STOP BUYING PRODUCTS.
START BUILDING A PORTFOLIO.

Since 2010, we've deployed over $340M directly into private businesses, real assets, and structured credit — one deal at a time, with full transparency at every step. Every service below exists because a client needed it and no one else was offering it honestly.

No templates. No shortcuts. No hidden layers between you and your capital.

HOW EVERY ENGAGEMENT BEGINS

We don't sell off a shelf. Each client relationship starts with a structured discovery process designed to understand your capital, your timeline, and your tolerance for complexity — before we recommend a single investment. Here's how the first 90 days typically unfold.

1

Discovery Call

A 45-minute conversation with a senior member of our team. We listen. No pitch deck. No product catalog. We need to understand where your capital sits today, what structures you're using, and what you're actually trying to accomplish.

2

Portfolio Assessment

We review your existing allocations, fee exposure, liquidity profile, and tax situation. You receive a written assessment within 10 business days — a clear-eyed view of where you stand, including areas where direct investing may not be appropriate.

3

Strategy Proposal

A custom engagement plan: recommended services, projected commitment pacing across vintage years, sector targets, estimated fee schedules, and risk parameters. Everything in writing. Nothing hidden. You review it with your own advisors if you choose.

4

First Deal Review

Once retained, you receive your first live deal opportunity within 30–60 days. Full due diligence package included. You decide whether to proceed. No pressure, no minimums on individual transactions. Your capital, your call.

TEN SERVICES — EACH BUILT TO SOLVE A REAL PROBLEM

Most firms bundle everything into a single opaque mandate. We unbundle deliberately so you pay only for what you need. Every service below can be engaged independently or combined into a comprehensive direct investing strategy. Read what our clients say about working with us.

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DIRECT PRIVATE EQUITY CO-INVESTMENT SOURCING

Before: Blind pool fund allocations where you can't name a single portfolio company, and management fees compound regardless of performance.

After: Hand-picked co-investment positions in private Canadian businesses. You evaluate each deal individually. You decide what enters your portfolio.

Mid-market focus ($10M–$200M enterprise value). Our 87-point due diligence framework covers financials, management, market position, regulatory exposure, and downside modeling. Built on 15+ years of deal flow relationships with operators, founders, and private equity sponsors across Canada. We've sourced over 200 opportunities since 2010 and advanced fewer than 40 to client presentation.

Discuss a Deal →
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DIRECT REAL ASSET ACQUISITION & STRUCTURING

Before: Opaque real estate syndications with murky fee stacking, delayed reporting, and no ability to influence asset-level decisions.

After: Direct ownership of real estate, infrastructure, and resource assets — every line item visible, every management decision documented.

Asset classes include multi-residential properties, commercial real estate, renewable energy installations, and transportation infrastructure. We handle full lifecycle management from acquisition through disposition, structuring each transaction through purpose-built SPVs that provide asset isolation, tax efficiency, and clear governance. Current portfolio spans six Canadian provinces.

Explore Real Assets →
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MEZZANINE & PRIVATE CREDIT LENDING

Before: Broadly syndicated loans where you're one of hundreds of unnamed creditors with no visibility into borrower operations or covenant compliance.

After: Bilateral lending relationships where you're the named lender, with direct borrower access and target yields of 8%–14%.

We structure both senior secured and mezzanine debt positions, each underwritten individually with comprehensive cash flow modeling, collateral valuation, and downside scenario analysis. Typical loan sizes range from $2M to $25M with terms of 2–5 years. Every deal includes personal guarantees or hard asset collateral. Monthly interest reporting, quarterly borrower updates, and proactive covenant monitoring included.

Review Credit Deals →
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SPV FORMATION & ADMINISTRATION

Before: Complex permanent fund vehicles with layered governance, hidden administrative costs, and no ability to isolate individual deal risk.

After: Lean, single-deal entities. Tax-efficient. Governance-clear. Cost-transparent. Each asset ringfenced from the rest of your portfolio.

We coordinate legal formation with specialist counsel, draft subscription agreements and limited partnership terms, manage capital calls and distributions, and deliver quarterly financial reporting for each entity. Our SPV structures are designed to align investor incentives, minimize administrative burden, and provide clean exit pathways when it's time to wind down. We've administered 35+ SPVs since 2010 with zero governance disputes.

Structure a Vehicle →
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PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION & ALLOCATION ADVISORY

Before: Scattered allocations with no pacing strategy, concentrated sector risk, and liquidity surprises when capital calls arrive unexpectedly.

After: A staged commitment plan across sectors, asset classes, and vintage years — designed to match your actual liquidity and risk tolerance.

We build your private market allocation from scratch: liquidity assessment, risk tolerance mapping, tax considerations, commitment pacing, and vintage year diversification. For clients with existing private market exposure, we conduct a gap analysis to identify concentration risks and rebalancing opportunities. Our advisory framework integrates with your broader wealth plan — coordinated with your existing advisors, accountants, and estate planners.

Build Your Allocation →
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STANDALONE DUE DILIGENCE

Before: A glossy pitch deck and a handshake. No independent way to evaluate what you're being sold by a sponsor or operator.

After: A comprehensive 50–80 page investment memo with a clear recommendation, detailed risk matrix, and identified deal-breakers.

Scope includes financial statement analysis, management team assessment, competitive landscape review, regulatory and compliance mapping, customer concentration analysis, and downside scenario modeling. Delivered as a fee-for-service engagement ($15K–$50K depending on complexity) with no ongoing obligation. Ideal for investors evaluating third-party opportunities outside our deal flow. Also available as a downloadable checklist for preliminary screening.

