You spent decades building your legacy.
I want to spend the next decades expanding it.
White Oak Partners, LLC (MN) is the acquisition search vehicle for Michael Shoemaker, a Minnesota-native entrepreneur and serial operator. Michael has two decades of experience profitably growing businesses large and small, across industries and global geographies.
I acquire and grow book printing, distribution, and publisher services businesses across North America. I am passionate about the book industry and a firm believer in the future of print books.
Prior to creating White Oak Partners, I spent 20 years, serving as CEO, COO, Managing Director, and General Manager of several high-tech, institutionally-backed startup companies. I have built a strong track record of growing businesses, leading and reshaping teams, and driving profitable growth.
Raised in smalltown Minnesota, I graduated from St. Olaf College and worked for a Minneapolis-based professional services firm before spending ten years in far-flung places - first in Europe, where I received my MBA at INSEAD, and then in Latin America and the west coast of the US. In 2020, I returned to Minnesota with my wife, a Minneapolis native, and our two school-age daughters. We are firmly rooted here as a family and committed to building careers and community in the area.
Areas of expertise:
P&L management
Building and leading teams
Sales and marketing strategy and tactics
Leading diverse teams from various socioeconomic backgrounds
Managing operations through rapid growth
Strategic and analytical decision making
New business development
Mergers and acquisitions
Financial management and capital raising
“Mike was one of the most inspiring tech professionals I've come across during my tenure at Uber in Latin America. He is a skilled GM, with strong operational expertise and a sharp strategic mindset - but also a people's person able to lead 100+ people organizations and create a strong culture within a large organization. He is a resilient manager who leads by example and is always coming up with creative ideas for challenging problems. His dual expertise in Latin America and the US make him a strong asset for any company interested in expanding in the region - as he understands the nuances of the individual countries but can communicate in a way that is productive to US company's HQs. I've thoroughly enjoyed working for Mike and can recommend him for any role where hustle, creativity and leadership are needed.”
“As a leader, Mike will recruit a talented, high-performing team, set a high bar for their performance through lofty goal-setting, all while continually investing in the growth of his people through mentorship and coaching. Mike is one of the rare managers who is just as effective as an operator as he is a leader of people. He is comfortable leading through ambiguity and can always be counted on to keep a calm demeanor even when solving some of the most challenging problems. Mike expects a lot from his team, but nothing more than what he would expect of himself. Any organziation would benefit from Mike's brand of leadership.”
“Mike is a leader that detects and develops talent, empowering the people that surround him, he creates strong teams that have a clear sense of purpose. I have seen him constantly raise the bar operationally and strategically, driving his teams to perform at a high level even in complex and ambiguous situations. As my manager, Mike provided the right balance between guidance and autonomy to his leadership team, so we could be fast and aligned in a constantly changing/growing business. He excels in situations of accelerated growth and enjoys a challenge!”
My ideal match:
Book printing, distribution, or publisher services
United States or Canada based
20 to 100 employees
$500,000 to $1,500,000 in EBITDA
Retiring or exiting founder with managers in place who can run the day-to-day operations
Current Portfolio Companies
Bookmobile provides design, typesetting, and short-run digital printing services to independent and institutional publishers. The company’s focus on excellent quality and customer service, as well as quick and reliable turnaround times have allowed it to an invaluable partner to small and medium presses for over 44 years.
Bookmobile is based in Minneapolis, MN.
Itasca Books provides full trade distribution and fulfillment services to small and medium presses and self-published authors across North America. Itasca Books allows independent presses to gain sell across all the major trade channels, in addition to enabling direct distribution to customers via drop-ship fulfillment as well as its e-commerce site, itascabooks.com. A division of Bookmobile, the company operates out of the same facility in Minneapolis, MN.
Contact Me
If you are planning to exit your book business and looking to sell to another experienced operator with the ability to extend your legacy, please reach out using this form or directly via email: mike@whiteoakpartners.co