Brentwood makes science of creating powerhouse brands

Los Angeles-based private equity firm Brentwood Associates has made a science of spotting lesser-known consumer concepts with staying power and turning them into more profitable powerhouse brands, increasing demand with fine-tuned marketing and broader distribution, as reported in “Bold Vision,” the cover story for January’s Middle Market Growth magazine.
The portfolio companies held for more than a year in Brentwood’s fourth fund have averaged 127 percent growth since the firm acquired them.
“The founders (of the portfolio companies) come up with unbelievably cool ideas and they execute the heck out of them, grow the business, and develop a relationship with their customers that is just really unique,” says Bill Barnum, managing partner and co-founder of Brentwood. “But most of them aren’t professional managers. They’re entrepreneurs.”