Commission a Report →
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PORTFOLIO MONITORING & REPORTING

Before: Quarterly NAV statements with no context, no operational updates, and no proactive management of exit timing or portfolio rebalancing.

After: Consolidated quarterly reports with performance attribution, covenant monitoring, fair value marks, and forward-looking commentary.

Every client receives a single, consolidated document that covers cash distributions received, unrealized gains and losses by position, upcoming liquidity events, and any material changes in portfolio company operations. We track covenant compliance on all credit positions, flag early warning indicators, and provide updated exit pathway timelines. Clients with portal access via our client dashboard can view real-time position summaries between reporting cycles.

See Sample Report →
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EXIT STRATEGY PLANNING & EXECUTION

Before: Hope the manager remembers your position exists when it's finally time to sell — and hope the terms are still favorable.

After: Exit pathways modeled from day one. 23 successful exits to date. Median hold period: 5.3 years. Median MOIC: 2.1x.

Exit strategies are not an afterthought — they're embedded in every deal structure from the initial underwriting. Pathways include strategic sales to industry buyers, secondary market transactions, recapitalizations, IPO preparation, and management buybacks. We model multiple exit scenarios at entry and update them quarterly so you always know your options. When the market window opens, we move decisively.

Plan Your Exit →
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TAX-EFFICIENT INVESTMENT STRUCTURING

Before: Standard corporate structures. Generic tax advice. After-tax returns left entirely to chance.

After: Holding corporations, family trusts, LCGE optimization, cross-border structuring — each tailored to your specific circumstances.

We work in close coordination with your tax advisors and legal counsel to structure each investment for maximum after-tax efficiency. Our team has deep expertise in Canadian tax law as it applies to private transactions, including the lifetime capital gains exemption, inter-corporate dividends, partnership allocations, and cross-border considerations for U.S.-connected investors. Structure recommendations are always delivered in writing and reviewed by independent tax counsel. Check our FAQ for common tax structuring questions.

Optimize Your Structure →
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CLIENT ONBOARDING & INVESTOR EDUCATION

Before: Signed the papers and now what? Nobody explained the mechanics, the timelines, or what to actually expect.

After: A structured three-hour orientation covering direct investing mechanics, asset class fundamentals, fee walkthrough, and realistic return expectations.

Informed investors are better partners — and they make better decisions under pressure. We invest significant time upfront so there are no misalignments later. Onboarding covers how capital calls work, what illiquidity actually means in practice, how valuations are determined, and when to expect distributions. New clients also receive access to our resource library with guides, whitepapers, and market briefs written specifically for direct investors.

Start Onboarding →

WHAT YOU RECEIVE — TANGIBLE DELIVERABLES, NOT VAGUE PROMISES

Every engagement produces documented, reviewable work product. Here's what shows up in your inbox, your portal, and your files — not marketing collateral, but the actual tools and reports you use to manage your capital.

Risk assessment reports for every position — updated quarterly with scenario analysis and covenant compliance status

Quarterly account statements with full transparency on fees charged, distributions received, unrealized value changes, and IRR calculations

Due diligence packages using our 87-point framework — financial, operational, legal, and market analysis for every deal presented

Investment research memos — 50–80 page documents with clear recommendations, risk matrices, and identified deal-breakers

Sector analysis briefs covering target industries, competitive dynamics, regulatory shifts, and market sizing relevant to your portfolio

Commitment pacing plans mapping capital deployment across vintage years, sectors, and risk profiles to prevent over-concentration

Exit pathway models — scenario-based projections for each position, updated quarterly with fresh market comparables and buyer landscape analysis

Tax structuring recommendations prepared in coordination with your legal and tax advisors, documented for CRA compliance and audit readiness

TRANSPARENT FEES — KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY

The traditional fund model buries fees across management layers, carried interest, administrative charges, and undisclosed transaction costs. We stripped all of that out. Our fee structure is disclosed in writing before you commit a single dollar. No surprises at year-end. No reclassified expenses. Visit our FAQ page for detailed fee breakdowns.

Advisory & Sourcing

1.0–1.5%

Annual advisory fee on committed capital. No double-dipping on uncommitted portions. Fee scales down as commitment grows.

Performance

10–15%

Carried interest above an 8% preferred return hurdle. We don't earn performance fees until you've earned your baseline return first.

Due Diligence

$15K–$50K

Standalone fee-for-service. Scope-dependent. Flat fee quoted upfront — no hourly billing surprises or scope creep charges.

YOUR PORTFOLIO ISN'T A PRODUCT.
LET'S BUILD IT LIKE A PROJECT.

Five people. One table. $340M+ deployed since 2010. A 14.3% median net IRR across all realized exits. We work with a limited number of clients at any given time — and we're selective about fit because the relationship matters more than the transaction.

Free consultation. Transparent fees from day one. Call (213) 384-6272 or book online.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES

Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investment returns referenced on this site are historical and do not guarantee future performance.

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Direct investments in private markets are illiquid and may result in partial or total loss of capital.

Cook Direct Trade is registered as an Exempt Market Dealer with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), Registration No. EMD-2010-4827. Member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA), Member No. 7493. FINRA broker-dealer cross-border advisory reference No. BD-2014-0312. SEC-registered investment adviser under Form ADV, File No. 801-79431. All advisory services subject to KYC and AML compliance programs under Canadian securities regulation.