Private Equity Investment Opportunity in Merge

Guardrail Finance is partnering with Willow Creek Partners on a new private equity investment to acquire Merge (www.gomerge.com). This a private equity investment opportunity for accredited investors under Reg D 506(c) to acquire an existing business at the forefront of two current trends – the first trend is a demographic trend where aging baby boomers are seeking to sell their businesses, and the second trend is a technological trend where AI-enabled platforms can help a company scale more rapidly. This will be the sixth investment I have made with Willow Creek Partners over the past 8 years.

We are raising $6,434,000 with a minimum investment of $50,000 to complete the acquisition, which is scheduled to close near the end of September 2025. The investment offers a 15% Preferred Return followed by a 50/50 split. The expected hold period is 5 years. Cash flow generated from the business is currently underwritten to invest in new business verticals, pay down debt, and satisfy lender covenants for the first 3 years. Distributions are expected to begin in Year 3 with a sale underwritten to take place in Year 5.

Merge is a Tech/AI-enabled platform providing advisory services to founder-led marketing, digital, and creative agencies across North America exploring an exit. It delivers institutional-quality outcomes to a fragmented, underserved segment—and is built for platform-level expansion.

Merge delivers white-glove, founder-first sell-side advisory, guiding business owners through critical life transitions such as retirement, burnout, or strategic exits. With a proprietary valuation framework, a dedicated internal deal team, and zero reliance on paid advertising, Merge has built a scalable, tech-enabled platform that closes deals quickly and efficiently. Its reputation for care, precision, and high-touch execution is why the most ambitious agency founders repeatedly turn to Merge to navigate their exits.

Willow Creek Partners recently hosted a webinar on Merge where the following was discussed:

• How Merge achieves 50%+ close rates, recurring revenue and high margins of 50%+
• Why now is the optimal time to invest in founder-led advisory platforms
• Attractive projected returns with a 33% IRR and a 3.57x equity multiplier to investors

Access the Recorded Webinar On-Demand

​[Watch the Recording]​

If you have interest in this exciting investment opportunity, please let me know, and we will get you set up. If you have any questions and would like to speak to the team, we can also arrange a call.

Regards,

Robert Newstead

Guardrail Finance LLC

rnewstead@guardrailfinance.com

7901 4th St N, Suite 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
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