How SMB Investing Works

For Investors

Learn about how SMB investing works on Mainshares

Pre-screened deals. Streamlined experience. Unparalleled support.

Getting started

Operator signs a Letter of Intent to acquire a small business

These operators will manage the business full-time after the deal closes, filling the shoes of the previous owner-operator. They undergo vetting by Mainshares, including background checks, credit checks, and an interview.

Mainshares reviews opportunity

Once the operator has shared the deal with Mainshares, our team will review the acquisition in its entirety. This includes projections, financing plans, and operator-business fit. We review hundreds of deals each quarter but less than 10% pass our bar.

Opportunity posted on Mainshares

Once the deal is ready for investors, the investment opportunity will be posted on Mainshares. Some opportunities are discoverable by anyone in the Mainshares Investor Network, while others may require an invite from the operator.

Invest in the opportunity

Once you receive access to a deal, you will be able to review the offering documents, diligence the data room, attend an investor webinar, and build a 1:1 relationship with the operator. If you decide to invest, you can commit directly on Mainshares.

Receive distributions & manage your investment

After the deal closes, your investment will show up in your portfolio on Mainshares. You can link your bank account to receive distributions, track quarterly financials, receive investor updates, and vote on any governance items.

Sale & disposition

Most SMB investments will provide liquidity through a future sale of the business or the buy-back of your holdings by the operating company within 5-7 years. The terms of any sale or buy-back (i.e., “equity call”) are outlined in the offering documents.

Learn more about Mainshares

How does Mainshares review deals?

Every investment opportunity published on Mainshares undergoes our investment screening process. Some opportunities will be listed by our affiliated, FINRA-registered broker-dealer, Main Street Securities. Main Street Securities conducts extensive screening for both issuers and opportunities before listing them on Mainshares.

What kinds of investment opportunities are posted?

Mainshares provides access to a variety of deals across industries, from marketing agencies to floor installation. Deals range in size from as small as $1M inspection businesses to $20M glass services businesses. Each deal has its own unique potential and risks based on the individual business plan.

What information is provided about deals?

To help you make informed decisions, we provide in-depth information and insights for each deal, including issuer decks, data rooms, details on the financials, return structures and much more.

Hear what our investors are saying

Types of opportunities

Investing in small businesses can be a core part of building an alternatives portfolio. Based on your goals, there are two ways to invest through Mainshares.

Individual
Businesses

Invest directly in individual business acquisitions.

Access diverse deal flow

We work with some of the nation’s top lenders, attorneys and business brokers to bring you a wide range of curated deals across various industries, regions and strategies.

Play a role in the business

By investing deal-by-deal, you’ll be able to weigh in on strategic decisions and help the operator build and grow their acquisition.

Build a custom portfolio

Curate a tailored SMB portfolio by selecting individual deals that support your objectives and match your thesis.

Leverage investing professionals

Funds listed on Mainshares are constructed and managed by investing professionals, many with years of experience in small business and Lower Middle Market private equity.

Construct your portfolio faster

Spend less time and effort reviewing and diligencing deals while potentially gaining exposure to multiple industries, operators and regions.

Diversification with a single investment

Funds require a minimum investment similar to individual opportunities, yet offer exposure to multiple opportunities.

Diversified Funds

Invest in several businesses with a single investment

Join the Mainshares Investor Network

Our Investor Network includes over 500 investors, ranging from current small business owners to real estate developers and sophisticated family offices. We’re adding dozens of new investors each month and encourage you to join if you’re curious about SMB investing.

Frequently Asked Questions

New deals every week

Mainshares is the leading
small business investing platform

Hundreds of investors use Mainshares to invest in small business deals. Our online platform makes it easy for you to compare and review deals, find the right businesses for your portfolio, track the performance of your investments, and receive cash distributions.

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Disclosure:

This website (the “Website”) is owned and operated by Mainshares, LLC (“Mainshares”). By accessing the Website and any pages thereof, you agree to be bound by Mainshares’ Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for Main Street Securities, LLC (“Main Street”). The information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to influence any investment decision or be a recommendation for any investment, service, product, or other advice of any kind, and shall not constitute or imply an offer of any kind. The products and services offered by Mainshares are not offered by a certified public accountant (“CPA”) and should not be considered as a substitute for services provided by a CPA.

Broker-dealer services provided in connection with some of the investment opportunities on the Mainshares platform are offered through Main Street, a registered broker-dealer, affiliate of Mainshares, and member of FINRA/SIPC. For additional information, please contact your licensed securities representative of Main Street Securities LLC or visit FINRA’s BrokerCheck. If the investment opportunity does not include the "Brokered by Main Street Securities" designation, broker-dealer services were not provided in connection with the offering through Main Street.

Neither Mainshares nor Main Street Securities LLC make investment recommendations and no communication, through this Website or in any other medium should be construed as a recommendation for any security offered.

Should you be presented with an investment opportunity, such investment opportunities involve private, unregistered securities that are speculative and involve substantial risk. These investment opportunities are conducted in accordance with an exemption from registration, specifically relying on the private offering provision outlined in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, along with compliance with Rule 506 of Regulation D. All investments involve risk and the past performance of a security, or financial product does not guarantee future results or returns. There is always potential to lose money when you invest in securities or other financial products. Private placements lack liquidity and distributions are not guaranteed. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional advice prior to entering into any transaction for any securities and to consider your investment objectives and risks carefully before investing.

Neither the SEC nor any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority has recommended or approved any investment or the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or materials provided herein or through any references/links herein. There can be no assurance that any valuations provided by issuers are accurate or in agreement with market or industry valuations. Neither Mainshares nor Main Street Securities LLC make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy of such information.