Some business owners believe partnering with private equity means losing control. The right partner can do the opposite: alignment, accelerating growth, strengthening culture, and creating generational wealth.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff sits down with Allen Sweeney, founder and CEO of APHIX Grounds Maintenance, to unpack his journey from starting a landscape business in high school to leading a $60M, multi-state platform. Allen shares the pivotal decisions that fueled APHIX’s growth: hiring a true CFO earlier than felt comfortable, redefining the company’s name and mission, and ultimately partnering with private equity. Together, Jeff and Allen break down what the partnership process really looks like, how management equity transformed APHIX’s leadership team, and why culture and vision mattered more than capital at every stage.

Key Discussion Points:

• Starting a service business in high school and scaling over decades

• Why APHIX changed its name, values, and mission

• Hiring a real CFO before “feeling ready”

• Letting your “Why” unlock your growth

• Unsolicited offers and valuation surprises

• What private equity partnerships actually look like in practice

• Management equity and creating generational wealth for leaders

• Scaling culture, leadership, and accountability alongside growth

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:00 Meet Allen Sweeney & APHIX Grounds Maintenance

3:40 How Jeff and Allen First Met

7:00 Starting a Business in High School

10:00 Why APHIX Changed Its Name and Mission

14:10 Hiring a CFO Before Feeling Ready

18:30 Scaling from $8M to $18M in One Year

22:30 Unsolicited Offers & Valuation Shock

26:00 Deciding Whether to Take Private Equity

30:00 Selecting the Right PE Partner

33:30 Management Equity & Sharing the Win

38:00 Life After the First Private Equity Deal

41:30 Leadership Routines & Mental Discipline

44:30 Growing Leaders Inside APHIX

47:00 Final Reflections & Closing