Hilltop Search

Daniel Katz, Founding Partner

Hilltop Search was founded with the goal of acquiring a business to grow over the course of decades.I am looking to identify a value-driven, founder-led or family-owned company with a premium product or service that would benefit from strategic investment in new growth drivers - whether through operational improvements, geographic expansion, or digital innovation. I will build upon the company’s strong foundation and assemble the right team to create lasting value for employees, customers, and the community.

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• Inspiration
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My Background

I am a lifelong learner with a growth mindset, a passion for solving complex problems, and a strong ability to lead and influence teams. I thrive on tackling challenging projects and developing creative, strategic solutions.I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and studied psychology, economics, and marketing at the University of Michigan. After graduation, I joined LinkedIn in San Francisco as part of the Sales Development team. I spent the next four years in a variety of sales and Go-To-Market roles where I helped build the company’s first East Coast Sales Development (SD) team, created a SD onboarding program, and helped train the first NYC SD hires. I went on to consistently exceed my quota as an Account Executive and as an Account Manager on the New Product Go-To-Market team.At LinkedIn, I found success in developing relationships with management teams and solving their key challenges, but I wanted to strengthen my strategic thinking and financial knowledge and decided to attend business school.I studied finance at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas and was selected as 1 of 2 students to complete an exchange program at the London Business School during my second year.After graduation, I spent seven years in investment banking roles at Citi and UBS where I advised technology companies on capital raises and strategic transactions. While my primary focus was equity issuance during my time in banking, I worked on $9 billion in total transactions including LBOs and M&A.

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Professional Experience

Education

My Inspiration

My inspiration for acquiring a small business comes from my grandfather, who, after surviving the Holocaust, immigrated to America, enlisted to serve in the US military and then built a custom cabinetry business. Like the entrepreneurs that I admire most, he was as dedicated to his craft as he was to his values—instilling purpose in his work through integrity, gratitude, and relentless attention to detail. On days off from school, I’d visit “the shop,” admiring the craftsmanship and the pride he poured into every piece. Decades later, community members still speak of his work and character with admiration.That legacy of excellence and purpose is what drives me to acquire a small business today and is why I named this vehicle Hilltop Capital Partners. It is a nod to the street where my grandfather lives and where I bring my children for Sunday morning breakfasts whenever we’re in town to hear my grandfather's incisive wisdom on business and life. I hope to build a business on the foundation of his knowledge to drive value for our investors, employees, and partners.

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