Overview

Damrak LLC was formed to acquire a founder-led small business and build on its success. We’re seeking services-based businesses in the U.S. with the following characteristics:

  • Mostly recurring revenue/repeat customers

  • $2M - $10M of Revenue

  • $500K - $2M+ of EBITDA

  • +15% EBITDA margins

Who are we?

Ryan Keener - Founder

An experienced leader with a passion for building high performing teams and helping business owners achieve successful exits.

Ryan started his career working for Keener Communications, a small telephone answering service which was started by his parents in 1985. Keener Communications provided 24/7 service to all types of small businesses and industries. It was through this experience that Ryan developed a deep respect and admiration for small business owners and caught the entrepreneurial bug. When Ryan joined the business in 2005, it was owned by his mother and had roughly 30 employees. Ryan started out as an agent answering phones, then eventually moved into sales and then a leadership position. In 2018, Ryan helped sell the company to a strategic buyer. Helping his mom successfully exit after 33 years and step into retirement remains one of Ryan’s proudest achievements.

Ryan joined the company that acquired Keener Communications (a private equity backed organization) and worked with them for nearly 5 years. During that time, his responsibilities included mergers and acquisitions, financial planning and analysis, go-to-market strategy and operational leadership. Ryan is honored to have helped several small business owners achieve successful exits during that time.

Ryan lives in Richmond, VA with his wife Krissy and two dogs, Charlie and Bo.

What’s a Damrak?

When thinking of a name for the company, I wanted to pay homage to my mother who taught me so much. We worked together for 13 years and her passion for excellence, her grit, and her commitment to her clients and employees are things which I try to emulate as much as possible.

Jannemieke (pronounced Yahnna-Meek) immigrated to the U.S. from Holland in the early 1980s when working in hospitality before cofounding Keener Communications with my dad. Damrak is the name of a street or “straat” in Amsterdam.