Insights on Scaling Companies in the Retail Value Chain - with Clete Brewer of New Road Capital

The Matt Waller Podcast

Clete Brewer is the founder and managing partner of New Road Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in and scaling companies in the supply chain logistics and retail technology sectors. He has over 30 years of experience leading and advising high-growth companies, previously serving as CEO of staffing company Staffmark and President of Sport Clips.
In the interview, Brewer provides his perspective on trends in private equity investing and shares insights on how New Road identifies and partners with promising companies to help them scale.
Key Takeaways:
- New Road looks for companies at the "tipping point" stage, where they have an established product and early traction but need help accelerating growth. The firm leverages its operating expertise and networks to provide strategic guidance and operational support. (Listen to the podcast to gain a full understanding of this idea.)
- When evaluating management teams, New Road looks for humble leaders who surround themselves with strong talent and have a focused solution that solves a real pain point for enterprise customers.
- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption of supply chain technologies like track and trace, final mile delivery, and reverse logistics. New Road sees continued opportunities in modernizing legacy systems through cloud-based, specialized solutions.
- Strategic corporate venture investing is on the rise, allowing large companies to support innovation and gain insights into emerging technologies in their sector. New Road partners with corporations looking to invest alongside their fund.
Brewer emphasizes the importance of focus, and chemistry in building the New Road team. His passion for unleashing entrepreneurial spirit shines through. For supply chain and retail tech companies looking to scale, partnering with an operationally-focused firm like New Road can provide invaluable guidance on growth.