5 Entrepreneurs Who’ve Bought Themselves Back From Their Majority Investors — And What They Learned

Many founders dream of eventually selling a majority interest in their company to an organization with ample capital and resources. Whether it involves a strategic corporate buyer or a private equity firm, these acquisitions can help a company scale and can be great for a company’s balance sheet and liquidity.

However, selling your business often means you lose at least some control of it. Many founders find that they don’t agree with the direction in which majority shareholders take their company.

Whether it’s a matter of different entrepreneurial values than their purchasers, or a belief that the company isn’t getting the attention it deserves, their unhappiness may be enough to convince original owners to buy back a majority of their company shares. Let’s take a look at some founders who decided to repurchase sold shares and the lessons they learned along the way.

1. Zico Coconut Water: Bigger doesn’t mean better

When Mark Rampolla, the founder of Zico, sold the brand to Coca-Cola in 2013, he likely didn’t picture himself buying it back six years later. After a strenuous nine years of running the business and a fierce rivalry with competing brand Vita Coco, handing…