You Built the Business.
We Make It Investable.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
You’ve built a successful business. Now, you’re thinking bigger.
At Lafayette & Oak, we partner with proven operators ready to break through their next ceiling, through smart acquisitions, structured capital, and the operational clarity that institutional investors demand.
This isn’t reinvention. It’s evolution.
You’ve earned your expertise by building real results. We help you scale with clarity, structure deals with precision, and approach capital on your terms.
This next chapter shouldn’t feel like a gamble. It should feel like the payoff.
WHO WE SERVE
Built for operators who've outgrown the playbook.
You’re doing $3M to $25M in revenue. The business works. But the next phase (acquisitions, institutional capital, platform growth) requires a different kind of preparation.
We work with proven operators who are ready to translate what they’ve built into opportunities the capital markets can evaluate, trust, and fund.
This isn’t startup talk. It’s for operators who’ve earned their credibility and are ready to put it to work.
“Working with Lafayette & Oak has been transformative. Their team combines the precision of investment bankers with the creativity of entrepreneurs, making complex growth strategies feel both achievable and exciting. What impressed me most is their ability to see around corners, identifying opportunities and risks others would miss, and then guiding leadership teams with clarity and confidence. For any business owner serious about scaling through acquisitions or unlocking new levels of value, Lafayette & Oak isn’t just a partner, they’re a force multiplier.”
Katrina Falcon
Marketing Director, Comhar Partners
We Partner With Operators Who:
- Build with Discipline
- Know Their Numbers
- Own the Outcome
- Think Beyond the Quarter
- Welcome Scrutiny
- Invest in the Long Game
THE EXPERIENCE
How We Partner
At Lafayette & Oak, we partner with established business owners ready to scale with strategy and control. Our Capital Readiness Framework combines narrative development, financial underwriting, and deal structuring to build institutional credibility and attract aligned capital, while protecting what you’ve built.
Positioning
Operator
Positioning
Institutional capital backs people before it backs businesses. We sharpen your operator story, highlighting the credibility, track record, and leadership depth that investors need to see before they write a check.
Strategy
Narrative &
Strategy
A strong business isn't enough. You need a narrative that explains why the opportunity exists now, why you're the one to capture it, and why the moment to scale is today. We build that case.
Structuring
Capital
Structuring
How capital enters, how risk is allocated, and how value is realized. We design deal structures that protect your flexibility while giving investors the confidence and clarity they need to move forward.
Execution
Growth
Execution
Capital arriving is the beginning, not the end. We help you deploy it effectively, build operational infrastructure for scale, and execute acquisitions that compound enterprise value over time.
Times We've Said "Let's Circle Back"
Average Espressos Per Deal Close
Spreadsheet Tabs Reviewed So You Don't Have To
When the Best Deal Ideas Hit (We're Still Up)
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Operator-First. Always.We work alongside you, not above you. Your business, your knowledge, your relationships. We translate that into a framework the capital markets respect.
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Tailored SupportNo two operators are the same. Every engagement is built around your specific business, industry, and capital objectives.
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Network That Moves DealsCurated introductions to capital providers who are genuinely aligned with your opportunity and growth thesis.
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Built to LastWe prepare businesses for institutional scrutiny today and operational scale tomorrow. This isn't a quick fix.
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Leadership Legacy, Future of FreedomWe help you build something that works without you in every seat. Scale the business. Reclaim your time.
“Lafayette & Oak brings a rare combination of strategic sophistication and real-world practicality. They don’t just talk about growth, they engineer it. From the very first conversation, I could see their depth of experience in structuring deals, unlocking capital, and driving operational excellence. What stood out was their ability to meet owners exactly where they are, then chart a path that feels ambitious yet achievable. With L&O, you’re not just getting advisors, you’re gaining partners who are as invested in your success as you are.”
Miguel Roman
2x Exited Entrepreneur
Meet the partners behind your next level
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ABHI GOLHAR
As the founder of Lafayette & Oak, Abhi Golhar brings deep experience guiding businesses through growth, transition, and transformation. His journey, from wins to wipeouts, has shaped a leadership style grounded in resilience, strategic precision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Abhi believes big breakthroughs begin with self-doubt and that with the right structure and strategy, any challenge can become a launchpad. He doesn’t just teach growth, he builds it. And he helps others do the same.
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Kevin Aschman
Kevin Aschman is a growth executive, strategic operator, and Founder of Aschman Growth Partners. He brings 25+ years of experience helping businesses scale through operational clarity, disciplined execution, and capital alignment.
He has worked alongside real estate investors, private equity firms, and growth-stage operators to translate operational performance into deals that institutional capital can underwrite and fund. That means identifying what’s limiting scale, building the structure to fix it, and aligning leadership around a clear path forward.
At Lafayette & Oak, Kevin works with operators across the full capital lifecycle. He institutionalizes businesses, sharpens their narrative, and aligns underwriting and deal structure from preparation through close.
