Our Philosophy

Star Course Holdings is a Charlotte-based, privately financed holding company dedicated to purchasing, operating, and growing a profitable small business in the Carolinas for the long-term to do right by company, customers, community, and country.

Small businesses are vital to the growth and prosperity of the American economy for future generations

Small businesses account for:

  • Nearly half of the US workforce’s jobs

  • Over two-thirds of new job creation in the American economy

  • Almost half of US GDP

  • Nearly 70% of money spent in small business stays in the local economy ₁

Star Course Holdings is committed to the promising and fast-growing Charlotte Piedmont region of the Carolinas. We believe in the importance of local investment, face-to-face interactions, and commitment to the broader geographical community.

Nearly two-thirds of existing small businesses do not have a succession plan and only 20 to 30% of businesses that go to market will sell.₂ Future prosperity and legacy depend on continued strong leadership to navigate businesses during the decades to come as the wave of current business owners approach retirement.

Legacy lives on through sustainable success after a fair sale to a principled buyer.

Founded by Green Beret veteran Nate Schwartzbauer, Star Course Holdings is named after the grueling multi-day, long-range land navigation test known as the “star course” that all aspiring Green Berets must pass during assessment and selection to join the elite US Army Special Forces. The navigation course tests candidates for precision, discipline, stamina, grit, and the ability to think on one’s feet - all equally linked to navigating smaller businesses successfully.

navigate business sell

Nate’s experience from Special Forces inform Star Course Holdings’ Values:

  • Servant Leadership: leading for the well-being of employees, customers, and company

  • Discipline: structure, control, consistency, and common-sense

  • Winning-In-Teams: unified goals, strong relationships, mutual accountability, and shared successes

  • Commitment to the Region: foster future growth and prosperity in the area

More about Nate and Team

Our Approach

Star Course Holdings pursues a long-term “hold and grow” philosophy targeting sustained growth and operational enhancements for the benefit of all involved parties.

Star Course Holdings Provides:

  • Personal liquidity to sellers

  • Growth funding

  • Daily operational management

  • Direct leadership by Nate

  • Legacy preservation

Ideal Business Characteristics:

  • Charlotte-Piedmont Region (NC and SC)

  • $5M - $15M in revenue

  • $850K – $2M in profit

  • Historic, consistent profitability

  • Lower customer concentration, repeat customers

Our transaction structures can support varying degrees of continued seller involvement depending on the business and circumstances. Business owners who sell to us are valued partners, and we are committed to conducting all our transactions with mutual transparency, trust, and integrity.

Working with Star Course Holdings provides numerous advantages over selling to a competitor, a strategic buyer, or private equity.

More Information for Business Owners