about pursue partners
We are focused on harnessing the power of small business to serve a higher purpose.
who we are
“We need red blood cells to live (the same way a business needs profits to live), but the purpose of life is more than to make red blood cells (the same way the purpose of business is more than simply to generate profits).”
Pursue Partners is a private investment firm founded in 2020 with the objective of partnering with like-minded leaders to build outstanding businesses driven by a strong sense of purpose.
Successful businesses have an extraordinary capacity to improve the lives of those around them, whether they be employees, customers, suppliers, business owners, or the broader community. We believe, therefore, we can meaningfully elevate the lives of others by deploying our minds, relationships, and capital to help build outstanding, community-minded companies. Such companies, we believe, will be more resilient, more profitable, and therefore better positioned to do more good for more people over the long-term. This is our pursuit.
MEET Our Team
The principals of Pursue Partners have decades of experience advising, operating, and investing in growth-oriented businesses.
Jeff balcombe
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Jeff launched Pursue Partners with the goal of elevating the lives of others while pursuing his passion for helping small businesses maximize their potential. He participates in all facets of the firm’s investment activities and is passionate about building relationships with small business leaders and working closely with management teams to achieve their objectives. Over the last 25 years, Jeff has founded, invested in, advised, or led numerous successful businesses across a variety of industries and situations. Jeff has founded businesses in the outdoor advertising, software, financial services, and fitness industries, as well as others. He is the co-inventor on a patent and has several registered trademarks. He has realized three exits in businesses he founded. When he’s not pursuing his business interests, Jeff enjoys involvement in charitable initiatives and spending time outdoors hiking, Jeeping, or stargazing. Jeff received a Master in Professional Accounting and Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas, where he graduated with honors.
J.R. Radcliffe
Co-Founder & Partner
J.R. co-founded Pursue Partners as a platform to help businesses find and pursue their higher purpose. He is involved in all aspects of the firm’s activities, including identifying opportunities, executing transactions, and working closely with management teams. Previously, J.R. worked as a private equity investor and spent 11 years at a business advisory firm, where he served on the executive leadership team and advised countless businesses on valuation and other financial issues. When he’s not working, J.R. enjoys reading about history and science and wrangling his two children. J.R. received his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with honors and majored in Finance, Strategic Management, and Operational Effectiveness. In addition, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Finance and a BA in Economics.
what makes us different
purpose-driven capital
Our mission is simple — to leverage our minds, relationships, and capital to serve a higher purpose and elevate the lives of others. We seek to partner with like-minded leaders and businesses that value this purpose first, our minds and relationships second, and our capital third.
trusted, value-added partners
Building great, purpose-driven businesses requires trusted partnerships and integrity is the foundation of trust. We believe people should speak truthfully and uphold their commitments, so you should expect the same from us. In addition, as partners in any pursuit, we commit to fully dedicating our team’s decades of experience in advising, operating, and investing in businesses and tapping into our broad, multi-disciplinary network.
flexibility and creativity
We primarily invest our own funds in our pursuits, so we are nimble and free from the distractions and conflicts of interest faced by traditional funds and their partners. As such, we are able to be flexible and creative with respect to the types of investments we pursue, the structures we employ, and the time horizons over which we invest. In addition, we are able to full commit our time and resources to working with our partners to achieve our mutual objectives.