William Harlan

Critic
DISC Type : C

Founder & Principal at Kestrel Capital Group

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Overview

William "Bill" Harlan is the Founder and Principal of Kestrel Capital Group, a Chicago-based private investment firm. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in financing and investing in lower middle market businesses, holding deep expertise in leveraged transactions. He earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA from the University of Notre Dame.

Beyond his primary role, Bill is active in several not-for-profit groups and serves on the board of directors for the First Financial Credit Union. He previously contributed to the Presidents Council of the Museum of Science and Industry and the board of the Chicago Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, showing a commitment to community and industry involvement.

He has experience serving on multiple corporate boards, including Angies List and Craftsmen Industries, during his tenure as a Partner at Prism Mezzanine Fund.

Personality Overview

Negotiator

Objective Thinker

Precise

They like to do things independently and don’t look for support from others.  They are quite likely to negotiate on pricing or other key terms. They don’t appreciate bells and whistles unless backed by data.

Topics They Care About

Mezzanine Financing
He was a Partner at Prism Mezzanine Fund and helped form ANB Mezzanine Corporation, indicating deep expertise in this specific type of financing for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Lower Middle Market
His career of over 25 years has been dedicated to financing and investing in businesses within the lower middle market, which is the core focus of Kestrel Capital Group.
Community Leadership
He serves as chairman of First Financial Credit Union and has been active with the Museum of Science and Industry and the Association for Corporate Growth.

Media Appearances

William has no verified media appearances

Work History

6-2011
Founder & Principal at Kestrel Capital Group
9-2018
Manager and Director at KW Custom Controls LLC
7-2013
Chairman and Board Member at First Financial Credit Union - Chicago
Partner at Prism Mezzanine Fund
1-2021 - 6-2023
Advisory Board Member at Crossroads Solar

Education

1992 - 1994
MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
1985 - 1989
BA from University of Notre Dame

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 12 Location : Chicago, Illinois, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Founder & Principal at Kestrel Capital Group
URL has been copied!

Insights For Selling To William

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Leverage facts and figures wherever possible; use percentages, numbers etc.
  • Be ready for penetrating questions and critical examination of your pitch
  • If you can, show them industry reports or analyst comments instead of sharing anecdotal stories

DONT's

  • Make extra effort to not seem pushy or confrontational
  • Don’t rush them till they have clearly gotten all the necessary information
  • Avoid pushing them too much to involve other stakeholders unless it is critical

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with William is

  • Proven ROI, pricing and objective proof points are the factors that sway their decision.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from William

  • They are comfortable saying no if they are convinced that it is the correct decision.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will William move?

  • They are neither the fastest nor the slowest decision makers, they are somewhere in the middle.
  • Can William take some risk or not?

  • They can bear some risk if their analysis backs the decision.

You And William

Personality Compatibility


More Profiles

Discover additional public profiles from our index.

Search more profiles

Looking for someone else? Search here for anyone.

Or visit Humantic AI to know more.