Elizabeth Wilkes
LinkedIn Copy
Hey Elizabeth — we both ended up on the investing/operating side, though from different directions. been thinking a lot about proprietary origination in software-enabled businesses lately. would be good to connect.
Hey Elizabeth, we both ended up on the investing side, though I came through IB in London into growth equity rather than building a holdco like DEWS. origination was always the same story for me — clear thesis, decent relationships, but no proprietary system of record tying anything together. every deal virtually sourced from scratch, nothing compounding over time. curious if that's still how most funds operate or if I'm behind the times? — Russ
Hey Elizabeth, we both landed on the investing and operating side of things, though I came through banking at CS & Greenhill into growth equity in London rather than building a holdco around software-enabled businesses like you're doing at DEWS. the pattern I keep seeing with most funds is weirdly consistent — strong thesis, solid network, but no proprietary system of record. the people, tools and ideas are never really connected. every deal virtually sourced from scratch, nothing compounds on itself. curious if that resonates or if you've built something different at DEWS? — Russ
hey Elizabeth — no worries if the timing's off. most funds I talk to have tried some version of building origination in-house — analyst pulling from Pitchbook or Grata, maybe using ChatGPT to help qualify, dumping it into a spreadsheet. each piece kind of works, but there's no system of record tying it together. the people, tools and ideas are all disconnected so everything ends up out of sync. been helping a few funds like Noble Rock work through that. curious if you've hit the same thing at DEWS? — Russ
totally get it if origination infrastructure isn't top of mind right now — most funds have 10 things ahead of it on the priority list. the funds I've seen crack it early just tend to compound deal flow in a way that's hard to replicate later. if it ever moves up the list, I'm easy to find. — Russ
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Elizabeth — Noticed we share the small liberal arts college-to-MBA-to-building-something pipeline — I did English & Econ at Williams before banking and growth equity, you did English at Amherst and Strategy at Columbia before launching Exubrancy and DEWS. Always good to meet someone from a neighboring NESCAC school who ended up on the investing side. I was spending more time hunting deals than evaluating them — so I built SearchLoop to solve it. Backer Group in the UK uses it to source service and light manufacturing businesses for acquisition: define the thesis and geography → score and rank targets → reach owners and book meetings. With DEWS focused on acquiring small businesses and startups, there's likely a version of this that fits well — especially given the See|Me deal and the kinds of founder-led companies you're backing. We've already mapped similar verticals from work with Backer — happy to jump on a quick call and show you what's in there. Russ searchloop.ai linkedin.com/in/russellt23
Prospect Research
## PROSPECT INFORMATION: Name: Elizabeth Wilkes Title: Managing Principal Fund: DEWS Holdings Background: PROSPECT SUMMARY: Liz Wilkes CURRENT FOCUS: Liz is the Founder and CEO of Exubrancy, a leading provider of on-site and virtual workplace wellbeing programs. She is a certified meditation teacher and Fitwel Ambassador focused on transforming corporate culture through health, fitness, and mindfulness. She also serves as a Managing Principal at DEWS Holdings and a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. BACKGROUND: She has a strong entrepreneurial and strategic background, holding an MBA from Columbia Business School (where she now serves on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council) and a BA from Amherst College. Prior to Exubrancy, she co-founded The Holiday Lighting Pros of Seattle and worked in event production and venture capital. KEY SKILLS: Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Business Development, Workplace Wellbeing, Mindfulness & Meditation, Strategic Partnerships, and Marketing Strategy. POSTS & ACTIVITY: September 4, 2024: Liz promoted a high-profile NYC summit on Mindfulness and AI featuring Yuval Noah Harari and Arianna Huffington. She wrote: "Thrilled to be supporting next Thursday's summit on Mindfulness, AI, and The Future of Humanity in NYC. I have a few discounted tickets available so please message me if you'd like to join! ✨" May 8, 2024: (Reshared via Exubrancy) Liz highlighted seasonal wellness planning, noting: "Happy Spring Equinox! ☀ As we welcome sunnier days and blooming flowers 🌷, it's the perfect time to prepare for an abundance of themed observances and activities this season." August 16, 2023: She celebrated a corporate milestone regarding healthy building standards: "Proud of Exubrancy's continued partnership with the Fitwel Healthy Building Certification!" January 5, 2023: (Reshared via Fitwel) Highlighted a major project achievement: "Tishman Speyer... partnered up with #FitwelPartner Exubrancy, a Tishman Speyer company, to achieve a 2-star ⭐⭐ rating for The Spiral. This multi-tenant base building is 'sustainable by design, built with humans in mind.'" May 15, 2020: (Reshared from Columbia Business School) Reflected on the pandemic pivot to virtual services: "Liz Wilkes '13, CEO of Exubrancy, knows mental and physical well-being is more important now than ever before... Wilkes has had to pivot her offerings to be completely virtual." July 15, 2019: Shared her mission while hiring: "If you are passionate about wellness, maniacally detail-oriented, and want to help make the world a happier, healthier place, please take a look." Fund details: - Description: DEWS Holdings is a multi-strategy investment holding company focused on investing in / acquiring and operating innovate, software-enabled businesses across diversified markets and specialties. We specialize in traditional industries on the cusp of substantive change. - Website: https://www.dewsholdings.com - Location: New York, New York, United States - Lead qualification: Research: - Query: =DEWS Holdings Elizabeth Wilkes recent investments fund thesis - Answer: DEWS Holdings invests in small businesses and high-growth companies. Elizabeth Wilkes is the founder and CEO. The firm focuses on acquiring and supporting people-first organizations.