Focus Impact Partners, LLC and Meaningful Partners LLC announce a strategic growth investment in Skiptown

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Focus Impact Partners, LLC ("Focus Impact") and Meaningful Partners LLC ("Meaningful") announced today the initial closing of a strategic growth investment in Skiptown, ('the "Company"), an innovative pet services and social experiences platform. The investment will enable Skiptown to expand its operations and open new locations across new markets. 

"We are excited and grateful to be partnering with the Focus Impact and Meaningful teams. With their expertise, capital, and network, we'll be able to expand Skiptown into new markets, continuing our mission to raise the standard of pet care across the country", said Meggie Williams, Founder & CEO of Skiptown, "Meaningful and Focus Impact bring decades of consumer technology, experiential services, and multi-unit retail experience. Their intense focus on purposeful profits and positive people impact aligns with our mission, and, together, we'll establish Skiptown as the preeminent nationally recognized brand for pups and their people."

Skiptown is committed to revolutionizing pet care services and providing fun, safe and engaging social experiences for pets and their families. Skiptown is a pioneer in personalized, high-quality dog care, offering a complete suite of services, including dog walking, dog daycare, dog boarding, and dog grooming. The Company's services are built around a philosophy of creating a personalized enrichment program to fit each dog's specific physical and emotional needs. Skiptown has innovated a private, indoor/outdoor, off-leash dog park and bar, creating a unique community for dogs and their parents. Skiptown's robust technology platform enables and integrates its premium social and service offerings, allowing for a streamlined customer experience, personalized care for every dog, and simplified team member ("Skippers") operations. Additionally, Skiptown is deeply committed to providing its Skippers with a rewarding work environment focused on personal and professional growth development, alignment, and teamwork.

"Skiptown is fundamentally changing the standard of pet care through research, people, and technology. We are excited to support Meggie and the team's purposeful vision with our collective multi-unit scaling and operating experience" said Amin Maredia, Managing Partner at Meaningful Partners. "A significant addressable market with high growth and a unique offering makes for an exciting partnership."

Wray Thorn, Partner & Co-Founder of Focus Impact, added "Focus Impact is pleased to be partnering with Meggie and the Skiptown team as they capitalize on the growth of the pet services industry and consumers' trends toward experiences. With an innovative combination of premium pet services, engaging social experiences, and a scalable technology platform, we believe Skiptown is poised to expand significantly and create many more positive impactful outcomes for its employees and customers."

In connection with the investment, Steve King, will be joining the Board of Directors of Skiptown. Steve brings more than 30 years of consumer experiential services expansion and operating expertise as the Chairman & CEO of Dave & Busters Entertainment Inc. and the COO and CFO of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. Skiptown CEO Williams noted, "we're also very pleased Steve will be joining the Skiptown Board in connection with this investment and look forward to benefiting from his many years of successful growth leadership in the consumer services sector."

Alston & Bird LLC represented Focus Impact and Buchalter represented Meaningful Partners as legal counsel in connection with the investment. In addition, AlixPartners, Fuld & Company, PFK O'Connor Davies, Marsh USA Inc. and Mercer (US) Inc. provided due diligence support. Wagner Hicks PLLC represented Skiptown as legal counsel. Terms of the investment are not disclosed.

Focus Impact is a private investment firm on a mission to amplify social impact and generate impactful profits by bringing capital and expertise to "socially forward" companies, which we define as businesses that create positive outcomes for their employees and / or customers. Mission-driven and returns-focused, we endeavor to accelerate the growth of great businesses through a combination of intentional strategic leadership, comprehensive capital formation, deep M&A expertise, data & technology-driven business solutions, and a social forward focus.

Meaningful Partners, with offices in Los Angeles, CA and Austin, TX, invests in purposeful consumer businesses that have earned customer trust and loyalty, demonstrate a commitment to all stakeholders, and are led by management teams empowering positive purpose and performance. Meaningful Partners makes control and minority investments ranging from $10 million to $50+ million in lower-middle market and high-growth companies. The firm is led by an experienced investor and operator management team that leverages an Expert Community of 45+ CEO/Founders and discipline experts with over 850+ years of collective experience who bring relevant domain expertise to help accelerate the growth and impact at our partner companies. More at meaningfulpartners.com

Skiptown is the first integrated ecosystem for pets and their people, enabled by a cutting-edge technology platform and an expertly trained employee base. Skiptown offers an off-leash indoor and outdoor turfed park, a full service bar for humans, dog daycare, overnight boarding, dog grooming, and dog walking services. From valet daycare drop-off to the "Skippers" who monitor the pups at play, Skiptown is a doggie dreamland and high-end hangout for people and their four-legged family members. Skiptown's technology platform streamlines appointment booking across all service lines. Skiptown customers can schedule and modify appointments, receive daily visit reports, and pay for services all through the Skiptown app. Learn more about how Skiptown is revolutionizing the pet parent experience at skiptown.io.

SOURCE Meaningful Partners