Clarity creates capital. Structure creates scale. That’s where Kevin operates.
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Susan Goebel
Susan is a strategist who builds order out of complexity. With decades of global leadership experience in healthcare, biotech, and high-growth companies, she has scaled businesses to 8-figure revenues in under 18 months, secured $35M in government funding, and led commercialization strategies across continents.
At Lafayette & Oak, Susan partners with owners to bring structure, accountability, and measurable results to the table. Her specialty: transforming scattered operations into systems that drive EBITDA, stabilize leadership, and unlock efficiency without unnecessary complexity.
Known for her ability to cut through noise and align people, processes, and strategy, Susan helps leaders move with clarity and confidence, turning potential into sustainable enterprise value.
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Melissa Nazareno
Melissa is a hands-on growth partner who helps owners scale without losing control. She blends operational improvement, finance leadership, and technology implementation to turn ambitious growth plans into repeatable execution. With two decades across high-growth SaaS and service businesses, she has led major platform rollouts, strengthened cash discipline, and supported organizations through rapid expansion, including a $240M Series C raise. At Lafayette & Oak, Melissa works shoulder-to-shoulder with owners to build an operating rhythm that keeps priorities moving through growth, change, and integration so progress feels intentional, not exhausting.
Our Values
Uncover the story of Lafayette & Oak
Scale smarter. Grow faster. Keep control.
If you’re a proven operator thinking about growth capital, acquisitions, or your next phase, don’t walk into that room until the work is done. Lafayette & Oak builds the foundation that makes capital show up on your terms.
We take on a limited number of engagements each quarter. Every operator we work with gets direct access to our team, our framework, and our capital relationships. No cohorts. No group calls. Just focused, disciplined preparation for the conversations that matter most.
OUR PROCESS
How it Works
Your next chapter begins with intention, and the right partner. This isn’t about checking a box. It’s about scaling purposefully, with strategy, capital, and a trusted team beside you. At Lafayette & Oak, we don’t just facilitate deals. We forge long-term partnerships with operators who’ve earned their expertise and are ready to own what’s next.
Tell us about your business, your goals, and your timeline. We assess alignment and whether the Capital Readiness Framework is the right fit.
BeginWe evaluate your opportunity across Operator Strength, Narrative, Underwriting, and Deal Structure. You'll know exactly what needs to be built.
BeginWe go to work. Narrative development, financial modeling, operations enhancement, deal structuring, and (if applicable) targeted capital introductions. You enter every conversation prepared.
BeginFAQs
You asked.
We answered.
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Who is Lafayette & Oak designed for?
We work with proven operators running businesses between $3M and $25M in revenue who are ready to scale through acquisitions, institutional capital, or platform growth. You’ve already built something real. We help you translate that into an opportunity the capital markets can evaluate, trust, and fund.
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What makes Lafayette & Oak different from an investment bank?
Investment banks enter once the deal is defined and capital is ready to be placed. We work earlier in the lifecycle, helping operators build the narrative, underwriting, and deal structure that make those conversations productive in the first place. By the time you engage a banker, the foundational work is already done.
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How do I know if I'm a good fit?
You have a real business with real revenue. You’ve been operating for 5+ years. You’re thinking about acquisitions, growth capital, or scaling beyond where you are today, but you know the next phase requires more than just execution. If that sounds like you, let’s talk.
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What does "capital-ready" actually mean?
It means your opportunity is structured for institutional evaluation. Your operator story is clear, your narrative is compelling, your financials withstand scrutiny, and your deal structure aligns incentives between you and your capital partners. Most businesses aren’t capital-ready. That’s the gap we close.
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How does Lafayette & Oak help with capital?
We prepare you to approach capital from a position of strength. That includes narrative development, financial modeling, deal structuring, and investment materials. For operators in our Activation Partnership, we also make targeted introductions to capital providers aligned with your industry, size, and growth thesis.
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How long does the process take?
Capital Readiness engagements typically take 60 to 90 days. Activation Partnerships, which include capital introductions and deal management, run 120 to 180 days. Timeline depends on the complexity of the opportunity and how much foundational work needs to be built.
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How do I get started?
Reach out through the site or email us directly. We’ll have an initial conversation about your business, your goals, and your timeline. From there, we’ll tell you honestly whether the Capital Readiness Framework is the right fit.
“Lafayette & Oak has a unique gift for translating complexity into clarity. They don’t just look at numbers, they look at people, culture, and vision, and then align all three to create sustainable growth. As someone who has spent my career in leadership and organizational development, I’ve rarely seen a team so adept at balancing the human side of business with the financial and operational rigor required to scale. Partnering with L&O means you’re building more than enterprise value, you’re building a lasting legacy.”
Dr. Phillip Hearn, Ed.D.
READY?