Rooted in Mahoning Valley. Investing in Its Future.
We didn’t pick Northeast Ohio from a map. We grew up here. We’re raising our families here. And we believe the businesses that built this valley deserve a partner who understands what they mean to the community.
A GENERATION OF BUILDERS IS APPROACHING A CROSSROADS
The Valley’s Story
The Mahoning Valley has always been built by people who work with their hands and stand behind their word. From the steel mills that once defined Youngstown to the manufacturing shops, service companies, and family businesses that drive the economy today — this region runs on owners who show up every day, take care of their people, and pour everything into what they’ve built.
But many of those owners are approaching a turning point. Nationally, Baby Boomers own roughly 40% of all small businesses, and an estimated 10 million companies will change hands over the next decade. Fewer than one in three of those owners have a succession plan. The numbers here in the Valley are even more stark.
When a business closes or gets acquired by a distant buyer who doesn’t understand the community, the ripple effects are real: jobs leave, families are disrupted, and the character of the towns we love starts to erode. We’ve watched it happen. And we decided to do something about it.
BY THE NUMBERS
10M+
U.S. businesses expected to change hands this decade as Baby Boomer owners retire.
<30%
of small business owners have a formal succession plan in place.
40%
of all U.S. small businesses are owned by Baby Boomers approaching retirement
$10T
in private business assets estimated to transfer in the largest ownership shift in history
Sources: SBA, Census Bureau, industry research
The Mahoning Valley — Warren, Youngstown, Niles, Boardman, and the surrounding communities — is right in the middle of this wave. These aren’t just statistics. They’re the machine shops, HVAC companies, distributors, and service businesses that keep this region running.
THIS IS PERSONAL
Why We’re Here
Methodica Capital exists because of this community, not in spite of it.
Our founder, Trevor Harnett, grew up on a grain farm in Kinsman, Ohio. He built a technology company, managed a family office, and earned credentials at Chicago Booth and Ohio State. He could have set up shop anywhere. He chose to come home — to Warren, to the Mahoning Valley — because this is where the work matters most.
We’re not a Wall Street fund looking for a quick flip. We’re not a coastal firm that discovered “flyover country” on a spreadsheet. We live here. Our kids go to school here. We go to church here. When we invest in a local business, we’re investing in our own community — and we take that seriously.
It always really bothered me hearing the area referred to as “the rust belt”. I was born here, live here with my family, and want to do what I can to change that for everyone. - Trevor Harnett, Founder & Managing Partner of Methodica Capital
We started Methodica because we saw a gap: too many good Valley businesses are approaching a transition without a local partner who could offer fair terms, patient capital, and a genuine commitment to keeping operations and jobs right here. The national private equity firms don’t have the Valley’s best interest at heart. The brokers are selling to the highest bidder regardless of fit, often causing unnecessary turmoil and disappointing transitions. And too many owners are simply closing up shop because they don’t see another option. We want to change that.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Our Commitment to the Valley
Jobs Stay Here
When we acquire a business, we’re not looking to consolidate it into a distant headquarters or outsource its workforce. Our honest view is the employees ARE the business. The employees are the reason the business works. Our goal is to keep operations local, retain the people who built the company’s reputation, and invest in their growth.
Capital That’s Patient
We’re not on a 3 to 5 year fund clock. A bulk of each deal’s capital comes from our own family office, which means we can invest on timelines that make sense for the business — not for a portfolio manager in New York. We think in years, not quarters.
Legacy Is Protected
You didn’t build your business so a stranger could slap a new name on the door and strip it for parts. We honor what founders have created. We keep the name, the culture, and the community relationships that make the business what it is. Your legacy matters to us because it’s woven into the fabric of the community…the community we live in.
“The Valley has been overlooked for a long time. But that’s changing. And we want to be here — not as outsiders with a checkbook, but as neighbors who understand what these businesses mean to the people who depend on them.”
— Trevor Harnett, Founder & Managing Partner
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
Let’s Talk About What’s Next
Whether you’re five years from retirement or already fielding offers, we’d welcome the chance to sit down and hear your story. No pressure, no pitch — just an honest conversation about your options with someone who knows the Valley.
Or call us directly: 330-355-8492