CLAVIS

WHAT WE DO

We help you grow.

We focus on investments in unique businesses with strong cultures and growth potential. Our firm works collaboratively with existing management teams, providing not only capital but experience, resources, and connections to grow. We operate under an open, collaborative, win-win philosophy where all stakeholders—investors, management, employees and customers—benefit from our collective efforts.

We are true collaborators.

Clavis functions as a true extension of your leadership team and a trusted partner for ambitious ideas. We trust your know-how, hear where you want to go and work collaboratively to develop and clarify workable plans of action to accomplish aggressive growth goals.

We are growth partners.

We are a cohesive deal team with a growth orientation and a strong track record of achieving above average results. We have the capital, connections, experience and resources to help you achieve ambitious growth goals.

We are experienced operators.

Decades spent leading companies—not just running spreadsheets—equips us to forge a strategy around you. We work our way from the c-suite to the factory floor, building custom-fit solutions that leave a lasting impact.

OUR TEAM

Business builders at heart.

CULTURE

Ours and yours are extremely important to us.

Scrappy

Resourceful, hands on and self reliant. We’re just as comfortable with blue jeans, hard hats and a little elbow grease as we are in the c-suite or a sea of spreadsheets.

Curious

Our consultancy roots are a key driver in the way we solve problems. We’re curious about the world around us and are in it to find the right answer, not the first or easiest one. We evaluate without ego and don’t shy away from deep dives or diverse voices.

Resilient

Our growth mindset is grounded in a lifetime of real-world experience. We work through problems, have the grit to overcome significant challenges and keep our eye on the larger picture.

Authentic

No egos or hidden agendas, we bring our whole selves to our work. We know who we are and who we are not and conduct ourselves in an open and honest manner.

INSIDE LOOK

Things look a little different around here

GUITAR WALL

We are music lovers at heart and our crew has rock-and-roll roots. For each of our portfolio companies, we make two unique, custom-made guitars – one we send to the company headquarters and one that hangs on our “guitar wall” located prominently in our Dallas offices for all the world to see.

Each guitar incorporates the unique personality and culture of the company it represents. It’s truly one of our team’s favorite moments to hang a new guitar for a recently completed investment in one of our portfolio companies.

COLLABORATION

Our firm’s ethos is based on open and frequent communication and collaboration – with each other, our portfolio companies, our partners, and our investors.

We believe deeply that success is ultimately determined not by individuals but by a team of dedicated people working together toward common goals.

CLAVIS “GAME ROOM”

While we work very hard at what we do, we like to play hard as well. Of course we have the obligatory ping pong table (the scene of many late night spirited matches) but doesn’t every office have an F1 Racing Simulator?

CLAVIS CULTURE CONFERENCES

Each year, we host an event that brings together our full eco-system of partners – portfolio company leaders, investors, Clavis personnel and other partners and friends – to collaborate, learn from each other and celebrate our collective partnership. Dubbed the Clavis Culture Conference, this has become a highly anticipated event on our collective calendars.

Todd Dauphinais

Founding Principal & Managing Partner

Todd chairs the Clavis Investment Committee and runs point on all of the firm’s investment, operational and fundraising activities and is actively involved in the strategy and governance of all of Clavis’ portfolio companies.

Todd lends a unique blend of successful strategic, operational, investment and acquisition experience to his efforts at Clavis. Prior to starting Clavis, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of EFI Electronics, an industry-leading manufacturer of electrical protection products, where he led his firm to record profitability for four straight years and was awarded the prestigious Shingo Prize for manufacturing. He has also held senior leadership positions in venture capital, corporate development, manufacturing operations and consulting at leading firms such as Aster Capital, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation and Deloitte Consulting.

Todd holds degrees from both the University of Notre Dame and Texas A&M University and is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization, The Association for Corporate Growth, the National Association of Corporate Directors and various charity, faith and angel investing organizations in the Dallas area. He is a graduate of the Stagen Integrated Leadership Program and recently founded the Clavis Impact Fund. He resides in Dallas with his wife and two boys.

Focus on What Matters. Everything Else is Noise

Hockey
Fly Fishing
Tennis
Bike
Guitar
Travel
Baseball

Jimmy Watson

Managing Director

Jimmy is a member of the Clavis Investment Committee and is responsible for the firms’ business development, due diligence, analysis and operations activities and is deeply involved in portfolio company strategy, operations and improvement efforts. He makes sure that all of the trains are on the right track and arrive on time.

Prior to joining Clavis, Jimmy was a Senior Financial Analyst with Demilec, USA, a Sun Capital portfolio company. Previously, Jimmy spent four years as a management consultant with Ernst & Young and Riveron Consulting focused on advising manufacturing and related clients in M&A integration, process improvement and financial planning and analysis disciplines. Jimmy began his career at Raytheon and served in various financial operations roles.

Jimmy received his MBA with honors from Southern Methodist University and received his B.S. in International Business from the University of Arkansas. He is an active supporter of The Salvation Army and is a member of several community organizations.

Do More Than Just Exist.

Golf
Fly Fishing
Travel
Razorback Football
Skiing

Afshar Sanati

Vice President

Afshar is responsible for business development, diligence of new opportunities, deal quarterbacking, and portfolio operation and improvement efforts. He challenges the status quo and systematically tests our assumptions.

Prior to joining Clavis, Afshar spent five years as an investment professional at Breck Partners and Blue Sage Capital. In those roles, Afshar partnered with portfolio company leaders on strategy, organizational, and operational opportunities, with a focus on companies in the manufacturing and business services sectors. Afshar started his career as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group advising corporate clients across industries on initiatives including growth strategy, cost savings, and organizational transformation.

Afshar holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arkansas and an MBA from Duke University (Fuqua School of Business). He is an Eagle Scout and is actively involved with the Association for Corporate Growth and DFW Private Equity Forum.