Our Mission
At True Grit Partners, we help small businesses owners get from "How can I possibly step back?" to "How could I have possibly waited so long?" Through years of experience, we've honed our expertise in strategy, operations, and scaling local businesses while maintaining their identity. True Grit Partners aren't a private equity firm, but rather a holding company focused on building on the foundation laid by you.
We update operations and digital presence, while maintaining and building up your employees. The brand you've built stays in place with a fresh injection of passion.
True Grit Partners' Founding
True Grit Partners was founded by Fred Flessner, an experienced operator focused on acquiring and growing legacy businesses with strong foundations.
He saw too many companies he grew up relying on get pieced out to the highest bidder. True Grit was born out of exactly that: the kind of unwavering determination that you likely felt when you opened your business. There has to be a better way. Owners should be allowed to step out of the day-to-day without worrying that the reputation they earned in blood, sweat, and consistency will be destroyed.
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With a diverse background, he brings experience and leadership to every situation. ​Across all of his roles, the work has been the same at its core: build strong systems, support good people, grow without losing the culture that made the business special in the first place, and give back to the community.
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A lifelong 'Car Guy'
True Grit Partners focuses on automotive for a reason.
Fred grew up in garages and workshops, building cars with his dad, uncles, and grandfather. Weekends meant turning wrenches, figuring out problems, and making something a little faster, stronger, or more reliable than it was the week before.
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Over the years, that turned into: building and racing cars, working on engines and custom projects, competing with unique builds from drag-racing lawn mowers to off-road toys, and a deep love of anything with wheels and horsepower.
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That combination of real automotive passion plus real operating experience is the foundation of True Grit’s focus and credibility with shop owners.
Why True Grit Partners Exists
True Grit Partners was built for a specific kind of owner: someone who cares as much about their people and reputation as they do about their payout.
Our philosophy is straightforward:
PRESERVE THE LEGACY: Keep the story, name, community presence, and reputation intact.
RETAIN THE TEAM: Protect jobs, stabilize culture, promote from within, and put people first.
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HONOR WHAT ALREADY WORKS: Don’t fix what isn’t broken; strengthen it.
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BUILD WHAT'S MISSING: Add the systems, tools, and leadership your business needs for the next chapter.
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In some cases, that means stepping into a healthy, established operation and helping it scale. In others, it means taking on a struggling business with good bones and rolling it into a stronger platform to protect employees and customers.
Our Team
Fred Flessner, mba
Founder, Owner, Operator
I'm Fred Flessner. I'm an operator-turned-owner focused on acquiring and stewarding legacy businesses with strong teams, strong reputations, and strong foundations. For more than a decade, I’ve worked my way from managing local teams to serving as a multi-site COO, building systems, leading expansions, and helping founder-led companies grow with structure, clarity, and grit.
My background spans construction-adjacent industries like healthcare, HVAC, multi-unit service organizations, and other skilled trades. Its given me firsthand insight into what makes blue-collar businesses thrive. I’ve overseen ground-up site builds, directed major renovation and expansion projects, and helped launch new business units, and helped companies scale without losing sight of the culture that made them a success.
Deep down, I'm a car guy and always have been. I grew up in garages and workshops. I was building cars with my dad, my uncles, and my grandfather when I was a kid. I raced cars, worked on engines, and enjoyed anything that could get you from one place to another fast. Off-road, on the track, or just cruising down the highway — if it has wheels and horsepower, you can count me in.
Those early experiences shaped my work ethic and gave me a lifelong passion for the automotive world.
My approach is simple and my goal is always the same: ensure good businesses continue serving their communities for generations to come.
Outside of work, you’ll find me outdoors: hunting, hiking, or exploring wide-open land. That’s where I think best, recharge, and stay grounded in the values that built this country: hard work, integrity, and perseverance