Past Forward Group

Honoring what works. Evolving what’s next.

Jerry Wertheim, Founding Partner

About Past Forward

Past Forward was founded with the goal of acquiring and growing a single business for the long term. I’m looking for an established service-based business generating between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in SDE or adjusted EBITDA — ideally one that operates remotely or can transition over time to being managed effectively without daily on-site involvement.With over a decade of experience in management consulting and operations, I bring a deep background in team leadership, systems improvement, and customer experience. My focus is on acquiring a business with consistent historical cash flow, a capable team, and strong customer relationships - one where I can apply my operational strengths to build on what works and drive sustainable, thoughtful growth.Past Forward is fully capitalized and ready to complete an SBA-backed acquisition efficiently.

Core Values

I lead with a collaborative, people-first mindset. Over the years, I’ve seen that when teams feel supported and empowered, they naturally create better experiences for customers.Strong systems and clear processes are essential. They give people the structure and confidence to deliver great work. But even the best systems won’t succeed without a culture that values and invests in its people. Great employee experience leads to great customer experience. Take care of your people, and they’ll take care of your business.

Background

  • 10+ years in management consulting and operations, helping organizations scale by improving systems, team performance, and customer experience.

  • Helped scale a customer experience consultancy from $5M to $12M in revenue (from 25 to 65 employees) by supporting the leadership team across business development, hiring, process design, and client delivery.

  • Launched and scaled the award-winning Customer Experience Institute (VACXi) for the Department of Veterans Affairs, building the systems and programs that have trained 700+ VA employees on innovation since launching three years ago.

  • MBA (Johns Hopkins) and MA in Design Management (MICA); Bachelor’s in Operations & Supply Chain (WashU in St. Louis).

  • Began my career in supply chain management at a Fortune 500 CPG company, gaining practical experience in forecasting, sourcing, and logistics.

  • Led finished goods purchasing for client accounts worth over $50M. In just 2 years, identified cost-savings projects worth $4M.

  • Experienced in strategy development, project management, people management, and change leadership.

  • Member of a small business acquisition community with M&A, legal, and lender partners in place.

  • Committed to a hands-on owner-operator role and a smooth, team-focused transition for the right business.