Goode Partners

Joe O'Connor founded Goode Partners in 2015. He was previously a Partner and co-head of the consumer team at Apax Partners, where he led investments in brands including Cole Haan, rue21, and other consumer retail concepts. That tenure anchored his relationships with consumer-company founders and operators.

The firm operates in the mid-market, with equity investments generally ranging between $25 million and $75 million per deal. It pursues control or significant minority positions alongside growth buyouts and recapitalizations, structuring around consumer businesses that are already generating meaningful revenue.

The firm relies on a founder-led sourcing model. Joe O'Connor brings over two decades of consumer deal relationships from Apax, and the firm supplements that with a curated network of sell-side bankers, brand consultants, and operating advisors who specialize in the restaurant, wellness, and branded goods ecosystems.

Goode concentrates on consumer brands where emotional or cultural attachment drives consumer behavior. In practice this means restaurant chains, health-and-wellness concepts, consumer packaged goods, and aspirational retail. The firm has explicitly invested in food-and-beverage, as demonstrated by its position in Joe & The Juice.

Goode Partners is structured as a traditional private equity firm, raising commingled institutional funds. It is not a family office and does not manage a single family's capital. It competes for LP commitments from endowments, pension funds, and fund-of-funds.