About

Lead Lap is a Northfield, Illinois-based family office and private investment firm with several current investments in private companies.  Lead Lap seeks control investments in small to mid-size companies in the business services, consumer products/services, health services, and the education, marketing, media, advertising, information and online sectors. Lead Lap also makes non-control growth capital investments in promising businesses.

Lead Lap was founded by operating executive David F. Zucker (“Zucker”), who serves as Managing Partner, and made his first private company investment in 1994.  Zucker combines thirty years of operating experience as a CEO/General Manger of public and private companies, and company divisions in the media, business services, marketing services, healthcare, consumer, and technology businesses with deep experience in the acquisition and investment process, having overseen, completed, and integrated more than twenty business acquisitions of varying sizes during his career.

Lead Lap’s investment approach is characterized by:

1. an operating orientation
2. alignment of interests
3. patient capital

Operational Focus

• We seek to leverage our operational experience and expertise, and industry relationships, in partnership with management to help build businesses.

Alignment of Interests

• We believe that aligning the interests of management and owners by partnering with management in ownership of our investments is critical for our success.

Patient Capital

• Lead Lap has $35 million of funded committed capital from its owners.  There are no institutional investors driving arbitrary time horizons for return of capital.  Our patient “family capital” nurtures businesses on their own timeline, allowing them to address competitive and strategic challenges as required.