“I hired Calder Capital to assist me on the Buy-Side, and now that I’m through the process, I couldn’t be happier! Sam and his team were diligent, professional and had a refreshing sense of urgency. While the process took a bit longer than I expected, the team never wavered and frankly helped me through a few periods of ‘buyer fatigue.’ Sam’s professionalism and attention to detail enabled the closing process to go smoothly and successfully. For anyone considering a business purchase, I would strongly encourage them to consider Calder as opposed to ‘doing it yourself.’ I’m now benefiting from the results of finding the perfect business, and I know I wouldn’t have gotten here without their help.”
– Bryan Houck, Entrepreneur, Grand Rapids, MI (Buyer)
“Passing the torch is a significant milestone for me. Calder Capital’s Buy-Side team was instrumental in making this transition smooth. They were thorough, professional, and committed to ensuring a great match between buyer and seller. I have full faith that Bryan will take ECP to new heights, and I couldn’t ask for a better individual to lead ECP forward. Working with Calder was a great experience, and I appreciate their expertise throughout this journey.”
– Rob Jackson, Founder, Extra Credit Projects, Grand Rapids, MI (Seller)
Calder Capital is pleased to announce that award-winning Grand Rapids-based marketing and advertising agency Extra Credit Projects (ECP) has been successfully acquired by local entrepreneur Bryan Houck.
“I’m so honored to be joining this amazing team of creative professionals,” stated Houck. “ECP has a well-known legacy of award-winning marketing campaigns, not only in West Michigan, but nationally. The Extra Credit Projects tagline of ‘giving a little extra’ to clients fits squarely into my own philosophy of always delivering more than anyone expects.”
Founded in 2006 by Rob Jackson, Extra Credit Projects has grown into a nationally recognized agency providing advertising, design, media, and strategic marketing services. Over the years, the firm has received numerous accolades; most recently receiving a staggering total of 14 Gold and Silver ADDY awards. ECP also won the Judge’s Choice ADDY award for their concept of wrapping the steps at Van Andel Arena to appear as luggage in a promotion done in collaboration with the team at Gerald R Ford International Airport. The agency has built a strong reputation for developing creative, results-driven marketing solutions for clients ranging from local businesses to major national brands and is known for always giving “a little Extra.”
Bryan Houck, an experienced entrepreneur, engaged Calder’s Buy-Side Team to help find his ideal acquisition opportunity in the business-to-business service space. His background in business startups, sales and marketing campaigns, business turnarounds and creative problem-solving made Extra Credit Projects a perfect fit for his vision and expertise.
“To see the incredible scope and impact this company has, compared to its relative size… it just doesn’t make logical sense. I tell people I bought the company because the math didn’t add up…,” Houck remarks. “ECP is truly an example of synergy and collaboration at its best.”
The transaction was successfully facilitated by Calder Capital’s Buy-Side Team, which included Buy-Side Associate Alex Flechsig and Buy-Side Directors Hannah Nabhan and Sam Scharich.
The search process involved extensive outreach and vetting a plethora of quality introductions with Calder’s team generating 40 acquisition targets, and Bryan evaluating and pursuing 23 of the potential leads before securing this off-market deal.
“I hired Calder Capital to assist me on the Buy-Side, and now that I’m through the process, I couldn’t be happier!” added Bryan Houck. “Sam and his team were diligent, professional and had a refreshing sense of urgency. While the process took a bit longer than I expected, the team never wavered and frankly helped me through a few periods of ‘buyer fatigue.’ Sam’s professionalism and attention to detail enabled the closing process to go smoothly and successfully. For anyone considering a business purchase, I would strongly encourage them to consider Calder as opposed to ‘doing it yourself.’ I’m now benefiting from the results of finding the perfect business, and I know I wouldn’t have gotten here without their help.”
“Passing the torch is a significant milestone for me,” said Rob Jackson. “Calder Capital’s Buy-Side team was instrumental in making this transition smooth. They were thorough, professional, and committed to ensuring a great match between buyer and seller. I have full faith that Bryan will take ECP to new heights, and I couldn’t ask for a better individual to lead ECP forward. Working with Calder was a great experience, and I appreciate their expertise throughout this journey.”
“Both Bryan and Rob are outstanding, caring individuals, and it was a pleasure to watch them build a relationship and become friends through this transition,” said Sam Scharich, Buy-Side Advisor at Calder Capital. “Bryan’s patience and perseverance throughout this process was remarkable as it took longer than expected and many LOI submissions, and ultimately is a testament to his tenacity and dedication. On the sell-side, Rob was transparent and fair throughout negotiations, which established trust early on. This truly was a win-win transaction, and I am confident that ECP will flourish under Bryan’s leadership.”
“This acquisition highlights our Calder Capital Buy-Side team’s dedication and ability to source dozens of off-market sellers for our buy-side clients, ultimately resulting in successful deals,” commented Max Friar, Managing Partner of Calder Capital. “Bryan remained committed throughout the process, and this deal is a testament to his persistence and vision. We look forward to seeing how Extra Credit Projects continues to grow under his leadership.”
Calder Capital served as the Exclusive Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor to Bryan Houck in his acquisition of Extra Credit Projects. Legal counsel for the buyers was provided by Jon Siebers and Jennifer Lewis of Rhoades McKee, with CPA advisory services from Megan Villarreal of Schmidt, Koning, Villarreal & Associates, LLC, and additional advisory support from Jim Dixon of Dixon Environmental.
About Extra Credit Projects:
Founded in 2006, Extra Credit Projects is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a team of creative professionals specializing in advertising, design, media planning, and strategic marketing, ECP serves a diverse client base, ranging from local businesses to national brands. To learn more, please visit https://extracreditprojects.com/.
About Calder Capital:
Founded in 2013, Calder Capital, LLC is a lower middle market investment bank providing mergers and acquisitions advisory services to business owners, entrepreneurs, family offices, and investors across the United States. Our dedicated team of professionals combines extensive industry experience, technological innovation, negotiation savvy, and key relationships to exhibit exceptional execution. Calder’s services include mergers and acquisitions advisory, private funds and capital markets advisory, and business valuations. To learn more, please visit http://caldergr.com.
