Second Brick Capital | Buying Great Local Businesses. Building Upward Mobility.

What We Do

We are a long-term home for essential service businesses.

We buy service-sector businesses with strong teams and a proud reputation, then invest to make them even better — for customers, employees, and the community.

What we believe

Small businesses are one of the best ways to create long-term wealth that can be shared by the people whose work makes the business run. Done right, a great local company becomes a place where someone can build skills, earn a living wage, and create real stability for their family.

Where we are today

We own and operate four Merry Maids franchises in Central Pennsylvania.

What We Buy

We invest in home services because we believe they're some of the most durable, community-rooted businesses in the economy. People will always need safe, clean, maintained homes, and much of this work is hands-on, relationship-driven, and hard to automate quickly.

But our thesis is bigger than stability. Home services also employ large frontline teams, some of whom haven't historically had access to wealth-building opportunities. We believe small business should create opportunity: real training, clear career paths, better compensation over time, and ways for employees to share in the upside. By streamlining and centralizing our back-office operations and relentlessly enabling our teams to be more productive, we can free up more cash flow for better wages.

Typically, we look for businesses with:

$300k - $2m EBITDA
Repeat customers and steady demand
A strong local reputation and high standards
A culture that treats employees with dignity and respect
Clear opportunities to improve systems, training, and leadership
Owners who care about what happens to their employees after they sell

We're starting in Central Pennsylvania and adjacent regions as we validate our model — and we'll expand thoughtfully over time. If you've built something meaningful and want it to keep thriving, we should talk.

How We Operate

Our core belief is simple: the purpose of small business is to create opportunity for employees — and to reward hard work and dedication. When teams are supported and treated well, customers feel it.

What that looks like day to day:

1

Clear standards and strong training

so great work is repeatable

2

Respectful, professional workplaces

that set clear expectations and treat employees with respect and dignity

3

Real career paths

from frontline to lead to manager

4

Shared upside

through better wages, profit-sharing and, where it fits, employee ownership models (ESOPs, EOTs, and others)

We're here to build businesses that deliver on the promise of American capitalism — to help people create better lives for themselves and their families.

Our Story

Second Brick Capital grew from a simple question: what would it look like to buy and build companies that create real upward mobility for the people who do the work?

We started by acquiring and operating four Merry Maids franchises — and we're building from there.

Why the name "Second Brick"

The name is personal and practical. It reflects what we're building and who we're building it with:

1

Gratitude + responsibility

As a gay married couple, we owe a lot to the people who fought for LGBTQ+ rights before us — often described as those who "threw the first brick at Stonewall." We think of this company as our second brick, built on their courage and progress.

2

Honoring founders

We want to build on the legacies of owners — adding our second brick to the first brick they laid, not replacing what made the business special.

3

Respect for the work

Service work is real work — often physical, always demanding, and deeply valuable. Building something lasting takes effort, like laying a brick. We want to recognize that effort and share the rewards more fairly.

Team

Tim Fleschner

Duke graduate. Founded and sold a company. Head of Marketing at a Series B startup.

Tim is the main business operator, working hand-in-hand with management to build streamlined systems and to create a great culture.

Drew Keller

Georgia Tech graduate. MBA, Harvard Business School. Former McKinsey consultant. Founded and grew two nonprofits focused on business as a force for good.

Drew provides financial analysis and strategic guidance for the business, using the skills he developed at HBS and McKinsey.

For Sellers & Partners

For business owners thinking about what's next

Selling your business is personal. You built something real, and you want it treated with care. We aim to be a straightforward, values-aligned buyer who protects what matters: customers, employees, and the legacy you're proud of.

You can expect:

Clear communication and a respectful process
Thoughtful diligence (no chaos)
A long-term plan for your team and brand
Flexibility where it helps (timeline, involvement, transition support)

For brokers, operators, and aligned partners

If you know great service businesses in Central PA and nearby regions — or you want to help build this model — we'd love to connect.

Start a Conversation

For Employees

We want service work to be a path — not a dead end.

Our long-term goal is to create companies where employees can build skills, move into leadership, earn more, and share in the upside over time.

What we're building toward:

Sustainable wage growth tied to a healthy, growing business

Clear roles, training, and career progression

Leaders developed from within

Profit-sharing and employee ownership pathways where feasible

Professional growth and career development

Want to Talk?

Whether you're a business owner, broker, operator, or someone who shares our mission — we'd love to connect.

Email us directly

hello@secondbrick.com

Buying great local businesses.Building upward mobility.