate and accelerate the timeline.

Service Business With Recurring Demand

HVAC, plumbing, roofing, pest control, dental, law, restoration, auto repair, car wash, landscaping, and similar businesses with predictable, repeat demand.

Track Record

Proven at Scale. Ready to Build With You.

Before founding State of Mind Strategies, Zachary Leifer led marketing at organizations doing hundreds of millions in revenue — including Las Vegas Sands ($36M incremental revenue from a single strategic shift), 1/ST Technology (67% year-over-year revenue growth, 56% CAC reduction), and Fidelity Investments. We know how to build commercial engines that produce results — and we're ready to do it inside your business.

FAQ

Growth Partnership Questions

A growth equity partnership is an arrangement where we join your business as a co-owner in exchange for bringing marketing expertise, AI systems, and digital growth infrastructure — instead of charging a consulting fee. You get CMO-level marketing leadership and execution with no cash outlay. We get an equity stake that pays off when the business grows and eventually sells or distributes profits.
Equity stakes vary based on the size of the business, the scope of work, and the growth opportunity. Typical arrangements range from 10% to 25%, structured with performance milestones and vesting over 2–4 years. Every deal is custom-structured to be fair to both sides.
We focus on service businesses — HVAC, plumbing, roofing, pest control, restoration, dental practices, law firms, auto repair, car wash, landscaping, pool service, and similar. Businesses doing $2M–$20M in revenue, with strong operations and a clear marketing gap.
An agency takes your money and runs campaigns. We take equity and run your marketing function — strategy, systems, AI automation, digital presence, and customer acquisition — as a co-owner with skin in the game. We win when you win. That alignment changes everything about how we work.
Let's Talk

Interested in a Growth Partnership?

If you run a profitable service business and believe better marketing could significantly grow its value, we want to talk. Tell us about your business and we'll let you know if we think there's an opportunity.