We buy and operate businesses for the long term. At Perennial Group, we partner with owners who care deeply about what happens next to their employees, customers, and the reputation they have spent years building. For many founders, selling a business is not just a financial decision. It is a decision about legacy, continuity, and trust.
We are business owners, not private equity investors. We do not buy companies to resell them a few years later. We acquire established businesses to own and operate for the long term, with a focus on preserving what makes them special and supporting a thoughtful transition for each owner. Each of us brings more than 30 years of experience building, leading, and growing companies, and we understand that this decision is personal. Our approach is straightforward, respectful, and confidential, and we work with each owner to create a transition that fits their goals, whether that means stepping away immediately, staying involved for a period of time, or exploring other options.
Perennial Group was built for owners looking for a different kind of buyer: one who values continuity, respects what has already been built, and intends to carry the business forward for the long term.
Many business owners hear regularly from strategic buyers and private equity firms. Those buyers often have different priorities. Strategic buyers may consolidate operations, relocate jobs, or absorb your company into a larger organization. Private equity firms typically work on a shorter investment timeline with the goal of reselling again in a few years.
Perennial Group was built on a different philosophy. We acquire businesses to own and operate for the long term. Our goal is to protect what makes a company successful while helping it continue to grow in capable hands.
We seek successful small businesses to acquire and own over the long term. We work with managers who want to remain with the business, succession from within the existing management or, we can supply management either immediately or after a transition period.
We seek successful small businesses to acquire and own over the long term. We work with managers who want to remain with the business, succession from within the existing management or, we can supply management either immediately or after a transition period.
Charlie Saponaro is an experienced operator and investor with over 30 years of experience growing companies. Currently, Charlie is a partner of Perennial Group, which is a long-term holding company dedicated to buying and building businesses.
Prior to Perennial, Charlie was the owner and CEO of Medical Record Associates (MRA), a healthcare services business he acquired in 2010 via Search Fund. Under his leadership, MRA expanded to over 250 employees across 40 states before being acquired in 2023.
Before MRA, he founded Bartley Capital, a search fund focused on acquiring and operating a single business. Prior to that, he led M&A efforts at ArchivesOne, a private equity-backed Records Management company that completed 35 acquisitions to become the third largest in the industry before its sale to Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM).
Earlier in his career, Charlie was a Vice President at Brook Venture Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm focused on expansion-stage investments. He also worked at Saturn Partners, a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage technology investments, and Boston Capital, a real estate investment and advisory firm specializing in in affordable multifamily housing. Charlie holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont and lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two daughters.
John started his career in public accounting in 1993 and joined his first entrepreneurial business in at the end of 1999 as its CFO because all the qualified candidates for that job were joining dot com companies.
That first opportunity to working in a fast growing company, ArchivesOne, first as its CFO and then its COO, where he met Charlie. There he was focused on building the team and processes needed to integrate 35 acquisitions to become the third largest business in the records management industry.
In 2008 John met Bob and eventually joined one of Bob’s investments as CEO. That company, TAS Messaging, through acquisitions and organic growth, grew to be one of the top 5 phone answering businesses in the US, with operations centers from Texas to Pennsylvania.
After that John joined Onesource Water in 2012, holding various titles including CEO, COO, and Co-President. Onesource Water through organic growth and acquisitions became the second largest bottleless water provider in the workplace, with locations in 19 of the 25 largest metro US markets.
Since 2018 John has been the COO of careviso, a company focused on providing healthcare pricing transparency and related services through industry leading software and a dedicated staff. Careviso has been John’s first opportunity to work as part of a company from the early formation to a thriving business with over 250 team members.
Throughout John’s career he has seen the distinct advantage entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking employees have over their shorter sighted corporate competitors. John is very motivated to work with Charlie and Bob at Perennial Group with a focus on buying and building great businesses.
Thinking about the future of your business? Whether you are planning to retire soon or simply beginning to consider your options, we would be glad to have a confidential conversation.
No pressure. No intermediaries. Just business owners talking with business owners about what comes next.
