A fair, well-reasoned price
We know how to value a business and can do it quickly. We would rather pay a fair price for a great company than a low price for a decent one, and we explain how we reached our number.
Private investment firm · Lower middle market
Built to buy, grow and carry forward great companies.
Oak Stream Partners acquires and invests in lower-middle-market companies with its capital partners. We focus on North American businesses with $1–15 million of EBITDA and bring strategy and operating experience to the plan after closing.
20+
years of operating, insurance and transaction experience
2,000+
acquisition opportunities sourced since 2013
$1–15M
EBITDA range we focus on, across North America
~50
interns mentored through our program since 2013
Why it matters to owners
Capital options behind the offer, and an operator behind the plan
More than one source of capital. Several experienced investors have already expressed interest in backing our acquisitions. When you sign a letter of intent with Oak Stream, your deal has access to more than one potential source of equity, rather than depending on a single firm's approval. We engage capital partners early, so you know how a transaction is expected to be funded before you commit to exclusivity.
Operating value, not just a check. We bring a strategic plan, operating improvements and, where it fits, complementary add-on deal flow. That work can strengthen the investment thesis and the return profile for everyone involved. Investment bankers generally sell a business as it is and typically don't bring this kind of operating work.
How we work with owners
Why owners choose Oak Stream
A buyer built around your outcome
We buy companies we want to own and grow, and we structure each deal around the owner's goals.
More than one source of capital
Several experienced investors have already expressed interest in backing our acquisitions. Signing a letter of intent with Oak Stream gives your deal access to more than one potential source of equity, rather than tying it to a single firm.
Strategy and operating improvements
We bring a strategic plan, operating fixes and, where it fits, complementary add-on opportunities. That work can strengthen the investment thesis and the outlook for the business after closing.
Flexible structures
Full exit, majority recapitalization with retained equity, management buyout or a phased transition. Structure can reflect your goals, timing and tax planning.
Alignment after closing
Our results depend on how the company performs after the deal. Many owners keep a stake so we grow value together.
Respect for your legacy
We value the team, customers and reputation you built and plan for continuity, not a quick flip.
Capital partners
The right capital for the size of the company
Two tiers of experienced capital, matched to each transaction.
Tier 1 Search fund investors
~$1–5M
Tier 2 Private equity firms
~$3–15M
Company EBITDA. Ranges are approximate; in the overlap either type of capital can fit, and some deals may draw on both.
Tier 1 · Search fund investors
~$1–5M EBITDA
For lower-middle-market companies, we invest alongside an established network of search fund investors and operators: founders and executives behind companies such as Asurion and Oracle, and funds dedicated to the search fund model.
Meet the investor networkTier 2 · Private equity firms
~$3–15M EBITDA
For larger companies, we invest alongside institutional private equity firms, which gives us the capacity for larger transactions and follow-on acquisitions.
How our capital works
Investment focus
Broad lower middle market, with a special focus on insurance and warranty
We look at profitable, well-run companies across North America with $1–15 million of EBITDA. Insurance and warranty businesses are a special focus area, where our operating background runs deepest.
Industries we know
Special focus area
Founder
Ryan Addis
Ryan founded Oak Stream Partners in 2013 after two decades as an operator and dealmaker in insurance and financial services. He has served as Chairman and CEO of a national P&C and auto MGA, President and COO of a 45-state insuretech agency, and co-founder and COO of a wholesale mortgage business, and has sourced more than 2,000 acquisition opportunities through Oak Stream.
“Strategy, at its simplest, is allocating resources.”Ryan Addis, “What Is a Strategic Plan?” Poor Richard’s Junto (2010). Read the updated essay
Track record
Selected leadership and transaction roles
Transactions, operating roles and institutions from Ryan Addis’s career.
2026 · Health insurance distribution
Altruis Benefit Consulting
An Oak Stream Partners transaction led by Ryan Addis: the acquisition of Altruis by Bryson, a Long Beach, California-based insurance and financial services organization.
Details2015–2016 · P&C / auto MGA
SCJ Insurance Services
Chairman & CEO of a national MGA writing $150M+ in premium through 2,100+ independent brokers; EBITDA margin rose from 24% to 39% in 18 months.
Details2019–2020 · Insuretech agency
DeepFuse.com
President & COO of a 45-state auto and home agency with $175M+ in-force premium; revenue doubled within 12 months.
DetailsConsulting
Transaction readiness for owners
Not ready to sell yet? We help owners prepare: clean financials, KPI dashboards, an integrated strategic plan and a management team that can run without them.
Explore consultingInternship program
About 50 interns since 2013
Students from schools including Pepperdine, Stanford, USC and UC Berkeley have learned deal sourcing, research and analysis alongside us.
About the programInsights
Latest writing
Practical guidance for owners considering a sale, written by Ryan Addis.
The Transaction Readiness Checklist: How to Prepare Your Company Before You Sell
A practical checklist for owners preparing a company for sale or recapitalization: financials, operations, people, customers, legal and the story buyers need to hear.
Read · 3 min
Quality of Earnings, Explained: What Buyers Look For and How to Prepare
What a quality-of-earnings (QoE) review is, how it differs from an audit, which adjustments buyers scrutinize, and how owners can prepare for one.
Read · 3 min
Selling an MGA or Warranty Company: M&A Considerations for Insurance and Protection-Plan Businesses
What buyers examine when acquiring managing general agents, warranty administrators and protection-plan companies, and how owners can prepare.
Read · 3 minConfidential conversation
Considering a sale, recapitalization or succession?
Every conversation is confidential, and you will speak directly with the person who leads the deal. If your company is close to our criteria, call us. We can usually tell you quickly whether there is a fit.
- Call(478) 276-4431
- Emailacquisitions
@oakstreampartners.com - Office hoursMonday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM Central