Why Tennessee
The Legacy Way: A New Model for Succession
At Legacy Holdings, we’re pioneering a new succession model for essential business owners. Our mission is simple: to invest in locally rooted, essential service businesses and scale them within regional portfolios of complementary companies—without stripping them of their identity, independence, or legacy.
Unlike traditional private equity, we don’t flip businesses or centralize them into a national roll-up. Instead, we build hyper-local portfolios—operated by local teams, backed by local capital, and structured to serve the long-term needs of each community. Our operators bring hands-on experience to the regions where we invest, creating trusted relationships with business owners and unlocking synergies across industries.
Why Tennessee Matters to Us
Tennessee is one of our most important markets—not just because of its infrastructure investment, but because of its people, its business culture, and the generational companies that form the backbone of its economy.
With over 99% of Tennessee businesses classified as small, there is a deeply embedded entrepreneurial spirit throughout the state. But these small business owners aren’t struggling with growth—they’re struggling with succession.
Owners are facing tough choices: sell to outsiders, wind down, or keep pushing forward without support. Many of these businesses are profitable, resilient, and embedded in their communities—but they lack a transition plan.
We offer a different path.
Legacy of Tennessee provides business owners with an alternative to private equity: a chance to monetize their success while preserving what they’ve built, staying local, and gaining equity in a larger, synergistic portfolio.
Tennessee Is Building — And We’re Here for It
Tennessee is building—and not just metaphorically. With more than $77 billion in public infrastructure improvements planned statewide, and $3.1 billion allocated for Nashville’s "Choose How You Move" transit initiative, the state is undergoing a transformation that will define its economy, workforce, and communities for decades to come.
Behind this momentum is a growing demand for essential service providers—small businesses that handle the work most people never see, but everyone relies on. At Legacy of Tennessee, we’re investing in these businesses, helping them grow with purpose, scale with structure, and stay rooted in the communities they serve.
Our Focus: Transportation Infrastructure
Legacy of Tennessee is building a locally owned, Tennessee-based portfolio of complementary small businesses that support critical infrastructure projects across the state. We’re particularly focused on the following sectors:
Traffic Control & Roadway Safety
Geotechnical Testing & Environmental Compliance
Pavement & Roadway Maintenance
Logistics & Heavy Equipment Support
Soil Remediation & Site Security
These verticals are essential to Tennessee’s transformation, and remain non-discretionary, compliance-driven, and contract-based, making them stable through market cycles.
According to Axios and the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee’s infrastructure needs are at an all-time high, with major federal and state funding earmarked for road expansion, transit upgrades, and environmental remediation.
Why Small Businesses Are the Key
From pavement contractors in Chattanooga to geotechnical firms in Nashville, Tennessee is full of family-owned businesses with deep roots and reliable teams. But as many owners approach retirement, they’re faced with tough choices: sell to out-of-state buyers, wind down, or try to scale alone.
We provide a fourth option.
Legacy of Tennessee offers a founder-friendly succession model that allows owners to monetize their business while remaining involved—and gain equity in a larger, synergistic portfolio.
Our businesses:
Keep their name, team, and culture
Leverage shared services (finance, HR, compliance, etc.)
Access capital and operational support to scale
Benefit from cross-selling and regional collaboration
Meet the Tennessee Team
We’re not just investing in companies. We’re investing in communities—and that starts with the people on the ground.
Mike Robinson, Managing Director, is a Nashville native with deep experience in construction and government affairs. As a leader at BrandSafway and a former government relations associate, Mike understands both the commercial side of infrastructure and the policy landscape that drives public investment.
Kathleen Hawkins, Consultant, brings decades of experience in business consulting, succession strategy, and community leadership. As the former CEO of the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce and founder of a nationwide business network, Kathleen has been helping Tennessee entrepreneurs grow and transition their businesses for years. Together, they are building a community-driven portfolio, supported by local capital and focused on long-term impact—not short-term profits.
What Makes Our Model Different
Legacy of Tennessee is not private equity as usual. We’re not flipping companies or stripping teams. We are:
Backed by Tennessee-based investors and banks
Focused on non-discretionary, infrastructure-related services
Built to keep companies independent and founder-led
Offering equity, profit-sharing, and long-term ownership to sellers
Our goal is to create a $100M+ revenue-generating portfolio of small businesses that support Tennessee’s growth while staying true to their roots.
Who We're Looking to Partner With
If you run—or know—a business involved in:
Road construction or maintenance
Soil or site testing and inspections
Pavement services or surface treatments
Heavy equipment rentals or logistics
Environmental compliance or remediation
…we’d love to talk.
📬 Reach out to Mike Robinson at Mike@LegacyTennessee.us to learn more about Legacy of Tennessee.
We’re here to help business owners scale, transition, or simply take the next step—with the right support and local alignment.