#404 - Chris Huckabee - Founder @ MORE Group - From Founder-Led to Private Equity Backed

Today’s episode is with a great friend of mine, Chris Huckabee, Founder @ MORE Group. We unpack his company's remarkable private equity journey and why it was so successful. Chris shares how the unexpected loss of his business partner pushed him to rethink the future of his company, leading to a strategic shift, a private equity partnership, and rapid national expansion. We talk candidly about valuation surprises, building trust with employees during major transitions, and what makes a great private equity partner. Then we pivot to education reform, AI’s impact on schools, and the deeply personal story of how Chris helped lead the effort to rebuild Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX, after the tragic shooting. We discuss: • The process Chris went through to pursue private equity and national expansion • Why he told every employee about the strategic plan before making a deal • How to hire the right investment banker • The hard lessons around valuation, deal structure, and selecting the right private equity partner • What AI means for K–12 and higher education and where public education must improve • How he mobilized donors and contractors to rebuild Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX Links: MoreGroup - https://moregroup-inc.com/ Chris on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-huckabee-693a3a31/ Support our Sponsors Ramp: https://ramp.com/powers Collateral Partners: https://collateral.com/fort Topics: (00:03:19) - Chris’ journey to finding Private Equity (00:09:27) - Strategic planning (00:11:31) - Valuing the business (00:14:36) - People don’t like change (00:17:43) - Making the decision to pursue PE (00:21:28) - Finding the right Investment Banker (00:37:26) - Selecting a buyer (00:44:44) - The first day after selling to PE (00:47:59) - Going out to buy companies (00:51:16) - What makes a great PE partner (00:57:08) - The state of Education and AI (01:13:16) - Rebuilding Robb Elementary in Uvalde after the 2022 shooting Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepowerspodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/