About Mainstay
Built on stewardship, trust, and long-term ownership.
Mainstay Business Group was created to acquire and operate essential service businesses that deserve a thoughtful succession path and a committed long-term owner.
A long-term home for enduring businesses.
Mainstay Business Group is focused on acquiring and operating privately held service businesses in Northeast Ohio and surrounding markets.
We are interested in companies that provide essential services, employ good people, serve loyal customers, and play a meaningful role in their communities.
Our purpose is simple: to preserve what makes a business strong while supporting its next chapter. We believe great businesses are built over time through trust, consistency, customer relationships, and the daily effort of the people behind them.
Mainstay exists to carry that work forward.
About Chris Hinshaw
Chris Hinshaw founded Mainstay Business Group with a desire to build and operate a family of essential service businesses for the long term.
Chris brings experience in business analysis, operational planning, financial evaluation, and strategic decision-making. He has worked closely with leadership teams, founders, and growing businesses to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, improve visibility, and support disciplined growth.
His approach to ownership is practical and steady: understand the numbers, respect the people, improve operations thoughtfully, and build with patience.
As a Northeast Ohio resident, Chris is especially interested in businesses that are rooted in the local community and have earned trust through years of reliable service.
Why Mainstay
“The right transition should protect the business, respect the people, and carry the company forward.”
A different kind of transition partner.
Many business owners spend years building something that cannot be reduced to a spreadsheet. A company carries relationships, routines, employees, customers, reputation, and a way of serving the market.
When it comes time to think about succession, the right fit matters.
Mainstay Business Group was created for owners who want a thoughtful path forward. We are not looking to quickly buy and sell companies. We are looking to acquire, operate, and grow durable service businesses with a long-term mindset.
Our goal is to honor what has been built while helping the business continue to serve customers, employees, and communities for years to come.
Our Values
What guides our approach
People
We respect the employees whose daily work has earned customer trust.
Customers
We value the relationships and service standards that made the business successful.
Operations
We believe durable companies are built through disciplined execution and practical systems.
Legacy
We seek to honor what has been built while preparing the company for its next chapter.
Let’s start with a conversation.
Whether you are thinking about succession now or simply beginning to consider the future, Mainstay Business Group would welcome the opportunity to learn more about your business, your goals, and what a thoughtful transition could look like.
All conversations are confidential and exploratory.