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Eight Fifteen Capital LLC. 8-1-5 It’s not capital.
And don’t be fooled by the name. Rockford-based investment firm Eight Fifteen Capital isn’t just about making a profit.
“We’re not chasing money,” said Matthew Simpson, a partner at the firm. “We seek impact and opportunities to tell stories and collaborate.”
Eight Fifteen Capital is run by five black men, Simpson, Terrence Hall, Clydale Hilson, Jaron Hite, and Joshua Patterson, whose longtime friendship evolved into a business partnership. This investment company will celebrate its 10th anniversary in July.
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With a wild ride
It all started when five people decided to pool their resources to not only create wealth, but also make an impact in the city.
“Research shows that wealth is often accumulated through business and real estate acquisitions,” Simpson said. “So we ended up buying an apartment complex as our first investment.”
The men strategically acquired real estate in areas close to stores, parks, schools, and other facilities. They renovated properties, vetted tenants and collected rent.
“That’s how we got our start as an investment company acquiring multifamily properties, and we’ve been on a roll ever since,” Simpson said.
rich experience
That wild endeavor included Eight Fifteen Capital expanding its operations and forming partnerships within the community, including Rockford City Market.
“We have a booth there, and each week we will have different minority and women-owned businesses exhibiting at their booths,” Simpson said.
The collaboration will allow entrepreneurs to rent booths at Eight Fifteen, making it more affordable for many than reserving a spot for an entire season in advance or paying for half a season. . Tents, tables and chairs are provided and will also help with marketing.
“We always say, “People value rich experiences and quality relationships.” Therefore, we are looking for ways to provide people with rich experiences and quality relationships. “Simpson said. “There are three types of strategies to achieve this. One is real estate investment properties, one is collaboration with brands and companies around products, and the other is entertainment.”
quality relationships
The entertainment portion includes producing plays at the West Side Showroom Theater and collaborating with the annual Soar Awards, a nationally televised gospel awards show.
Eight Fifteen Capital’s latest venture was this year’s acquisition of Wired Cafe, a family-owned coffee shop in downtown Rockford.
“We’re not trying to change Wired; we’re trying to grow it,” Simpson said. “There’s going to be a lot of great stuff coming from Wired this year. I don’t have anything to talk about yet, but as you know, we see this as a platform for rich experiences and quality relationships. Masu.”
Chris Green is a general assignment reporter for the Rockford Register Star. Contact him at 815-987-1241, his email is cgreen@rrstar.com, and Twitter. @chrisfgreen.
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