A conversation on entrepreneurship, investing, and purpose
Atlanta-based private investment firm 7 Seas Capital was founded by entrepreneurs who believe building and exiting a company is about more than a transaction—it’s about legacy. The firm partners with lower to middle-market businesses to help founders transition successfully while positioning their companies for long-term growth.
We sat down with co-founders Clayton Terry and Trevor Seckinger to learn more about their background, their approach to investing, and how mission-driven work influences the way they operate.
Q: What inspired you to start 7 Seas Capital?
Clayton Terry:
We started 7 Seas Capital because we’ve both been operators and entrepreneurs ourselves. We understand firsthand how personal building a business is. For many founders, their company represents decades of work, relationships with employees, and a legacy they want to preserve.
Our goal is to create a different kind of investment partner—one that understands the emotional and operational side of selling a company, not just the financial side.
Trevor Seckinger:
Many private equity groups approach acquisitions purely from a financial perspective. We wanted to build a firm that partners with owners and management teams in a more collaborative way. Having been on the operator side ourselves gives us empathy for what founders are going through.
Q: How would you describe the investment philosophy at 7 Seas Capital?
Clayton Terry:
At its core, we focus on partnerships. We’re looking for companies where we can work alongside strong management teams and help them scale the business over time.
Typically, we look for companies generating around $10–$50 million in revenue and $1–$10 million in EBITDA. But more important than the numbers is the business itself—companies with strong value propositions, loyal customer relationships, and leadership teams that want to stay involved and continue growing the business.
Trevor Seckinger:
We also prefer businesses with a clear path to growth. That might come through operational improvements, strategic expansion, or new product development. Our goal is to help enhance EBITDA and enterprise value, while maintaining the culture that made the business successful in the first place.
Q: What makes your approach different from traditional private equity?
Trevor Seckinger:
One big difference is that we see ourselves as operators first. Our team has experience running businesses and executing acquisitions, which means we can be very hands-on when needed.
Clayton Terry:
And we’re intentional about alignment. We structure deals so that management teams are incentivized to grow alongside us. When everyone at the table is working toward the same outcome, you get much stronger long-term results.
Q: Many founders worry about what happens to their employees after a sale. How do you approach that?
Clayton Terry:
That’s a huge consideration for us. Many of the owners we partner with care deeply about their teams and want to ensure stability after a transition.
Our goal is to preserve the culture and create new opportunities for employees as the company grows. A successful exit shouldn’t just benefit the seller—it should strengthen the organization for everyone involved.
Trevor Seckinger:
If employees win, customers win, and the company grows. That’s the type of outcome we aim to create.
Q: Beyond business, both of you are involved in mission and community work. How does that influence the firm?
Trevor Seckinger:
Our faith and mission work play a major role in how we think about leadership and stewardship. Business is an incredible platform to create impact—not just financially, but in how you treat people and the opportunities you create.
Clayton Terry:
For us, success isn’t only measured by returns. It’s also about the relationships we build, the communities we support, and the people we help along the way.
Q: What kinds of businesses are you most excited to partner with?
Clayton Terry:
We’re particularly excited about companies with strong fundamentals that are ready for the next stage of growth. Often these are founder-led businesses that have built something great but need additional resources or strategic support to scale.
Trevor Seckinger:
The ideal partnership is when a founder wants to preserve the legacy of what they built while unlocking the company’s next phase. That’s where we believe we can bring the most value.
Q: Looking ahead, what is the vision for 7 Seas Capital?
Trevor Seckinger:
Our vision is to build a portfolio of outstanding businesses across the United States while maintaining a very intentional approach to partnerships.
Clayton Terry:
Ultimately, we want to be known as a firm that entrepreneurs trust—one that helps founders exit well, protects their legacy, and creates opportunities for their teams. That’s the reason 7 Seas Capital exists.
