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TJ Maloney is the chairman and CEO of Lincolnshire Management, a private equity firm located in New York City. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Fordham Law School. Maloney went on to practice merger, acquisition, and securities law in New York City, and in 1993, he took a position at Lincolnshire Management, eventually working his way up to his current position of chairman and CEO.
Along the way, TJ Maloney has given back to the legal and educational community. He is the former chairman of the Boston College Wall Street Council. He has also served on the Board of Trustees at Boston College and Fordham University, as well as more than a dozen other boards. He has been a guest lecturer at a number of universities, and he is also the 2007 recipient of Fordham School’s Richard J. Bennett Memorial Award.
However, behind this mountain of success lies a humble beginning. Before TJ Maloney received his education and acquired his many years of success in the legal and private equity fields, he worked for his father, a man who ran multiple companies. This gave him experience in many different areas of running a successful business, such as sales, quality control, collections, and engineering. It was his time working for his father than gave Maloney a passion for running a business and addressing its operational needs.
The Balanced Approach
After a two-cup-of-coffee start to his day, Maloney likes to take a balanced approach to everything he does. In particular, he values the importance of balancing a connection with his teams with the need to get his own work done. Meetings are important, but so is individual work time to really focus on his own projects and keep up with investment news and trends in various industries.
This diligent attitude allows Maloney to take a balanced and highly personalized approach when it comes to acquiring new companies, for which he has designed a step-by-step process that begins with research and team collaboration. From there, he and his teams identify potential opportunities for growth and help companies create a solid plan to realize their full potential. The goal is to bring together the best of the best, a network of industry professionals that will work together to bring about operational improvements for the companies in the Lincolnshire portfolio. He says, “Lincolnshire operates by utilizing an extensive network of industry professionals who are available to all of our portfolio companies. We also have a focused strategy that aims to enhance value through operational improvements.”
However, the balanced approach doesn’t stop there. Maloney also believes in taking a balanced approach when considering new investments in an industry in which he has experience. It’s easy to let that previous experience result in complacency, but Maloney has learned that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. With this in mind, he approaches every new investment opportunity with a fresh perspective, striking a balance between his industry experience and the changes that have taken place in the market.
This is displayed through Lincolnshire’s continual growth as a financial institution. Recently, Lincolnshire announced it has invested in Powerhouse and in two similar outsourced business service companies in effort to provide refresh and facilities maintenance services. “Powerhouse and SVW have unique but complementary offerings, backed by strong management teams. We see vast potential for these companies to grow together,” said TJ Maloney. This serves as an addition to the company’s rich portfolio of unique and prosperous companies.
People Matter Most
TJ Maloney knows the value of people and relationships. He knows that success isn’t attained in isolation, and it is this belief that forms the backbone of everything Lincolnshire does. His collaborative team approach is the foundation for success, and he makes it a point to surround himself with people whom he knows and trusts. To him, this makes all the difference, and it has helped ground him in his business and life.
Maloney also believes in the value of establishing close relationships with the management of every company in the Lincolnshire portfolio. It is these relationships that form the primary driver behind a company’s performance. When it comes to the people who will manage his investment portfolios, Maloney stresses the importance of understanding them to their core, including a deep understanding of their character, personality, motivation, and drive.
The final piece of the puzzle for TJ Maloney and his belief in the importance of people is his unwavering devotion to mentoring new hires right out of school. This is something in which Maloney strongly believes, despite the widely accepted view that new hires should come with experience. Maloney understands that new graduates are passionate and eager to learn, and it is beneficial to all stakeholders to mentor them so that they can become solid contributors to the success of the company. In a recent interview he shared, “Ultimately, I think communicating with trusted teammates is the most important habit you can form.”
Humility Endures
TJ Maloney prides himself on his curiosity and being a lifelong learner. He trusts his gut and spends the time he needs to evaluate new opportunities, taking the view that spending wisely is critical to success. He is deeply humble about his accomplishments, and he has learned the value of making mistakes. In fact, he understands the wisdom that comes from making mistakes and fully believes that he has learned at least as much from his mistakes over the years as he has from his successes.
Inspiration Comes in Many Forms
In his spare time, TJ Maloney enjoys relaxing with the simple pleasures of life, such as golfing. His primary inspiration and motivation come from his loving family, who have stood by him throughout his career. He also credits authors Robertson Davies (“Fifth Business”) and William Boyd (“A Good Man in Africa”) as having provided inspiration, and he admires the great Winston Churchill as an influential and impassioned speaker. With these solid influences behind him, it’s no wonder he has attained his impressive level of success, and the future holds no bounds.