Connor O'Neill
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Hey Connor — different worlds but similar-ish path into acquiring and scaling companies. been thinking a lot about proprietary origination in e-commerce lately. would be good to connect.
Hey Connor, we both ended up acquiring and scaling companies, though I came at it through banking and growth equity in London rather than building an e-commerce portfolio like you. origination was always the same story for me — clear thesis, decent relationships, but no proprietary system of record. the people, tools and ideas were never really connected. 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 Connor, looks like we both ended up in the business of buying and growing companies, though from pretty different directions — I came through IB at CS & Greenhill in London into growth equity, not building an e-commerce portfolio from scratch like you've done at ToolBox. 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 ToolBox given how acquisition-heavy your model is? — Russ
hey Connor — 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 similar, 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 there's tonnes of wasted energy and everything ends up out of sync. been helping a few funds like Noble Rock work through that. curious if you've run into the same thing at ToolBox? — 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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Connor — We've been building deal sourcing infrastructure for funds acquiring and scaling e-commerce brands — and ToolBox Brands came up while i was poking around. One of our clients, Backer Group, uses our system to source founder/owner-led businesses → score them on owner readiness and acquisition fit → then run personalized outreach across LinkedIn, email, and letters. They're a small team, so the system handles origination while they focus on building the portfolio. Given ToolBox is actively expanding its DTC portfolio (congrats on the 7-figure exit earlier this year, by the way), I wondered if you wanted to take a look under the hood and see if any of it's relevant to how you're sourcing acquisitions. I'm fairly free this week and next, just let me know a time that suits. Russ searchloop.ai linkedin.com/in/russellt23
Prospect Research
## PROSPECT INFORMATION: Name: Connor O'Neill Title: Founder & CEO Fund: ToolBox Brands Background: Connor O'Neill is a seasoned e-commerce founder, investor, and acquisition specialist based in Provo, Utah. He is currently the Founder and CEO of ToolBox Brands (since 2019), where he specializes in e-commerce mergers, acquisitions, and scaling DTC startups through in-house fulfillment and supply chain operations. Additionally, he serves as a Mentor at iHub Innovation Hub of Utah (starting January 2025) and manages Checkered Flag Rentals and O’Neill Equity, focusing on auto rentals and real estate investments respectively. Connor’s background is rooted in scaling brands to eight-figure revenues. He has successfully created and exited three brands from scratch and acquired and scaled three others by over 300%. He previously held sales roles at Lift Local, NetDocuments, and PROLOOK SPORTS. His core expertise lies in growth strategies, supply chain optimization, and multi-channel ad spend, having managed over $12 million in advertising across platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Google. He is a strong advocate for the subscription model, currently owning five subscription-based brands. Key LinkedIn Posts and Insights: On July 26, 2024, Connor shared a major career milestone regarding a seven-figure exit with partner Nick Andreas. He noted: "Back in 2021, I bought a 50% stake for less than $10k. The brand, though previously successful, was struggling... In just three years, the company's valuation skyrocketed to over 7 figures." He emphasized that "Great partnerships build great companies" and "achieving a 7-figure exit in 3 years off a small investment is a swift accomplishment." On July 26, 2024, in a reshared post with Nick Andreas, he reflected on the difficulty of closing deals: "Was a wild ride but grateful to get it across the finish line... It took 7 LOIs. 6 of them failed. We had one APA fraudulently signed that led to a lawsuit." On October 17, 2023, Connor discussed his appearance on a podcast with Colby Flood, stating: "Was honored to be on this podcast with Colby talking about my love for subscriptions. Give it a listen if your interested in learning more about subscriptions for your brand!" In August 2023, he was highly active in the Utah e-commerce scene, speaking at the Commerce Catalyst event. On August 30, 2023, he posted: "It's gonna be a blast! Creighton Green and Van Oakes are ballers. Can't wait to discuss the things we're all doing and collaborate with them at this event." On August 19, 2023, he highlighted his panel session on "creating additional revenue streams for your business." On August 14, 2023, a post by Matthew Holman described Connor as "quietly building several multimillion dollar brands using subscriptions for customers to access wholesale pricing," a sentiment Connor reshared. Education: Connor holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Utah Valley University and studied Music Production and Audio Engineering at SLDP. Fund details: - Description: Company Overview: Toolbox Brands is a ecommerce private equity and management firm specializing in acquiring, scaling, and exiting high-performing brands. With a proven track record of success, we are dedicated to driving growth and maximizing value for our portfolio companies. Our Portfolio: We own a portfolio of e-commerce companies, each carefully selected for its potential and market position. Our hands-on management approach ensures that each brand reaches its full potential, leveraging our expertise in e-commerce, marketing, and operations. Success Stories Toolbox Brands has successfully exited three major brands, each providing significant returns. These exits demonstrate our ability to identify, nurture, and scale brands to achieve maximum profitability. Our Approach: We focus on partnering with brand owners who are passionate about their products but need the expertise and resources to scale. By providing strategic guidance, operational support, and financial investment, we help these brands grow and prepare for successful exits. Vision and Mission: Our mission is to be the premier partner for e-commerce brands seeking growth and success. We aim to continue expanding our portfolio and creating value through strategic acquisitions and effective management. - Website: https://toolboxbrands.com - Location: Vineyard, Utah, United States - Lead qualification: Research: - Query: =ToolBox Brands Connor O'Neill recent investments fund thesis - Answer: Connor O'Neill is the founder and CEO of ToolBox Brands, an e-commerce private equity firm. He has invested in and scaled several high-performing brands. His expertise lies in strategic acquisitions and management to drive growth.