Scott Dickes

Scott Dickes is the founder and Managing Partner of 1719 Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm built around long-term, open-ended ownership of small businesses. Before launching 1719 Partners, he founded Hadley Capital, a small-company private equity firm based in the Chicago area with offices in Nashville and Dallas.

At Hadley Capital, Dickes spent roughly 25 years investing in small companies. 1719 Partners says he helped more than 20 small companies succeed and allocated more than $200 million of capital toward company growth during his Hadley tenure. Hadley’s own materials describe the firm as focused on buying small, profitable companies with growth potential, especially where owners face ownership transition, management succession, or growth-capital needs.

Dickes received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. His LinkedIn profile lists him in Dallas and affiliated with 1719 Partners.

• 1719 Partners’ core thesis is long-term private equity without a forced exit clock. The firm says it was created to invest “without the constraints of predetermined and mandatory investment timelines.”
• Dickes’ stated reason for creating 1719 was that closed-end fund structures can force firms to sell strong companies too early, transferring future upside to the next owner.
• 1719 targets small, established businesses in transition: ownership transition, management transition, management buyouts, or businesses needing growth support.
• Typical 1719 target: $5 million-$20 million revenue, $1 million-$4 million EBITDA, owner-run, growth potential, and a valuable product or service serving a niche market.
• Hadley’s focus is similar but slightly broader: small companies with $5 million-$30 million revenue and $1 million-$5 million profits across manufacturing, services, and distribution.
• The operating philosophy emphasizes stewardship: protecting what works, investing for long-term growth, supporting management, and avoiding quick-profit “turning and burning.”