Andrew Les

For me, it’s four key attributes. The first is quite simple – is the management team capable? It’s critical to ensure they have the skills and relationships required to lead the business in its next phase of growth.

Second, are they genuinely passionate about their business and are they committed to its success? Combining drive and motivation with talent and experience is a key x-factor for a successful partnership.

Third, is the team open minded? As partners, we can bring expertise and a fresh perspective gained from a wide breadth of past partnerships that can help solve business challenges or capitalize on a broad range of opportunities.

Lastly, we want to partner with genuinely good people, who we can work with and for, side by side. 

Be clear with your objectives and vision, and confirm they align with your potential partner.

In addition, spend as much time as you can with the team you will be working with. Ask them questions to get a clear understanding of their approach, objectives, experience, and how they act as a partner (during good times and when faced with a challenge). Call their references, and speak to founders and management teams who they’ve partnered with. There is no better way to evaluate a potential partner than speaking with leaders who they’ve spent years working with.

It’s an incredibly rewarding experience to work alongside talented founders and management teams to help grow their businesses.

I also thoroughly enjoy learning about the nuances of different industries and companies. I love understanding how businesses operate, how they position themselves and go to market, how they manage customer and supplier relationships, how they execute growth strategies, etc. – it all fascinates me. At Fort Point in particular, I get exposure to a wide range of service-oriented businesses that tend to play a critical role in our economy, which makes the job even more interesting and rewarding.

Most likely working for my family’s construction and sand & gravel business. In addition to the fulfillment of working alongside my grandfather, father and brother-in-law, I’d have the opportunity to wear many different hats inside the business. I would be involved in not only the strategy and operations, but I would also be hands-on at every job – everything from running an excavator, to spreading material, to reviewing site plans.

Having grown up in a family business, I’ve always had tremendous respect for the challenges and personal sacrifices of running a business. I believe this gives me a unique perspective and appreciation for working with our founder and management team partners to support them to solve complex challenges and enable them to achieve their growth plans.

I’m exploring Boston with my fiancée and Bernese Mountain dog, training for my next triathlon or endurance challenge, joining a pick-up ice hockey game, rooting for a Boston-based sports team, or attending a motorsports event.