IESE vs Stanford: Two 2026 Search Fund Studies Side by Side
Stanford and IESE 2026 search fund studies disagree on acquisition rates and returns, but agree on what matters: speed to a first LOI and a second searcher.
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SMB investing, search fund, and co-invest playbooks. Fundraising tips and operator tactics for accredited investors and advisors.
Showing 9 posts with tag: risk-management
What SBA Loan Charge-Off Data Shows About SMB Acquisitions
SBA loan-level data shows which acquisition loans charged off and when, but it cannot measure whether an acquisition failed or what its equity investors lost.
Broken Searches: What Acquisition Rates Leave Out
Understand broken searches, distinguish acquisition rates from investment losses, and learn which population and source questions to carry into further reading.
Search Fund Return Dispersion: Headline Aggregates Mislead
Understand search fund return dispersion, how exclusions change an aggregate, and what loss figures leave unresolved. Check evidence before drawing conclusions.
Search Fund Returns vs Private Market Benchmarks
Read search fund returns vs private market benchmarks with the limits intact. Compare populations, periods and measures before drawing portfolio conclusions.
Search Fund Study Comparability: Check the Sample
Check search fund study comparability before using return figures. Identify populations, periods, metrics and exclusions to keep research claims in context.
SMB Investment Liquidity: Holds and Capital Calls
Understand SMB investment liquidity before relying on proceeds. Separate capital calls, distributions and exits, and identify unanswered timing questions.
SMB LP Reporting: Updates, Tax Documents and Cash
Understand SMB LP reporting by separating updates, valuations, tax documents and cash receipts. Learn what each document answers and what remains unknown.
SMB Portfolio Allocation: Where the Sleeve Fits
SMB portfolio allocation starts with purpose. Examine shared risks, cash demands and private-market exposures before deciding where an SMB sleeve belongs.