Building Rich Experiences and Quality Relationships

Most entrepreneurs want to take the reins of their own destinies – to bet on their own talents, their own skills, and most importantly, their own hustle.  What makes Eight Fifteen Capital different is that it’s five entrepreneurs – all knowing that they’ll go farther together.

“It’s a beautiful thing when you can work with people you love,” shared Matthew Simpson, one of partners including Joshua Peterson, Jaron Hite, Clydale Hilson, and Terrance Hall, that comprise Eight Fifteen Capital.

“We’re five young Black men finding ways to become independent, collaboratively.”

Vendor partners enjoy success reaching new customers in the Eight Fifteen Capital Booth at Rockford City Market.

Eight Fifteen Capital

As an investment firm, Eight Fifteen Capital started with a clear vision to focus on investments that mean something to people – opportunities that deliver rich experiences and quality relationships.

When it came time to comply with legalities and form a business entity that worked for that vision, they turned to Dan Huntley at WilliamsMcCarthy LLP as an experienced voice.

“We worked with Dan Huntley at WilliamsMcCarthy to help us organize as an LLC and navigate the complexities of a firm with multiple partners,” Simpson shared. “He made sure our ‘i’s’ were dotted and our ‘t’s’ were crossed.”

Eight Fifteen Capital started with multi-family real estate as the foundation of its investments, focused on building solid neighborhoods and safe, comfortable homes for families – places in which they could build those rich experiences and quality relationships.

Growth and diversification

Real estate was just the beginning. They’ve branched into product collaborations like those with Zammuto’s Drive In and Carry Out to create its peachy lemon granita in honor of the Rockford Peaches and the Rockford Art Deli to promote swag that celebrates the community that’s their namesake.  They’ve also created a 10-week internship program. As part of a DEI initiative, they’ve partnered with City Market for three years, purchasing a booth for the season and featuring a different woman-, minority-, or veteran-owned business in the space each week.

As Eight Fifteen Capital has branched out, Dan Huntley has continued to help the partners navigate the intricacies of different aspects of the business world and understand the risk profiles of different ventures.

“It’s exciting and a breath of fresh air to work with the Eight Fifteen Capital partners,” Huntley shared. “They take notes and are never afraid to ask the follow-up question. It’s a great back and forth discussion testing the boundary lines of different concepts.”

Eight Fifteen Capital has even taken on the arts world, partnering to produce Live at Levings Lake concerts and with the West Side Showroom, a local theater company, to cast, direct and promote a production each year. Simpson proudly shares that every offering has been sold out, speaking to the community’s desire to explore the diversity of stories and voices available through art.

Most recently, Eight Fifteen Capital purchased Wired Café, a downtown coffee shop and bistro known for bringing people together and, you guessed it, delivering rich experiences and quality relationships.

Events like the ones at Levings Lake show the popularity of the community programs, productions, and events Eight Fifteen Capital hosts.

Looking ahead

Thinking through how far they’ve come and the diversity of their investments, Simpson said they consistently look to WilliamsMcCarthy for assistance and advice.

“I mean, look, we’re entrepreneurs, we’re creative, we’re passionate. We have a lot of ideas. Having someone like Dan is important to our success because he helps us sharpen our focus with his advice. Sometimes he tempers that vision, which can be the difference between just hustling and doing business.”

As for what’s next, Simpson says they have big aspirations. They’ll continue to pursue those opportunities that deliver rich experiences and build quality relationships throughout the community and eventually, the region and nation.

Simpson concludes, “This is a marathon, not a sprint. Every success helps us hit targets higher than we could have before.”